VEGETABLE GARDENING IN LONDON 2014

GOOD THINGS HAPPENED IN 2013 - AND THE SUN SHONE

One of my best experiences was the Wild Food Walk which I participated in, at Petersham Nurseries, near Ham Common.
It was in December (which is now so last year!).  Here is a link to my two blog posts about

PETERSHAM NURSERIES  and

THE FORAGING WALK WITH CLAUDIO BINCOLETTO

The Petersham Nurseries also produces a Blog and there is an interesting post on 1st November, which I think is written by Claudio, he is writing about truffles 'Truffles - Myths, Legend & Reality".  Here is a link November's Wild Food Walk

THE ALLOTMENT SITE IS MORE OR LESS COVERED IN FLOOD WATER!

The winter vegetables I have grown are  still standing. Some brassicas: sprouts, kale and winter sprouting broccoli, which is not yet sprouting, of course.

Today I went up there, wearing wellies, and had to splash my way along the path to cut some brussell sprouts.  I also dug up some more parsnips, it was a job to lever them out of the soggy mud, I can tell you!

To wash them I doused them in a puddle on my plot, not very hygienic I know!  But have you ever tried to wash sticky clay of parsnips, or other roots, with no running water?  The water supply on the allotment is turned off every winter, and is not back on again until April. 

About half the plots on our site now have areas which are under water. One or two are almost 80% flood, very disheartening for the plot owners, that is if they bother to come over a look.

This time of year it is not usual to see more than one or two other people there, and the main task is to lug bags or barrow loads of soggy manure - the kind that is mixed with wood shavings - we do not usually have the better horse manure mixed with straw.  Apparently stables now economise by bedding their horses on sawdust.

GO FOR A DROOL, TO PETERSHAM NURSERIES - TRY TO RESIST TEMPTATION!

PETERSHAM NEAR RICHMOND, A LITTLE PIECE OF PARADISE

I went on the special Foraging event at Petersham Nurseries, Petersham, near Ham on 1 December, a Sunday.  The Petersham Nurseries are delightful and full of interesting and desirable things to buy.... as well as being the home of the famous cafe and tea house.  Petersham are members of the Slow Food Supporters Scheme.

I notice from their website that you can buy a Foraging walking stick! Now why didn't I ask for one for Christmas.....
Petersham Nurseries Shop and Garden

Previous post link here, about the actual walk
Foraging walk with Claudio Bincoletto

The Petersham Nurseries are on the banks of the Thames, and abut onto the flat green Petersham Meadows, which you can see from the beautiful viewpoint of Richmond Hill.

Not having been to Petersham before, I found the locality fascinating, with beautiful old houses, some cottages and the lovely small church of St Peter, where Captain George Vancouver is buried, who discovered Vancouver Island.

Sorry to say,  I did not take any photos of the Church or the meadows. Will have to go back and take a closer look soon.  There are box pews in the church, which is rare this near to London.

ST PETER'S CHURCH, PETERSHAM

The link below give details of the church and other people associated with it, such as Theodora Jane Cowper, cousin of poet William Cowper, and is where the marriage took place of the parents of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. (Earl of Strathmore and Nina Cavendish-Bentinck, in 1881). The information is from the Local History Notes of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames website.

St Peter's, Petersham

THE NURSERIES

I particularly liked the display in the first section of the nursery which I entered, after walking through the yard full of small plants and an array of lovely earthenware flowerpots, various sizes.  They are, I think, made in India and might be hand-made.  Not often you see these flowerpots, new, for sale. 

These photos I took with my little old Nikon camera.

Tree ferns, and other tender indoor displays

Wooden plant labels, seed packets

Seeds with the Petersham label, plus some Italian ones

Garlics all ready to plant now, or spring

Hairy pots! Like I saw at Walmer Castle in the summer

Petersham Nursery seeds for kids, fun designs

Claudio introduces the Foraging

Fungi on display at the start of our Forage

Cheese from Italy, this one is very special, we enjoyed it later, with polenta

This may be Chicken of The Wood fungi

Cutting the Italian cheese for our brunch

Petersham Nursery does a good table setting, pretty crab apples

Italian wine from a very special vineyard in the North - it was very good!

The admirable fungi

YES, I WILL DEFINITELY RETURN TO PETERSHAM NURSERIES

It is difficult to park there, by the way.  There are parking spots in the road leading down to the river, a few minutes walk along the main road, towards Ham Common.  "This road is liable to flooding", say the signs.  You can of course get a bus from Richmond Station.