Wednesday 1 April 2009

Ham House Stables - # 09/42

Just for a while we'll move back to the original roots of Richmond upon Thames DP with some traditional, uncomplicated, simple, standard "touristical" photos.

Recently we have had some quite dramatic lighting effects as the fresh and very clear Spring sunshine competes with the grey clouds.

Here is a view across the old kitchen gardens of the 17th Century mansion, Ham House, towards the old stable block. The old gardens were cleverly constructed so that the walls created a micro-climate that trapped the warmth of the sun and excluded the wind. Fruit trees populate the warm walls and vegetables flourish in the central plots of earth. The garden now serves the kitchens in the cafe, providing fresh vegetables for the menu.

I immediately appreciated the grouping of the old roof lines and the shapes of the trees. On the right is the 19th Century Florentine style chimney that served the (then very modern!) heating systems.

8 comments:

  1. For the tourists or not, I love it! Love the way you've framed this shot with that beautiful tree. The light is beautiful, it seems to make every layer stand out- I remember my father used to do paintings on glass - layers and layers of glass. The wall, the various bushes, the building, the tower, all stand out so sharply.

    Sorry - waffling about the glass but it just occurred to me. It's meant to be a compliment. I do love this photograph.

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  2. I see you are making up your own words now.

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  3. I remember watching early episodes of the television program, "This Old House," and the host traveled to England and looked in on English garden experts who told us the theories behind the walled gardens.

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  4. Beautifully composed scene today. Your text was interesting as always. May be touristical but lovely nonetheless!
    V

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  5. Hi Roon! Traditional, simple, uncomplicated, standard touristical... Love that!! ;))

    Now, one week working without coming here and you don’t even remember that
    Blogtrotter still exists. But it’s there, even if India 2008 has come to an end… ;)). Have a great weekend!

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  6. Quelle merveille tu as encore accomplie !
    Comme l'alchimiste français Nicolas Flamel, tu as cherché et découvert la pierre philosophale ; dans ton creuset, te jouant de la lumière, tu as changé le plomb en or...

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  7. I like the touristical photos. Why not? This one is wonderfully framed by the trees but the atmosphere is more autumn than spring, I think because of the colours.

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  8. The colour of the sky, that deep and menacing grey, is fantastic. I can only agree with Cergie's comment about changing lead to gold!

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