The story is this: local residents Gael & Francesco Boglione bought the run-down nursery business, at the bottom of their garden, to save it from developer-vultures and reunite the original Petersham House estate.

The Italian-Australian Bogliones have brought their immense design savviness to bear on both the quirky café and the nursery: stylish plant displays are complimented by garden antiques picked up on their travels throughout Europe and India.

The menu's short and changes daily, and incorporates freshly picked herbs from the garden nursery and local produce, and the café's licensed (although the wine list is correspondingly short).

And it's style-tribe fabulous: featured in Vogue, the entire Ungaro design team flew in for lunch one time, and a favourite hangout of local Joseph Ettedgui.

Talk about a find.

Petersham Nurseries - 020 8940 5230
off Petersham Road, Petersham, Nr Richmond, TW10