The gardens in London flower two weeks earlier

Today we had a private visit to a house where Emery Walker, a printer and inventor of several new typefaces at the end of the 19th centuary, lived from 1903 - 1933.

He was also a friend and mentor of William Morris. The house is decorated in the Arts and crafts style. It has not been changed since the early 20th century and is the only house in England where each room still has its original William Morris wallpaper and curtains.

Emery Walker worked with his friend Morris on a number of private publications including The Earthly Paradise. Photographs were not allowed in the house though I did tweet a composite photograph of a number of images bought in the little shop. I also took 58 photographs round and about Victorian Hamersmith and could not decide which to blip.

The gardens of these old houses were full of flower and the heady scent of the Wisteria was everywhere. I was amazed to see lilacs in full bloom too and roses. I took several close ups of the yellow rose that is twining about this tall column. The tiny blooms have double petals and hang in clusters. Then my husband said to me 'you know what it is that the rose is climbing over don't you'? I didn't. It is a vent for the Victorian sewer that runs beneath the road. Amazing people the Victorians they even decorated the top with a crown.