Teddington is the home base for the business and where I live. It's a village within London: Victorian terraces along the High Street, larger Edwardian semis on the residential roads, and a handful of bigger houses backing onto Bushy Park. Most gardens are long and narrow, set behind kitchens that have been extended over the years.
Twickenham is mixed: Edwardian terraces around the station, big detached houses on the river, post-war semis up towards Whitton, and a few pockets of new-build closer to the stadium. Gardens here range from compact courtyard spaces to generous riverside gardens with mature trees.
Kingston covers a lot, from the centre with its tall townhouses to the residential streets out towards Norbiton. The river runs through it, so a chunk of work in Kingston is around riverside gardens with all the drainage considerations that come with them.
Hampton has a different feel from Teddington. More inter-war semis with broad bay windows and longer driveways, more bungalows, and a cluster of bigger detached houses near Hampton Court. The roads are wider and the gardens are squarer.
Hampton Hill sits between Hampton and Teddington, with a high street that has the feel of a small town centre. Housing is a mix of inter-war semis and a few Victorian terraces near the High Street.
Hampton Wick is the village between Bushy Park and Kingston Bridge. Housing is mostly Victorian and Edwardian terraces, with a few larger houses on the streets backing onto the park. Gardens are typically narrow and long.
Strawberry Hill is named after Walpole's gothic villa and has retained a quieter, leafier feel than its neighbours. Housing is a mix of Edwardian semis, larger inter-war detached houses, and a smaller number of newer builds.
St Margarets sits between Twickenham and Richmond and has a real village feel around its small high street. Housing is heavily Edwardian, with a few Victorian terraces near the river.
Whitton is largely 1930s and post-war housing with broader streets and more uniform plots than its older neighbours. The high street is compact and practical.
Surbiton has a strong period feel, with grand Victorian villas around the centre and inter-war semis spreading out from there. Plenty of front gardens are wider here than in the more central areas.
New Malden is solidly suburban, with broad streets, inter-war semis, and a strong family feel. Many gardens here are larger than the average for SW London and lend themselves to bigger lawns and proper entertaining patios.
Worcester Park is mostly 1930s housing on planned streets, with consistent plot sizes and reasonable side access on most homes. A working family suburb.
Richmond mixes grand Georgian and Victorian housing on the hill with denser Edwardian terraces toward the station and contemporary mansion blocks along the river. Gardens range from courtyards to generous riverside plots.
East Sheen sits between Mortlake and Richmond Park, with a busy high street and a quietly affluent feel on the residential streets. Housing is largely Edwardian and inter-war, with a higher proportion of detached houses than most of the area.
Mortlake has a low-key village feel along the river, with a mix of period housing and pockets of newer development on the old brewery site. The Thames Path and the boat race finish line are local landmarks.
Barnes has a village green, a duck pond, and a real sense of being a small town within London. Housing is largely Victorian and Edwardian, with some impressive larger houses on the conservation area streets.
Putney is denser than the towns west of it, with mansion blocks, Victorian terraces, and contemporary apartment buildings along the river. Plenty of small private gardens and roof terraces sit alongside larger family gardens further from the centre.
Wimbledon ranges from the Village at the top of the hill, with grand period houses and conservation areas, down to the more compact terraces nearer the station and beyond. Variety of garden sizes.
Raynes Park has a residential, community feel: a high street built around the station and surrounded by neat streets of Edwardian and inter-war housing.