Hustle and bustle on a Tuesday morning in June, under the Hungerford Bridge on Embankment Station.
Nelson looking handsome on his column.
Even horses have to queue… police horses waiting at traffic lights on Northumberland Avenue.
Green Park turning gold in early Autumn.
So many coots, so little time… coot-watching in St James’s Park.
I love the way these trees look as though they are part of an Amazon rainforest, but really it’s the courtyard of St James’s Church on Piccadilly.
A horse-drawn ‘Edward Stanley’ omnibus driving up Haymarket on the double, two beautiful greys out in front. I wish all transport could be more like this, perhaps it would make us slow down a bit and reconnect with Nature.
These flowers have the Philosopher’s Stone – they last and last and last, and they never stop looking beautiful. Thank you, gardeners of St James’s Park.
Standing to attention on the side of St James’s Lake – more coots than you can shake a stick at!
Tower Bridge from the South Bank, looking like the bridge from a fairy tale just before a storm.
Peaceful summer waters in St James’s Park.
The quiet and elusive black swan, one of only a handful I’ve spotted in St James’s Park.
A myriad of colour – an early autumn flowerbed on the south side of St James’s Park.
The Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden… otherwise known as St James’s Park, Birdcage Walk.
This is how I imagine the Glades of Helicon would look like from Greek mythology… Taken whilst lazing in St James’s Square on a rare Friday afternoon in late Summer.
Sunset on a cool summer’s evening looking over the lake towards the Eye and the buildings of Westminster.
A view from the bridge as the sun went down over Buckingham Palace
Nelson on his column in the late Summer evening, catching the last of the rays
St James’s Park… Peaceful under the trees
The view from my (old) offices. Politics isn’t what you think it is, but the views aren’t all that bad!
The rare sight of autumn crocuses, or the ‘Naked Lady’. Thank you gardeners of St James’s Park!
He’s watching you… A stealthy heron giving me the eye on a calm summer’s evening in St James’s Park
My favourite picture ever taken in St James’s Park, behind me say a man doing yoga and in front lay students and friends playing and laughing in the late afternoon sun.
Mother duck with her crew, taking a turn around St James’s lake
A pair of swans in Regent’s Park.
Battersea power station like an ominous beast on the horizon.
The view from the South Bank across to Lower Thames Street and Monument. When I look at this picture compared to those of trees and lakes, can you believe this is part of our planet?
I love the contrast between the old, regal stature of Buckingham Palace and the tower block and red, hanging cranes in the distance. It is such a strong representation of London – the mesh of architectural forms, the new always building, whilst the tradition stays strong.
I find it painfully ironic that this bar is called ‘Halfway to Heaven’. It is a low-rise greasy knees-up packed into the side of the African High Commission. But there definitely seems to be quite a few people drinking outside. Maybe the owner has a sense of humour!
Taken on a summer’s evening as I walked back from work through Chancery Lane and wandered into Lincoln’s Fields, which are usually barred to the public. It was their summer party and the guard was on the phone so taking advantage of the lull in security, I wandered in. It was a stunning sight and reminded me of my time at school. Great leafy buildings and lawns with well-kept paths, a chapel rising in the distance. I could have stayed a long time.
Hyde Park on a drizzly day in August, looking very much like an unbounded country walk rather than a park in the centre of London.
My path through Hyde Park, off the beaten track.
The entrance to one of the grand old buildings in Lincoln’s Fields. I love this picture as it reminds me of school.
The Leadenhall Building from the ground, with the sun just breaking through the clouds.
Bright sunshine after a sharp spat of rain but no sign of it now. Standing in front of the Whitechapel Gallery… and those cranes again – great creating arms in the sky.
The herb garden of Hackney City Farm on Hackney Road beside Haggerston Park. Again, I love the raw red metal framing beside the soft greens and purples of the trees and herbs. It’s a London scene again, one which makes me love it so much.
Even though I live in the heart of Whitechapel, it makes my heart sing that this is my little view. My bedroom looks out onto a little courtyard which is awash with rubbish, but the power of Nature burns through. The tree you can see in the background has been ripped out so many times yet it still finds a way to come back into bloom every summer!
Forbidden fruit – the tree laden with poison berries outside my front gate. It’s a beautiful evil.
The Garden of Eden.
I’ve seen Green Park in all weathers and all seasons, but there is a special charm to it in the rain, when no one else is around and most people forgo the wet paths for their safe cars. The park is deserted and it’s all mine, with Buckingham Palace illumined in the distance.
All roads lead to… this magnificent building, which I got to see under construction with Mark Hutton and his team. I’ve always had a soft spot for it, ever since I wrote the article ‘Awakening the Giant: Then and Now’ on Messy Nessy Chic.
This is one of those incredible buildings that I walk past every day, but didn’t notice its fairytale palace detail and in-laid gold until fairly recently. This is the Atkinsons Building on Burlington Gardens, designed in the Gothic Revival style by Vincent Harris and originally built for the perfume company, ‘Atkinsons of London’. Sometimes you forget to look up in London, and it’s always worth doing so!
I love this plant right outside my window. It makes me so happy just to look at its wet leaves poking through the bars.
Battersea Power Station at sunset after a very successful evening drinking English sparkling wine at the site it’s on. I love the smudgy feel of this picture, the quiet beast is going to sleep.
The sun going down on a tranquil St James’s Park in September.
Feeling the warm sun on my back through the trees. Green Park.
A very tranquil image that shocks you back into the reality of life – a life with horses, and parks and water and connection with animals. Everyone was standing around watching in fascination. I love that there can be these little pockets of the countryside all over London. This was taken outside Green Park station as everyone was leaving work – a policeman exercising a large grey police horse. He was a bit out of breath, so he let him drink from the fountain.
Such surprisingly warm sunshine in October on one of my walks in Green Park
Green Park in the rain with Buckingham Palace in the distance
Taken on a balmy evening in October just outside Whitehall Gardens. The Eye looks like a giant ferris wheel and the open top tour bus just made it so jolly.
A heron perched unusually atop one of the willow trees in St James’s Park, keeping watch over the lake.
A pigeon taking flight from Wapping Wharf. It puts Canary Wharf and all its supposed ‘wealth’ into perspective.
In the distance is the same grey police horse who was drinking at the fountain outside Green Park station after his evening stroll. Here he is again walking down The Mile towards Trafalgar Square in the early evening.
During my incognito stroll around Lincoln’s Inn Fields. It’s one of London’s great joys that this stunning 17th century architecture still exists amidst the corporate hubub of offices on Chancery Lane and Fleet Street.
Another quietly magnificent building in the 17th century Lincoln’s Inn Fields, which is still in use today.
Enjoying the feeling of grass on my feet in my sparkly sandels, albeit in the midst of London’s Hyde Park.
It is strange to think sometimes that urban landscapes such as this are also classed as ‘a view’ in much the same way as rural ones are. This is the view from across the Thames standing on the Cutty Sark at Greenwich.
I lived in London for 5 years before discovering this absolute Queen Anne gem that is the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. It is like stepping into another world.
A couple enjoying a quiet moment in St James’s Park in early Autumn. We can all do with these sometimes.
The Royal Courts of Justice, just around the corner from where I studied at King’s College, London. My library, the Maughan, where I spent the majority of my final year, saw many a bustling barrister on his way to court in full legal attire. It was always an impressive sight.
St Paul’s Cathedral is and will always be one of my favourite buildings in London. It’s beauty and grandeur never cease to astound me. This picture was taken on one of my many walks home, which always takes me right up to it and past its gardens. I sang here once and the acoustic was incredible.
One of my favourite pictures ever taken of Whitechapel is this glimpse of the East London Mosque from the window of Indo, a small pub on Whitechapel Road.
It still brings me joy to walk past the Gherkin every day and catch sight of it in all its moods and in all weather. It never loses its touch.
I absolutely love the trees outside my front gate. My street in Whitechapel is beautiful and the berries add a splash of colour that always makes me smile.
I am always stumbling across churches either forgotten or largely unknown to the majority around them. This one was opposite some playing courts and Spitalfields City Farm. St Anne’s Catholic Church on Underwood Street.
The Gothic – style front of St Anne’s Catholic Church on Underwood Road. The front always reminds me of Notre Dame.
Click on the picture and read the caption to find out where to discover all of these amazing places in London!