Rembrandt Gardens, Little Venice
You'll find this peaceful spot where Regent’s Canal meets Grand Union Central Canal, offering a welcome respite from the bustle of nearby Paddington station. Rembrandt Gardens are rumoured to have been named by poet Robert Browning after the 17th century Dutch painter Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, and appropriately feature colourful tulip borders.
Camley Street Natural Park, Kings Cross
On the banks of Regent’s Canal, right by one of London's busiest train stations, is where you'll find two acres of wild green space ran by London Wildlife Trust. Camley Street Natural Park was created from an old Coal Yard in 1984, now its woodland, grassland and wetland habitats provide a home for mallards, coots, kingfishers, herons, amphibians and insects – and a much-needed respite from the Kings Cross masses.
Kyoto Gardens, Holland Park
Hidden away in west London’s Holland Park, the Kyoto Gardens offer visitors a slice of Japanese tranquillity complete with a trickling waterfall and koi carp. Opened in 1991 as a gift from Kyoto to commemorate the long-standing friendship between the UK and Japan, the garden received an extension in 2012, when the Fukushima memorial garden was opened to the public. As well as the water features and Japanese planting, visitors can also observe the resident peacocks strutting around the gardens and grounds.
Hampstead Pergola, Hampstead
Built in 1904 by the owner of a nearby house on the heath, the Hampstead Pergola’s original purpose was to be a venue for lavish Edwardian parties. Nowadays the pergola and walkway are charmingly aged and festooned with greenery and flowers in the summer months. A sense of faded grandeur creates ample Instagram opportunities for visitors – the space is so photogenic that it also operates as a wedding venue.
Wandle Meadow Nature Park, Earlsfield
The Thames isn't the only river in London; a much smaller, more quaint waterway flows from Battersea down to Croydon, with much of it bordered by a rather lovely path. The section that runs from Wandle Meadow Nature Park in Tooting up to Earlsfield is lovely for a stroll next to the cooling water.
Victoria Embankment Gardens, Charing Cross
There are places you can live in London your whole life and never take notice of. This stretch of garden bordering the Thames at Charing Cross is one such location, but it's a fantastic spot to know in central London. Looking out onto Cleopatra's Needle on the embankment, it has grassy slopes, beautiful planting and a marvellous statue of Robert Burns. It's a wonderful stop off on a city bike ride.
Cannizaro Park, Wimbledon
London's leafy suburban neighbourhood Wimbledon is awash with green spaces. While Wimbledon Common and Wimbledon Park (where the tennis tournament is held each year) may get the biggest name recognition, right next to the Common is where you'll find the lovely Cannizaro Park. The grade-II-listed and green flag park is complete with a rose garden, Gothic style aviary, several themed gardens, trails and Hotel de Vin set in the 19th-century Cannizaro House, with an orangery restaurant overlooking the park.
Postman's Park, St Paul's
Not far from the site of the original headquarters of the General Post Office is an aptly named sliver of peace amongst the bustling city streets. Amongst the beautiful planting and tranquil benches is the touching 'Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice' by George Frederic Watts, a series of plaques that commemorate ordinary people who lost their lives while saving others and may otherwise be forgotten.
Parkland Walk, Finsbury Park to Highgate
A long-forgotten railway line has turned into a shaded walking path in North London, popular with trail runners and local dog walkers alike. It runs from Finsbury Park to Highgate, with old station platforms along the way. On rainy days, the terrain can be muddy and slippy but on a hot day, it's gloriously cool from the overhanging trees.
Barbican Conservatory, Barbican
The conservatory that sits on top of the Barbican theatre’s fly tower is the second biggest conservatory in London, spanning 23,000 square feet and providing a home to more than 2000 species of tropical plants and trees, as well as terrapins and koi carp. Opening times are limited to selected Sundays and Bank Holidays so make sure to check the website before visiting.
Fulham Palace Gardens, Fulham
Historically the home of London’s bishops, Fulham Palace has thirteen acres of botanical gardens, including a restored walled garden. Entry is free to both the palace and the gardens, both of which history enthusiasts would enjoy exploring. The palace itself was founded in 704 but much of the garden layout is 18th to 19th century, including many rare trees planted by the various bishops during their residencies.
Chelsea Physic Garden, Chelsea
On the banks of the Thames, the Chelsea Physic Garden was established in 1673, making it London’s oldest botanical garden. The collection of around 5000 different edible and medicinal plants makes the garden not only a beautiful place to visit, but also an educational day out for history buffs. The metropolitan oasis has glasshouses, a woodland garden and even a pond rockery.
Christchurch Greyfriars, St Paul’s
A short walk from St Paul’s Cathedral, this garden is on the site of a Franciscan church destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. It was replaced by a church designed by architect Christopher Wren in 1704, which was also destroyed by an incendiary bomb in 1940, leaving only the tower standing. Nowadays visitors can envision the original structure with the help of creative planting including a rose garden representing pillars, box-edged beds for the pews and an avenue of trees mimicking the position of the nave.
St Dunstan-in-the-East, Monument
Built within the ruins of a former church, the story of St Dunstan is similar to that of Christchurch Greyfriars. Built in 1100, the building was also damaged by the Great Fire of London and afterwards repaired and given a tower by Sir Christopher Wren. After, once again, being severely damaged in the Blitz of 1941, it was decided not to rebuild the church, but instead to turn it into a public garden. The secluded garden is located between Monument and Tower Hill and is now a popular lunch spot for Londoners.
The Phoenix Garden, Covent Garden
Between Covent Garden and Tottenham Court Road lies this little gem of a garden some may recognise from the movie Last Christmas. The Phoenix Garden is run by volunteers and employs a sustainable approach to wildlife gardening in order to provide different habitats to a range of species, including frogs! Head there on a hot day to enjoy a picnic next to one of the fish-filled ponds.
The Rookery, Streatham
This south London oasis is made up of formal landscaped gardens that feature flowers, herbaceous beds, a rock garden, streams and an ornamental pond. When it's overgrown in the summer months, it's easy to forget you're still in London, what with its flower-draped pagoda walkways and trickling fountains.
