Blog 2 – A walk in the park
British gardens, greens, and commons are a walking surprise, not quite an ‘adventure’, but close.
Winter in London could be depressing. It’s cold with highs in the 40’s and 50’s. It rains some, though not all, days. And the days are short. December 21st, the shortest day, saw the sun rise at 8:03 am and set at 3:53 pm for 7 hours and 44 minutes of sun that day.
But, it is not depressing. Not for us, not for me. There are so many new things to see and places to go that even the dark has not depressed our mood. One reason is the abundance of parks and green spaces. We are ‘between the greens’ which our first realtor told us was ideal. One direction is Turnham Green, a small park with crisscrossing trails which go from one street to another. To the other is Chiswick House and Gardens with 65 acres of grass, woods, formal gardens, and conservatory, in addition to the house which was created by Lord Burlington in the 1700’s. Since moving here, I have visited Chiswick House and Gardens several times – today, the conservatory was open: Surprise; Camelias; in bloom!
I know they are camelias because the little signs said so. The green, the color, smell on an otherwise gray day was such a treat and so unexpected. There is green in the rest of the garden and in London on the whole. It’s that ‘November green’, where the leaves have dropped, but the grass and some plants are still green. A very few flowers are to be seen apart from the flowering tree around the corner that just doesn’t seem to know what season it is.
The parks, the greens, the commons are all busy most of the time. People walking, dogs walking, people walking dogs–London is a very dog friendly area. Folks on bikes, kids on scooters; all coming out to run errands, breathe fresh air, see the sun, or get some exercise out of doors in a space that can accommodate a range of physical abilities. Or, maybe they are in the park for an event; such as the Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park. (https://hydeparkwinterwonderland.com) The Wonderland is truly a wonder with Christmas Village shops, Traditional food stands, Beer gardens, Games, and Carnival rides – huge Carnival rides. We could see several miles from the top of the Ferris wheel. And while it is a large event, it does not begin to fill Hyde Park leaving plenty of green area, ponds, and walks open to all.
Kew Gardens (https://www.kew.org) is where Henry VIII chased Anne Boleyn until she caught him. Her favorite bun shop across the road is still open and selling a variety of baked goods. Kew is a walled park which charges admission to all. It operates as a Royal Botanic Garden under the support of Prince Charles. Their mission is: “Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s mission is to be the global resource for plant and fungal knowledge, building an understanding of the world’s plants and fungi upon which all our lives depend.” This means there are few dog walkers, but many visitors who have come just to see the gardens. Kew puts on the “Christmas at Kew” event. A yearly sold-out display of lights, food, and drinks that is simply amazing. Displays of light-wrapped trees are just the beginning at Kew; there are light cathedrals, lasers, disco balls, and a small carnival area for the kids. The finale this year was a Disney “Frozen” display and music projected over dancing waters. Oohs and aahs by all in attendance.
Our own Chiswick Gardens (http://chiswickhouseandgardens.org.uk) creates “After dark” to celebrate the season with drinks, food, and light displays. The walk through the garden ends with a tent enclosed food and drink court just to make sure you don’t leave hungry.
We didn’t expect any of these events. The Chiswick Gardens was our first nighttime garden light show and it was fun. It is an easy walk with a popcorn and drink kiosk at about the halfway point. A lovely evening. The Winter Wonderland is unbelievable in size and scope; right in the middle of the city. And, the Kew Gardens Christmas was overwhelming, with each display being more interesting and beautiful than the one before it.
When we said we would move here, we didn’t know what to
expect. The phrase “the same only different” is repeated by many Americans in
London – but, the gardens, they are a revelation. From the variety of terrain,
to the amount of green, to the special seasonal events; all have been quite the
surprise.