#kensington-gardens

#kensington-gardens

These are Scilla sardensis, the common name is Glory-of-the-Snow. They are native to the mountains of Western Turkey but are really comfortable growing in almost any condition, as you can see. They are, for us, the real harbingers of spring. We know that once we start to see this electric blue color, the season is starting for us.

The plans call for beams of light right up into the night sky, which means they're directly affecting the night sky and, by design, the skyline view for anyone looking in that direction.

Research consistently shows that access to green space can significantly boost wellbeing, with studies linking time spent in gardens and parks to lower cortisol levels, improved mood, and sharper cognitive function.

The Grade II listed building is on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register and is currently recorded as being in poor condition. The national Marine Society and Sea Cadets (MSSC), which held the lease, has confirmed that it can no longer meet the building's repair obligations and will surrender the lease so that restoration can be carried out by new occupants.

This declaration establishes a much-needed green lung for this part of the borough. Our charity launched this campaign back in January 2021. At that time, we were emerging from Covid lockdown, and people were discovering the wonders of nature and wildlife on their doorstep in the Brent River Park.

Despite its proximity to one of London's busiest tourist attractions, its back street location is remarkably quiet and peaceful. Leading off Stafford Place, it was originally, and unsurprisingly, called Stafford Mews, as it was built as stabling for houses on Buckingham Gate, facing the palace. Constructed around 1860, the stables were simple two-storey houses, built initially with stables at the ground and accommodation above.

Step inside Don't Tell Dad and you're immediately greeted by a warm, low-lit vintage atmosphere. When we arrived, a funky soundtrack was drifting over dark wood floors, while super-comfy olive-green velvet banquettes, booths, and bar stools offered a front-row view of the kitchen in action. Wood panels with coloured glass windows, marble-topped tables set with linen napkins, and vintage cutlery and candle holders hint at 1930s Art Deco elegance, while oval mirrors and playful statement lighting reinforce the space's French bistro vibes.

"After careful research and thought, my design for the Queen's monument will emphasise her role as head of state and proudly follows a sculptural tradition that shows kings and queens from the House of Windsor in a standing position," said Jennings. The previous horse-riding images had been for illustrative purposes only to show the size, scale and location rather than the final design, says the Cabinet Office.

Originally called the Grand Triumphal Arch, it was built in part to commemorate Britain's victories in the Napoleonic Wars and as part of King George IV's remodelling of Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace. Announced in 1825, it would take a year of wrangling to settle on a design for the arch. The chosen architect, Decimus Burton, initially planned a triumphal arch modelled on the Arch of Titus in Rome,

A string quartet was playing in the hotel's lobby on our arrival, and the music drifted gently through to the Green Parlour as we took our tea. The tea room itself is unmilitary in style, with lots of soft greens and botanical art on the walls. For those who like their afternoon tea with bubbles, there's a choice of English sparkling wines at the Green Parlour.

The comments, released by a Kensington Palace spokesperson as William traveled to Saudi Arabia for an official visit, marked the first time Britain's most popular royals have expressed their views on the scandal since the U.S. Justice Department's release of more than 3 million pages of documents in late January revealed how Epstein used a web of rich, powerful people to abuse women and girls.

Children can be the captain of their own ship and let their imaginations soar when the playground reopens. The galleon will be the centrepiece of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens when it reopens in the summer.

Since the rejection, Punch has been given a stuffed orangutan toy by zookeepers at Ichikawa zoo where he lives. Punch has won worldwide adoration mainly because people feel sorry for the baby monkey. The zoo has been posting updates of the macaque, with videos showing him playing alone, being hit by other monkeys and dragging his plushie around everywhere he goes.

The tunnel carries electricity, and itself is a result of the huge power failure that plunged most of South London into darkness in August 2003. A later review recommended that Network Rail should improve the security of its own supplies in south London, and the result is a tunnel running from the National Grid disconnector at New Cross National Grid Substation to the Rotherhithe Switching Station.

Fiona Twycross, the heritage minister, is to be congratulated for finally giving London's Southbank Centre Grade II listing (Campaigners welcome long overdue' listing of brutalist Southbank Centre, 10 February). I remember being shocked when I first saw it in the 1960s, but it has become a remarkable symbol of the zeitgeist. Its grey concrete and its childlike composition together express the fatalism and despair of a nation in economic and political decline.

So, on Sunday 25th January, members of the reenactment society will converge on The Mall from all across the country, some arriving already dressed in buff coats and broad-brimmed hats, others changing into period clothing on arrival. There are pikes to be shouldered, muskets checked, and a few tentative practice swings as old drill is recalled, before the ranks are set and order restored.

The best restaurants in South Kensington are no secret to the most cultured among us. This corner of London is more synonymous with groundbreaking exhibitions than a buzzy food scene - but hey, who can compete with the V&A, Natural History Museum and Science Museum as neighbours? Alas, culture vultures require sustenance like everyone else, and there are plenty of exceptional places in these parts ready to tend to those post-gallery rumbles.