Here are some of the places I think are interesting in London, in no particular order.   

1.         Tunnel under the Thames  

This foot tunnel links Cutty Sark gardens at Greenwich and Island gardens on the Isle of Dogs and is 390 metres in length. It was being renovated when I went and will eventually have 2 working lifts to accompany the 88 steps down from the Island Gardens end and 100 steps up to Greenwich. It’s part of the UK’s National Cycle Route 1, linking Inverness and Dover, although you have to push your bike through rather than cycle.  With all the tiles on the walls there’s an errie echo as you walk along.

Joan under the Thames

2.         The Thin House -  A great optical illusion

This house can be seen on the south terrace of Thurloe Square in Knightsbridge. It’s a wedge shape to fit in against the train line.   It has to be seen to be believed.

Thin end of the Wedge

3.         Savoy Court – Cars drive on the right

This is the only street in the UK where the traffic drives on the right.  Indeed a special Act of Parliament granted permission for this, as the Savoy Theatre was on the right-hand side. Taxis can drop people off outside the theatre without turning round in front of the Savoy hotel, and when leaving can pickup a new fare from the hotel as they turn around.

The small roundabout at the main entrance meant vehicles needed a turning circle of 25′ in order to navigate it. To this day, this is the legally required turning circle for London taxis.

4.         Traffic Light Tree – A Driver’s Nightmare

One of my personal favourites, it’s on the roundabout at the junction of Heron Quay bank, Marsh Wall and Westferry Road.  It’s 26 foot high and has 75 lights which change in random order. What a great place to bring someone who’s just passed their test !!!

Can I go now ?

5.         The Phoney House 

This modern day follies can be found at 23 – 24 Leinster Terrace, Bayswater W2.  The houses were demolished in 1863 when the Paddington to Farringdon tube line was built.  Property agents insisted that the train company reconstruct the fronts and make them look like real houses, if you look carefully you’ll see that all 18 windows are greyed out and there are no letter boxes. You can see the rail line at the back of the houses from Porchester gardens, see picture below.

Where's the house gone ?

6.         Sewer Gas Lamp – ‘Farting Lane’

This is in Carting Lane opposite the stage door of the Savoy Theatre.  Until the 1950’s the bulb was illuminated by sewer gas from the bowel movements of the Savoy Guests, hence it’s nickname.  It’s now lit up by normal gas.

7.         Smallest house in London  

At no 10 Hyde Park Place, this  house is only 3′ 6″ wide. It’s now part of the Tyburn Convent. People thought it blocked a right of way to serve as a watch house overlooking an old graveyard – there was lots of body snatching in the 18th Century.

8.         Giant wall socket and Plug

You can see this on the facade of an electricity sub station at the second floor level on Ganton Street, just off Carnaby Street.

9.         Cable Street Mural 

You can see this at 236 Cable Street, Shadwell, E1 0BL.  It covers the wall of the former HQ of the International Brigade and depicts the 1936 rally against fascist leader Oswald Mosley which took place in the area and is known as the Battle of Cable Street.

Cable Street Mural

 10.       Vauxhall Bridge Sculptures

Unless you are travelling by boat or look over the parapet you might miss these. There are female bronze figures on either side depicting the functions of local government. Looking downstream are Drury’s figures for Government, Education, Fine Art and Science / Astronomy and facing upstream are Pomeroy’s for Agriculture, Architecture (holding a beautiful model of St Paul’s cathedral), Engineering and Pottery.

11.       First shop in the world

25 Nelson Road, Greenwich, SE10 9JB

It’s claim to be the first shop in the world is due to it’s location at 4/10 of a minute west of the prime meridian. It’s now a shop selling Nautical memorabilia.

12.       The ‘Sham’ Bridge

In the formal gardens at Kenwood House there is a pond which has a wooden bridge. It has a three span facade with a balustrade and when you look at it from the terrace or lawn in front of the house it gives an illusion of the water continuing beyond it.

 13.       London Walks

No trip would be complete without doing at least one guided walk.  I’ve been doing these for many years and have never been disappointed.  The guides are very informative and you get to see things you would never find on your own.   See the list here.

Did you also know …..

The 02 dome is the largest roof in the World

Largest roof in the world

Bridget Driscoll was the first person in the world killed by a car (at 4 mph !!) in Crystal Palace back in 1896.

St Peter’s barge in West India Quay off Hertsmere Road E14 is London’s only floating church 

What’s happening now . . . . .

Spring is unfurling into summer at great speed.  We are enjoying lighter longer days, which is good news for the enthusiastic gardener.  The birds herald the start of summer with their deafening dawn chorus.  The landscape is becoming green once again on the ground, in the trees and in the hedgerows.  Bumblebees, butterflies and insects keep busy flying around the now abundant flowers.    Alliums and showy perennials such as iris, peonies and poppies define the changing season raising their heads to the sun. Vegetable and flower seed can be safely sown into warm soil once the risk of frost has passed.

May marks the month in the gardening calendar for the world renowned Chelsea Flower Show.  The show runs this year from 25-29 May 2010 and is a remarkable spectacle of horticulture.  Whether it be the show gardens to the displays within the pavilions, there is something here to tempt every gardener.

At home in the garden it is time, traditionally, to carry out what is known as the ‘Chelsea Chop’.  This involves pruning some perennials that flower later in the season down by a third to prevent them becoming leggy and needing staking.  It also delays flowering to provide welcome colour later in the season.  Good examples which benefit from the chop are Sedum spectabile (iceplant), asters, heleniums (Helen’s Flower) and eupatorium (Joe Pye Weed).  Early flowering geraniums also will look neater and keep producing flowers for longer if given this treatment.  So be brave with those shears.

tasks to be getting on with during late spring/early summer . . . . .

May

1. Be aware of late frosts and protect young plants with fleece.

2. Water plants that need it regularly with collected rainwater and grey water.

3. Continue to sow seeds and pot up seedlings.

4. Mowing of lawns can begin in earnest weekly.  Feed and weed also.

5. Division of early spring flowering perennials once they have been cut back.

6. Prune spring flowering shrubs once finished flowering at the end of the month.

June

1.  Keep on top of weeds and deadhead regularly to maintain flowering.

2.  Water wisely in the morning and evening young plants and containers.

3.  Look out for pests particularly on roses and fruit.

4.  Plant out seedlings and rooted cuttings.

5.  Stake any plants in need of support using peas sticks or hazel.

6.  Continue to cut lawns and give any tired areas a liquid feed.

Nicola Baily Gibson; designs gardens for today’s living, with nature in mind.

01252 845 880 or 07940 801019

Prices of first class stamps then go up everywhere on 4 April (to 46p) and second class (up 4p to 36p). You can buy up to a huge 72 stamps per day at Superdrug. This is the third time Superdrug’s had a 5% discount promotion since the price of First Class stamps went up last year by 2p.

The Details

• Starts: Wednesday 16 March 2011
• Ends: Sunday 3 April 2011
• Stamps included: First Class
• Which types? Books of four large, or six and 12 standard first class stamps
• Where? Superdrug stores in UK and Eire (not online)

Some people are very happy to have whomever I suggest but others are reluctant to try a male cleaner. There are a variety of reasons, from a belief that men just don’t know how to clean properly, to feeling uncomfortable having a man in the house. Often a client has a clear picture in their head of the perfect cleaner,  which can be what they term a ‘good old fashioned’ cleaner, which normally means they want someone over 40, or someone in their 20’s who will have lots of energy and therefore get more done.

In my experience it’s not always the case that a younger person will have more energy, or that an older person will be a better cleaner.  Everyone has particular things they are good at and part of my role is to match the people so that the clients expectations are met.

The current men on my books, Robin / Andrew / Moustafa / Roman / Ron & Jonathan all do a great job. Some of them clean with their partners, others alone, and all have very happy clients.  I can vouch personally for Jonathan as he cleaned for me for the first time last week and did a wonderful job. In addition to the things I asked him to do, he did extra things like vacuuming lampshades and polishing my very smeary stainless steel bin in the kitchen to name just a few. 

One thing you can be sure of is that I’ve taken up references for everyone , whether they are young, old, man or woman and have done my best to make sure that the person I supply is honest and trustworthy as well as capable at domestic cleaning & ironing.

I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on the subject ………………………………

After 8+ years of my husbands home grown site I thought it was time for a revamp. I hope you like it and would be very interested in your feedback (good or bad).

Joan