Petersham Gardens

22/08/2026

On 17 August 2026, the Environment Agency identified a bloom of potentially toxic Blue-Green Algae in the River Thames around the Ham and Kingston Designated Bathing Water site.

The Environment Agency has now confirmed that the bloom is present between Sunbury Lock and Teddington Lock, spanning the stretch of the River Thames flowing through Kingston.

The algae may look like green or blue paint on the surface of the water and river bank.

You can’t tell if an algae is toxic just by looking at it, so it’s safest to assume it is. Keep pets and children away from the river and avoid entering or touching the water until further notice.

This bloom is made worse by the current drought conditions, with slower flowing warmer water.

Given the current weather forecast, the Blue-Green Algae bloom may continue for some weeks.

07/11/2023

Another wet and windy day

27/07/2023

Important information for clients of SCLD

Hello and welcome to the new brand.

28/05/2023

It’s Summer Half Term and activities for kids start TODAY at our libraries and Museum
Activities include:
- Lego Building
- Story Telling
- Stay and Play
- Crafting and
- Elmer Day
Also a special Kingston History Centre free Open Day on Saturday, 3 June, for older kids.

There are activities across the whole week and you can find the full programme and brochure at this link http://ow.ly/NMtt50OykPN

16/05/2023

This week is Water Saving Week! And one way you can save water (and money) is by having a smart sprinkler system in your garden - but you need to have it set up correctly. For example, programming it to water in the early morning to decrease water evaporation, and not to water during wet weather.⠀
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(If you would like some advice on irrigation for your garden, do give us a call on 020 3897 8422 or drop us a line at [email protected] - we'd be more than happy to help!)⠀
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12/05/2023

Today is International Nurses Day, and it's appropriate that it's held on 12th May, the birthday of Florence Nightingale.
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Pictured is the Macmillan Nurse Rose, named for The Macmillan Nurses, a charity set up to help, support and nurse those with cancer. This rose is a beautiful plant, with large white flowers which have a slightly pinky-peach tinge, and rather attractive green, glossy foliage. ⠀
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12/05/2023

Planting the beautiful hydrangea can really brighten a garden up. They come in a variety of colours, ranging from the palest of pinks, lavenders and powder blues, to deep, rich purples, bordeauxs, and royal blues. (Although I personally rather like the purity of the white variety.)
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The colour of hydrangea flowers can change depending on the pH in the soil - for example, soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower will produce blue flowers, while a pH of 6.5 or higher will produce pink flowers. (By the way, white hydrangeas have no pigment for colour, so changing the pH in the soil will have no effect - the only way you will change the hue of these ones is by imitating the Queen of Hearts!)
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11/05/2023

As we head towards winter, getting the recommended 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity can be tricky to stick to. But we can all move more, even when staying at home!

Check out Sport England’s list of home workouts, which helpfully splits options into those best for older adults, pregnant women, general fitness, and those living with long-term health conditions ➡️️ https://crowd.in/8vpPC5

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09/05/2023

And as well as mowing... we're planting!
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