My wife and I recently returned from a two-week trip to southern England, where we toured a number of gardens and their associated historic homes. We were part of a small (16-person) group on high-end tour organized through Colonial Williamsburg that took us to London and to a number of estates an hour or two outside that city. My wife, an avid gardener, was the primary impetus for the trip. However, I enjoy a good garden, and I loved seeing the homes — some of which were quite stately — and meeting both the other members of the group and the various Brits we encountered.
Our flights (United Airlines nonstop from SFO to Heathrow and back) were flawless, the transfer to our initial hotel was smooth, and the hotel itself was delightful. We were on our own for the first two days, days we spent wandering through Kensington Park, through Holland Park, and through the Victoria and Albert museum, all of which were an easy walk from our hotel. We also visited a lovely garden that wasn’t on our tour: the Chelsea Physic Garden, the oldest botanic garden in London (established in 1673 by the “Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London”) containing thousands of medicinal, edible and useful plants.
Our formal tour began with a visit to the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which is put on annually to both inspire and educate visitors and to raise funds for Royal Hospital Chelsea, now a retirement home for former soldiers. The show was packed, but our group was ably led by one of the show’s judges, who not only helped us navigate the crowds but helped us to focus on the best of the best. That evening, we had drinks with the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom at the ambassador’s official residence. There, Harriet Stephens, the ambassador’s wife, gave us a personal tour of the home’s manicured gardens.
The next eight days were a whirlwind of tours, two per day, of various houses and their gardens. We saw formal gardens, wild gardens and everything in between. The homes ranged from massive edifices originally built in the 1600s to more modern (1800s) structures, all containing a wealth of paintings, tapestries and furniture. Many of the estates are managed by a trust, but a portion of most continues to be occupied, thanks to agreements made when the owners placed their buildings and grounds into the trust. In some, the owners themselves led our tours. In others, we were given a personal tour of the gardens by the head gardener. Regardless, in most, we toured the house and gardens before they were opened to the general public.
As you can probably tell, this was a very special tour, one my wife considered to be a trip of a lifetime. And having gone along, I must agree. Our Redwood City garden is nowhere near as large as the ones we saw in England, but nevertheless my wife returned home inspired and ready to make changes. As for me, I came home refreshed and eager to see what changes had occurred in the area during our two-week absence. Having done a quick reconnaissance by car the day after we returned, this week I took a long walk through San Carlos and parts of Redwood City to get a more in-depth look.
I was interested to see that the empty CVS/pharmacy building on El Camino Real bordering San Carlos and Belmont has been torn down, making the site ready for the construction of a 251-unit apartment building. Elsewhere in San Carlos, I learned of an updated proposal for the affordable housing project on Walnut Street, just across from the Wheeler Plaza garage. And I was pleased to see that the Cherry Street Commons affordable family housing development continues marching toward completion in that same city.
In Redwood City, the biggest change, at least for me, took place along East Bayshore Road where the Century Park 12 Theatres once stood. The apartment project on that site of course made progress, but I what I hadn’t expected to see were the beginnings of a steel framework for the Villa Sport Athletic Club and Spa that will one day share the site. Over at 112 Vera Ave., the two-story podium that I believe will support five levels of modular apartments looks about ready to accept modules, a process I’m eager to watch. And in North Fair Oaks, not only are residents moving in to the second building in the Middlefield Junction affordable housing project (the building that burned two years ago while under construction), the six-story, 86-unit affordable “Monarch at Redwood” project on San Mateo Avenue appears fully framed and ready for its exterior skin.
Travel can be wonderful; I had a great time. But it sure is good to be home.
Greg Wilson is the creator of Walking Redwood City, a blog inspired by his walks throughout Redwood City and adjacent communities. He can be reached at greg@walkingRedwoodCity.com. Follow Greg on Twitter @walkingRWC.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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