Ah, Petersham Nurseries. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and hills are rolling as far as the eye can see.
Hold on a minute. I thought we were in London!
Well, close enough. Richmond technically lies in Surrey, but since London’s southwest corner flows seamlessly into this uber-wealthy “suburb,” you can be excused for not knowing the difference.
Richmond is a fabulous blend of big city and village. Where parts are imposing in their luxury (this is where Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall nested, after all), others are charming in their rusticity. And if you stand in just the right spot on Richmond Hill, you’ll see those rolling hills I was talking about.
So where does Petersham Nurseries fit into all this? Lying just below Richmond Hill, you’ll probably think you took a wrong turn the first time you visit. Asphalt gives way to gravel as you wind your way to the main entrance. Once past the gate, you’ll discover a mesmerizing world of flowers, food, decadence and bucolic charm.
Here’s a little history about the place
Petersham Nurseries is very much a family affair. Petersham House, a stately redbrick manor house with a profusion of mullioned windows, was bought by Gael & Francesco Boglione in 1997. It was after the neighboring nursery (in existence since the ’70s) was threatened with demolition that the family stepped in as quickly as humanly possible and began extensive renovations. Four years later, in 2004, the nurseries reopened entirely reinvented. More recently, the Bogliones’ talented children have taken the helm, most notably their eldest daughter Lara, whose passion lies in sustainability, gastronomy, agriculture and education, and their son Harry, a proponent of the Slow Food Movement. Harry’s venture, Haye Farm, now supplies Petersham’s much-lauded, multi-award-winning restaurant.
Which brings us to what you’ll find once you’re there…
Although Petersham Nurseries is world-renowned for its garden center, the word “nurseries” is a bit misleading. Locals return week after week not so much for potted plants, but rather for a little celeb watching, lunches in the flower-filled greenhouse, homemade cakes in the charmingly ramshackle teahouse, and an eyeful of European gifts and antiques in the far-too-enticing garden shop. Need a five-tiered dovecote? This is where you’ll find one.
Petersham Café is a champion of the Slow Food Movement, which strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine, while encouraging the farming of local plants, seeds and livestock. Under the guidance of Master Chef, Damian Clisby, and Culinary Director, Lucy Boyd, the café has won both the SF London Awards’ 2015 “Best Slow Food Restaurant / Eatery” title and the SRA’s 2016 “Three Star Sustainability Champion” status. Some of the tasty dishes on the Italian-inspired lunch menu right now: Portland crab, asparagus, bottarga, peas, Amalfi lemon and flowers; Filets of John Dory with Gavi di Gavi, asparagus, wild garlic and peas; and Prosecco soaked nespole, jelly and thyme.
The details:
Tuesday – Friday, 12pm – 2pm; Saturday & Sunday, 12pm – 3:30pm; closed Mondays. Open for lunch only. Reservations are available from 12pm – 3pm, and up to three months in advance. Call 020.8332.8665 or email.
You’ll feel as though you’ve been plopped into one of Jane Austen’s novels as soon as you enter this place. It’s here that you’ll gorge on cake … and even more cake … and then maybe some cake to go. Light Italian-inspired lunch is served up too, of course—and extremely well. But those homemade cakes are really what it’s all about. The menu is ever changing, and the ingredients locally sourced.
The details:
Open Monday – Saturday, 9am – 5pm, and Sunday, 11am – 5pm. Lunch is served from 12pm until stocks last. Food and cake orders can be placed from 10am – 4:30pm. Beverages only are served on Mondays.
Nestled among the flowers and foliage is a carefully curated collection of gifts, garden accessories and, most notably, antiques — original biot pots and planters, 19th-century French marble tables, and brown and green Arras chairs, among other fabulous things. One of the things you shouldn’t leave without is a pair of Ilse Jacobsen Wellington boots. These aren’t your ordinary rubber boots; they’re a sheep-skin-lined, lace-up, fancy affair, arranged in pristine rows like works of modern art. Which they kind of are.
The details:
Monday – Saturday, 9am – 5pm; Sunday & Bank Holidays, 11am – 5pm.
There’s always something fun going on at Petersham Nurseries, whether its a playhouse production or a “this is how you plant a container garden” class. Here are a few of the things on the nursery’s regular roster.
Gardening How Tos
Make like Martha Stewart and sign up for a gardening workshop before your visit. Recent topics include, “Create a Cottage Garden,” “Shade Gardening” and “The Scented Garden.”
Wild Food Walks
This seasonal series focuses on London’s biodiversity of ingredients. Under the guidance of resident foraging expert, Claudio, you’ll be introduced to wild flowers, berries and fruits, fungi and truffles, and other tasty things that grow in the area.
Petersham Cellar
Petersham Nurseries’ sommeliers routinely curate handpicked selections such as, “The Undiscovered Vineyards of Sardinia” and “The Forgotten Regions of Central Italy.” If you’re particularly lucky, your wine selection will be paired with a mouthwatering menu created by Petersham Nurseries Head Chef, Damian Clisby.
Finding Petersham Nurseries:
Church Lane (sign posted ‘St Peter’s Church’)
Off Petersham Road
Richmond, Surrey, TW10 7AB
For general inquiries, call 020.8940.5230 or email info@petershamnurseries.com.
By River: Petersham Nurseries can be reached using Hammerton’s Ferry from Marble Hill Park to the river bank outside Ham House. From March – October the ferry runs Monday – Friday, 10am – 6pm and Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays, 10am – 6.30pm. Over the winter, the ferry runs on weekends only, weather permitting. Ticket: £1.
By Train: Fast trains take you from Waterloo to Richmond Station in as little as 15 minutes. Or you can opt for the London Underground’s District Line (that’s the green one) or Silver Link lines to Richmond Station. You’ll have a bit of a walk once you get there, but there’s an exhaustive list of shops, pubs and wine bars to pop into along the way. If the idea of pounding the pavement isn’t your cup of tea, the Number 65 and 371 buses take you from Richmond Station to the Dysart Pub stop (did I mention there are lots of pubs?). Of the two, it’s the no. 65 that offers the most direct route, reaching Petersham Nurseries in approx. 10 minutes.
Petersham Cafe Photo Credit Stephanie Wolff Photography http://www.stephaniewolff.co.uk.
WANDER 
This is an amazing place.
LikeLiked by 1 person