Forum Topic

chiswick pavements always water logged

why are they so bad even the pedestrian crossing are bad or it just me .

John Kennedy ● 7d30 Comments

Thanks Simon for all that.  I used to belong!

Philippa Bond ● 16h

It’s the Royal Horticultural Society, Philippa. This is their website: https://www.rhs.org.uk/Anything in a pot should be checked for watering, as a canopy of leaf will act as an umbrella.Camellias grow surprisingly well in Chiswick, but may occasionally red some ericaceous feed if they start to get chlorosis (yellowing of leaves). There are plenty of plants that can survive hotter summers like last year, but avoid too many Mediterranean ones as they won’t like the very wet and waterlogged ground this winter. For easy care and good flowering I’d recommend English lavender (which is hardy unlike the French variety), shrub roses (such as Ballerina) and Sedum (such as the Herbstfreude variety which flowers later in summer. All will cope with dry spells, though new plants should always be watered regularly for the first few months while roots establish.

Simon Hayes ● 16h

Absolutely nothing in the garden needs watering right now!  I was left looking for somewhere to pour the hot water bottle water and decided into a jug so that I could use it to flush the loo.  (There are actually loos + wash hand basins that have been designed with an integral wash hand basin above the loo so that the used WHB water is used in the next flush.)For drier weather when plants are going to need water people often install water butts when and where they can but also save the cold/warm water that they would otherwise run straight down the drain when waiting for the hot water tap water to actually run hot - to water plants. we used to siphon our bath water out of the bathroom window and down the garden. We didn't have showers in those days.  An empty plastic milk bottle jug with a handle and lid makes a good lightweight watering can that's easy to carry and use.There are suggestions for plants that don't need an awful lot of water in magazines and on websites like that of the Royal Horticultural Association.  It's also a good idea to have a look at what other people in the neighbourhood are growing because that will give you an idea of what you like and what is happy growing in the area - just watch out for those like camellias which need special potting compost!A few shrubs are often easier to look after than smaller annuals.

Philippa Bond ● 17h

I believe you can write your own tenancy agreements.

Janice Evans ● 17h

Letting agreements should cover that, keeping outside area tidy etc.  just one untidy property can ruin the look of the whole street or area.

Janice Evans ● 17h

A lot of people simply can’t be bothered to look after a garden, even a relatively small one. There is a cost involved in plants, compost and other things but a general lack of interest is the biggest factor. Hence the desire for low maintenance gardens, which generally end up being full of weeds. It’s a shame as gardening is therapeutic and helps one gain a much deeper understanding of how things affect the environment.Rental properties are particularly problematic as many tenants simply don’t want to look after them or don’t have the time. A local letting agency I know usually has to employ a gardener to carry out a major end of tenancy tidy up in its properties.

Simon Hayes ● 17h

"It's the watering of the plants that puts people off"Blimey that's a first world problem if I've ever heard one !

David Burke ● 18h

It's the watering of the plants and saving water that puts people off now.

Janice Evans ● 20h

Local front garden competitions are a great way to encourage more greening of front gardens and increasing biodiversity and cooling of the area when the weather gets hot as well as giving somewhere other than the drains for the water to run to as well as the sense of wellbeing that planting gives.

Philippa Bond ● 1d

That's good news that action is being taken.  Where and when leaves fall and collect varies depending on the weather - particularly wind directions and rainfall but it's not only in autumn!  A schedule needs to be flexible rather than just fixed.  I remember Cllr John Todd writing about alerting the Council to particular places where leaves would collect causing problems. I've often spotted particular tree species leaves eg the very obvious bright yellow fan-shaped gingko leaves in one street and wondering exactly which street they'd come from because there wasn't a gingko tree in that street.  And as for gutters  -  it can be really problematic getting the timing of high level gutter clearing - which has to be booked - right!  Book it early and there's  nothing there and book it later and not enough leaves have fallen by then or it can be too windy to do it! Of course there can be problems when roadworks have not been done well - but are there enough of us complaining when we see new works that cause pooling and puddling?  A lot of management nowadays seems to have been delegated to AI.  Is it good enough?

Philippa Bond ● 1d

Hopefully  they can do the same  on the High St .

John Kennedy ● 5d

Good news is Thames Water came around the area and cleared all the gully drains the other day! Lots of leaves blocking drains and no shortage of wet weather this winter!

John Bird ● 5d

After heavy storms Fishers Lane has sometimes resembled Lake Windermere.This aberration most definitely due to a long line of mature trees bearing down on blocked drains.

Denis I. Fox ● 5d

Philippa seems to think all the surface water is the fault of people paving over front gardens and putting in inappropriate down pipes. It’s a bit more nuanced than that Philippa. Just pop down Northfield Avenue when it rains and see the lake the council sanctioned on the pavement by the Julien Road bus stop. This is entirely down to incompetent pavement widening a couple of years back. Such examples are commonplace in London now.There’s also plenty of evidence that drains aren’t cleared and cause a backing up of water that would flow away quickly in a civilised community.

Simon Hayes ● 5d

No problem Janice.

John Kennedy ● 5d

Sorry John, but with all this wet weather and not having comfortable waterproof footwear can be a problem.

Janice Evans ● 5d

Sorry John but much more practical than a fashion show!Many people don't seem to realise what they are  doing when they pave and concrete their front and rear gardens and run their rainwater downpipes straight onto the pavement.  Many disregard the need to make planning applications when they should do as well as the advice on the planning portal when making alterations and seem blinded by fancy makeovers and dreams and ignore the practicalities of dealing with the greater and sudden rainfall we are experiencing now.  Greater account needs to be taken of this and of using permeable surfaces and retaining land which can absorb rainfall.  Installing waterbutts can also help slow the flow of water down to the drains.https://www.aviva.com/newsroom/news-releases/2025/05/study-shows-homeowners-unaware-of-flood-risk-posed-by-common-garden-changes/

Philippa Bond ● 6d

Thread as turned out to be a fashion show.?

John Kennedy ● 6d

Think Vivo look good the style of boot I like, some say to go a size up or would you say they are true to size.

Janice Evans ● 6d

Hiking boots, will have a look.

Janice Evans ● 6d

I would recommend Vivo barefoot hiking boots. They are waterproof, insulated, very light, and good for your feet.

Simon Pedley ● 6d

Have been looking mostly in garden centres, they all have much the same heavy wellies, have had them from John Lewis they are heavy.

Janice Evans ● 6d

There's nothing like a pair of goats wool socks to keep your feet warm! Lots of boots are lined.Try John Lewis and get them delivered to Waitrose?  Does that work in Chiswick?  (When is it closing?)

Philippa Bond ● 6d

Have been looking for ages, don't like them too heavy so also like to try on, also don't like wearing socks.

Janice Evans ● 6d

Waterproof walking boots are great.  I didn't find it easy to find wellies in London. Mine are huge but easy to put my feet into with warm socks on. My sister used to have very expensive waterproof leather ones - like riding boots..  Finding shops where you can try things on is far more difficult because shoes are something where I particularly like to try on several alternatives before choosing and buying.

Philippa Bond ● 6d

Where can you get wellies that are not cold and rigid, then we might wear them 😉

Janice Evans ● 6d

Fining everyone who drives over and parks on pavements would help too as well as fining builders and utilities who don't replace the paving stones well after digging up the pavements.

Philippa Bond ● 7d

Rain and puddles, who would have thought? The solution, and don't tell anyone, it's a bit of an inside secret, but wellies seem to work well.

Julian Pavey ● 7d

Rubbish, we need more sweeping of the decomposed leaves that are still to be seen on the pavements. Also a levelling out of the pavements would prevent puddles forming and the gulley's need cleaning out too!

Peter King ● 7d

It has been very wet and the ground is absolutely sodden now.  Even though we were warned about heavy rain and flooding we seem to have mostly just had a lot of rain.  We need more trees and shrubs to counter all the paving and concrete!

Philippa Bond ● 7d