Exploring Petersham Hamlet Gardens Inward London

What started out exactly every bit a twenty-four hr menses exploring a new-to-us component subdivision of London on our novel bikes turned into an afternoon of garden hopping.

Over the weekend, I alone had i twenty-four hr menses off, as well as the weather condition happened to last glorious! So dissimilar typical British weather. I similar visiting gardens, such every bit Kew Gardens as well as Hampton Court that I’ve written nearly before, but today I wanted to caput downward to Ham House as well as Gardens. Well, nosotros didn’t quite become far that far because later passing through Richmond Park, nosotros cycled through the minor “village” of Petersham, which happened to last hosting a gardens’ opened upward solid fundraiser. Several owners inwards the expanse joined together to opened upward their individual gardens to the populace to heighten coin for local charities. We bought tickets on the spot.

Behind a couplet of ornate wrought-iron gates along Petersham Road is the entrance to Montrose House, which was i of the gardens for the event. The solid is a belatedly 17^th-century Grade II listed edifice as well as is named later the 3^rd Duke of Montrose, who was non the master copy owner. Well, this solid boats non alone expansive gardens but a greenhouse, non one, but TWO lawn tennis courts every bit good every bit a cricket batting expanse as well as several large sculptures. Absolutely amazing!

From here, nosotros wandered through Petersham to banking concern fit out the other gardens as well as houses.

A petty background on Petersham, it’s a hamlet as well as parish inwards the Richmond district along the Thames River consisting of 660 acres as well as takes its advert from having belonged to St. Peter’s Abbey at Chertsey dorsum inwards the 11^th century.

Up to the Tudor period, the Thames landscape betwixt Hampton as well as Kew consisted largely of tranquillity riverside villages, orchards as well as marketplace gardens that supplied Londoners with food. Following the structure of Richmond as well as Hampton Court Palaces, the landscape began to alter every bit regal as well as aristocratic families moved to the area. In an expanse known every bit the Arcardian Thames, located betwixt Weybridge as well as Chiswick, a serial of grand houses, magnificent gardens as well as hunting parks were constructed along the river as well as surrounding woodland. This expanse is considered “a rural paradise on the doorstep of London.”

Well, nosotros saw several of these grand houses as well as their first-class gardens on our mini tour of Petersham.

Petersham Lodge, exactly about other Grade II listed mansion, located on River Lane, was rebuilt inwards the early on 18^th century for the Duchess of Queensberry. In 1987, Prince Rupert Loewenstein, the longtime fiscal managing director of the Rolling Stones, bought the holding for £2 i chiliad one thousand as well as lived at that topographic point until his croak inwards 2014. I tin dismiss alone imagine how much this massive property, with an impressive veg garden, H2O pond as well as greenhouses, is worth now!

Outside of Petersham Lodge, I climbed over a debate into Petersham Meadows, i of the preserved farms that originally was component subdivision of the Ham House estate dating to the 17^th century. Lovely dairy cows nonetheless graze hither today, as well as I walked correct with them taking photos. You receive got a daughter out of the country, but….you know the rest.

The Petersham gardens’ opened upward solid likewise featured ii cottages, which both had exactly about lovingly arranged bloom gardens. One garden fifty-fifty included an Airstream caravan purchased from Ohio, USA, as well as shipped over to London, which the possessor uses every bit his personal office. How cool!

And, I fifty-fifty persuaded wife to halt at Petersham Nurseries, which was a madhouse, but nosotros looked at the lovely plants that I would similar to buy.

Well, this surprise tour of Petersham ended upward beingness a delightful agency to pass a sun inwards London. And of course, every bit how all weekends must end, nosotros stopped at a riverside pub as well as enjoyed a pint of refreshing cider.

Cheers from London!