A tiny park with a big heart

Postman's Park is a tiny bit of greenery sandwiched between buildings and street only a few minutes walk from the grand St Paul's Cathedral. I must have walked past it so many times without realising what it was and, being only a few minutes from St Paul's, its really a nice spot to visit if you are in the area, so no excuses!

The park sits on the site of the old churchyard and burial ground - some of the headstones can still be seen on the edges of the park. Might be a bit creepy for some, but that didn't deter me and clearly didn't deter the postmen who used to stop for their lunch break back when the headquarters of the General Post Office was nearby which, incidentally, is how the park got its name. Now its home to office workers taking a break, seeking respite from their day by the side of the softly bubbling fountain and the little fish swimming away in it.

The park is also home to a peculiar memorial. The artist GF Watts wanting to have a memorial for the 'average' person managed, after several suggestions and set-backs, to build a memorial "In commemoration of heroic self sacrifice". On the side of one of the park walls tiled 'plaques' remember ordinary individuals who gave their lives in order to help others. I walked along and read every single one.

I couldn't help being impressed and a little humbled at these ordinary acts of bravery. Children as young as 8, young women, and men as old as 60, are remembered for their sacrifice. My cynical side did wonder if people today are still capable of such incredible kindness. If I was capable. But despite the coldness of commuters, I have seen on many occasions how kind they can be when they need to be.

The little fountain, circular flower beds surrounding the sundial and many benches dotted around the park do make it a cute little place to escape to. Its not very quiet, being off a main street, and its a little bit odd being surrounded by buildings but, all the same, its worth a peek - even if its just to see the memorial. I really don't know of any others that are not associated with remembering soldiers. Not that soldiers shouldn't be remembered, its just nice to see ordinary bravery remembered too, there should be more.

Did I mention that this park caught the attention of Hollywood? Apparently several scenes from Close were shot there - I'm going to have to watch that movie now.

Oh, and in case you haven't seen one yet, an old blue police phone box sits outside the Aldersgate Street entrance :)

What do you think about the memorial? Would you visit?

Read More

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Kew Gardens, I finally made it to see you.

And i'm so happy I did. You are beautiful, varied, an oasis in London.

Your conservatories evoke Victorian London.

I envy your beautiful blooming beds buzzing with bees and bursting with brightly coloured flowers.

A cup of tea and cake at the Orangery, sitting in the sun, a green lawn stretching in front disolves away the hectic week.

The very strict 'no you cant use the loo, we're closed' policy, when your still closing, for a paying customer, is the only thing to ruin an otherwise lovely stroll through your acres of gardens, under the branches of trees, past ponds of water and almost endless grounds.

A few hours of exploration are both plenty and too little - i'll be back.

Kew Gardens Website
Admission is £15 for Adults, Kids under 16 are free.
Opening times vary depending on season but details can be found here.
The Gardens are very, very large and have three gates accessible to different stations. The Victorian gate is best for the Princess of Wales Conservatory and pond, Elizabeth gate is best for Kew Palace and the Orangery and the Lion Gate is best for the Pagoda. Details here.

Read More

Holland Park and the Londoners Sunny Day Phenomenon

One thing that is immediately obvious to anyone who lives in London is the Londoners sunny day phenomenon. This is characterised by women in summer dresses, men in shorts, pub gardens full of people and grassy areas covered in white bodies attempting to absorb some colour (or cancer) from the sun. For a busy, bustling city like London, there is no shortage of parks. Wherever you are, you're only a short stroll to a grassy spot whether it be park, common, heath or square.

I recently explored Holland Park and was pleasantly surprised by it. It has a mix of leafy walks, green lawns, kids play areas and formal gardens. It even has a Japanese garden with Koi pond and rocky waterfall, playing fields and a cafe.

Holland Park is spread across 54 acres of what used to be the grounds of Cope Castle, a large Jacobean mansion hidden in the woods. It was built by Sir Walter Cope in the early 17th century, who became Chancellor of the Exchequer under King James 1. It was renamed Holland House after the Earl of Holland’s wife Lady Rich inherited the property.

Holland House was badly damaged during World War II. One wing was saved and is used as a youth hostel. A remaining section of the front terrace is now used as a distinct backdrop for the park's summertime open-air theatre productions and classical concerts.

Its one of those parks that are good for walking but on a really sunny day would be a little crowded as there really isn't that much flat green space to to have a lie on, most of the grounds being leafy and wild.

I enjoyed the fact that the grounds constantly varied as I made my way through the park, there was always something new to see. A stop at the cafe was pleasant too. They do sandwiches, a hot breakfast and lunch dishes, all surprisingly good. We placed our orders, found a table outside and settled in for some people watching in the sun over some good grub.

The absolute highlight was the Kyoto Gardens. It is a small Japanese garden in the centre of the park and made me miss Japan so much! To top it off as we were leaving, we were lucky enough to be in prime position to see a truly magnificent peacock show off its feathers in a beautiful display of turquoise colour. The crowd that gathered and amount of photos taken was testament to it being the highlight for many other peoples day too.

After he'd had his fun, and practice run, the peacock meandered off to show off to a female peacock in the next garden over. I'm not sure what the mating ritual for peacocks is but I was not expecting this!

Holland Park is easily accessed from Holland Park tube station on the Central line or High Street Kensington underground station on the District line. Its a short walk from both.

Which park do you head to on a sunny day?

Read More