Taking a walk through London’s Petersham Nurseries is almost like The Secret Garden brought to life. It’s easy to miss amid the busy city, but it’s a little gem worth discovering.
Aside from the jasmine, geraniums, hundreds of roses, and the breathtaking greenery, there’s also an on-site teahouse, as well as an award-winning cafe featuring head chef Damian Clisby. The dishes are made with organic ingredients grown in the garden and include Italian specialties like bruschetta, ravioli, and risotto. Some plates even come with edible flowers sprinkled on top.
Married couple Gael and Francesco Boglione, who moved into the Petersham House with their children in the late 1990s, bought the neighboring nurseries in 2000 in order to prevent them from being destroyed by property developers. After doing many renovations, the couple reopened it in 2004 and, shortly after, the Petersham Nurseries Cafe was born. The business quickly flourished and, based on these photos below, it’s easy to understand why.
“We hope to have created a place of calm away from the bustle of London, somewhere that respects and is in tune with nature and positive living," the couple's eldest daughter, Lara, says.
The Petersham House may look like a residence with a phenomenal front yard, but it actually contains a hidden gem — the Petersham Nurseries.
A married couple named Gael and Francesco Boglione purchased the home in the late 1990s and then bought the neighboring Petersham Nurseries to save it from being destroyed.
Four years later, the nurseries reopened. There are now several paths to wander upon and many flowers to smell.
Just look at these hydrangeas sitting in the garden's fountain!
Mr. and Mrs. Boglione also opened a cafe, a teahouse, and a little shop within the Petersham Nurseries.
It's easy to be blown away by the beautiful scenery.
Check out these beautiful roses.
There are even Petersham-grown sweet peas that you can buy.
The garden shop has many more items in the store.
And after a day of marveling at the greenery, a nice, hot meal prepared by esteemed chef Damian Clisby is a plus.
Some dishes — like these mussels — are topped with edible flowers.
As are many of the desserts!
This certainly seems like the "place of calm" the family hoped for.
