20 Best Gardens in London, from Secret Places to Famous Spaces
20 Best Gardens in London, from Secret Places to Famous Spaces
Ever wanted to visit the best gardens in London? We’ve got you covered
London has some of the best green spaces in the country. And no matter what you want to do, you’ll find the right garden here in the city. So we’ve made a list of the best gardens in London, from secret botanical wonders, to famous places and even wildlife havens.
And we’ve listed them geographically, from east to west, north to south, and central London. Happy garden hunting!
The best gardens in Central London
- Barbican Wildlife Gardens
- St Dunstan’s in the East
- Floating Forest Gardens
- Coram’s Fields
- Chelsea Physic Garden
A map of the best gardens in Central London
1. Barbican Wildlife Gardens
For a secret rooftop garden
The secret gardens in the heart of the Barbican estate are filled with walkways that bisect and encircle a lake. Towered flats surround two of the gardens, in the signature brutalist architecture from the time.
And the site also has a new rooftop botanical garden, the Barbican Wildlife Gardens. The new garden is a botanical wonderland, home to more herby plants that to floral ones, and it’s a nice space for contemplation. Few people know about, so you’ll probably have the place all to yourself.
Entrance to Barbican Gardens is free
Closest tube station Barbican
2. St Dunstan’s in the East
For the most secret of secret gardens in London
If you’re looking for a hidden gem, then St Dunstan’s in the East is one of the best secret gardens in London. It’s located in the ruins of a gothic church that dates to the 12th century. In it you’ll find a series of secret rooms and spaces, all lined with crumbling stone and arched windows.
Entrance to St Dunstan’s in the East is free.
Closest tube station Monument
3. Floating Forest Gardens
For aquatic adventures in Camley Street Natural Park
The Floating Forest Gardens are located on an islet in Regents Canal, in Camley Street Natural Park. It’s one of central London’s best secret places to enjoy nature.
And if you want to get *really* interactive with the aquatic surroundings you can try pond-dipping. Yep, I didn’t know what that was either. Basically pond-dipping is where you hire nets to get a closer look at the plants and animals in the waterways. So it’s the perfect garden for kids who are interested in amphibians like frogs.
Entrance to Floating Forest Gardens is free.
Closest tube station Kings Cross
4. Coram’s Fields
A park for kids of all ages
If you have kids, Coram’s Fields is one of the best gardens to visit in London. That’s because there’s loads to do all year round. Apart from the usual playgrounds, Coram’s Fields also host paddling pools in the summer and a very fun looking sandpit.
For older kids there are various studios, including ones for art, music, and dance. And there’s also a petting farm filled with rabbits and goats.
Entrance to Coram’s Fields is free
Closest tube station Russell Square
5. Chelsea Physic Garden
For a horticultural and botanical garden experience in central London
Plant lovers come from far and wide to stroll through Chelsea Physic Garden. That’s because it’s one of the best botanical gardens in London. It’s also one of the oldest botanical gardens, having been built in the 17th century.
The Chelsea Physic Garden is home to thousands of species of plant and flower and its glasshouses are home to tropical flora and fauna too. There’s even an alpine garden, and a ‘Garden of Edible and Useful Plants’. Fancy.
Entrance to Chelsea Physic Garden is £8.50 for adults (and free for children under 5)
Closest tube station Sloane Square
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The best gardens in West London
- Isabella Plantation
- Kyoto Garden
- Chiswick House
- Kensington Gardens
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
A map of the best gardens in West London
1. Isabella Plantation
For an intimate garden in Richmond Park
At over 2000 acres, Richmond Park is one of the largest and most famous royal parks in London. It’s mostly formed of rolling grassy areas, but it’s also home to Isabella Plantation. This woodland garden patch is one of the prettiest in the park and is filled with evergreen azaleas.
The park is also known for its population of red and fallow deer, which are said to number in the hundreds. What’s more, several roads bisect Richmond Park so it’s a great place to cycle through, and you can also access it by car.
Entrance to Isabella Plantation is free
Closest tube station Richmond
2. Kyoto Garden
For a traditional Japanese garden in Holland Park
Holland Park is one of the best garden spaces in London and is home to the famous Kyoto Garden. The Kyoto Garden was designed three decades ago and is filled with Japanese flora and fauna, bamboo walls, and a koi pond. If you’re lucky, you might also catch site of a peacock.
Entrance to Kyoto Garden is free
Closest tube station Holland Park
3. Chiswick House
For an Italian garden in London
If you’re looking for a romantic garden, then then Chiswick House has you covered. It’s one of the best gardens in London for the classically inclined and is styled around Roman architecture. In the garden you’ll find lakes, bridges, and various statues.
The gardens at Chiswick House look like they could be in a painting, and at the foot of Italian gardens is a beautiful conservatory.
Entrance to the gardens at Chiswick House is free
Closest tube station Chiswick Park
4. Kensington Gardens
Home to the parakeets of London
You’ve probably heard – parakeets are taking over parts of West London. I personally love them and try and spot as many of the bright green birds as possible. Kensington Gardens is a great place to see the parakeets, and you can even feed them.
Entrance to Kensington Gardens is free
Closest tube station Lancaster Gate
5. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
For the best botanical gardens in London
Also known as Kew Gardens, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are filled with thousands of plants and trees. There are also several different glasshouses which support floral and fauna through a range of climates. My favorite glasshouse is home to more water lilies I’ve ever seen before.
And it’s not just a botanical garden. Kew Gardens also host laboratories and research facilities, with the aim of collecting and sorting through a massive variety of plants and seeds.
Entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is £17.50 for adults (and free for children under 4)
Closest tube station Kew
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The best gardens in East London
- Haggerston Park
- Mudchute Park and Farm
- Geffrye Museum Gardens
A map of the best gardens in East London
1. Haggerston Park
For a garden that promises wisteria hysteria
If you’re fond of wisteria then head to Haggerston Park in late spring. If you do, you’ll see one of the best examples of flowering wisteria in London. The wisteria grows all along the central pergola at Haggerston Park, and there’s also an edible garden and community orchard.
Entrance to Haggerston Park is free
Closest tube station Hoxton
2. Mudchute Park and Farm
For the biggest inner-city farm in London
There are dozens of different animals and birds that call Mudchute Park and Farm home. You can book in a farm tour to see horses, ponies, pigs, sheeps, cows, goats, and even llamas and alpacas.
It’s a great place to bring kids but is also worth a visit if you’re interested in setting up your own small holding. The farm offer lessons in how to keep chickens, and the equestrian centre offer horse-riding courses.
Entrance to Mudchute Park and Farm is free
Closest tube station Canary Wharf
3. Geffrye Museum Gardens
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A garden that gives an interesting lesson in history
Geffrye Museum Gardens lead off the main museum building, which is used to showcase period living rooms from the 17th century and onwards. The gardens perform a similar task and are split into a series of ‘rooms’. Each one shows off the style and plants of a different era, and they’re a great way to appreciate living history.
Entrance to Geffrye Museum Gardens is free, but you have to pre-book tickets
Closest tube station Hoxton
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The best gardens in South London
- Thrive Garden
- Dulwich Picture Gallery
- Wildflower meadows at Archbishop’s Park
A map of the best gardens in South London
1. Thrive Garden
A rose garden to support people with disabilities
Battersea Park ranks as one of the best green spaces to visit in London, and not just because of how big it is. Stretching across 200 acres of fertile marshland, the grounds at Battersea include an enormous lake and winter garden. There are also tropical gardens, housed in what used to be the old Victorian pump house.
But one of the nicest things about Battersea Park is its Thrive Garden, a rose garden that serves as a therapeutic space for disabled people.
Entrance to Battersea Park is free. People can attend session at Thrive Garden by referral through health care professionals
Closest tube station Battersea Park
2. Dulwich Picture Gallery
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A garden that doubles as an outdoor art gallery
The gardens of Dulwich Picture Gallery are often filled with outdoor art exhibits, which makes sense since they lead off the main gallery at Dulwich college. You’ll find various exhibitions at different times of the year, sometimes led by famous painters and sculptors.
Entrance to the Dulwich Picture Gallery is £16.50 for adults
Closest tube station West Dulwich
3. Wildflower meadows at Archbishop’s Park
For a community garden feel on a large scale
The gardens at Archbishop’s Park are spread over almost 10 acres and include grassy plains perfect for an afternoon stroll. Or for kids and pets to run around in.
There’s also a botanical element to the gardens which is home to a wildflower meadow filled with local and exotic flora and fauna. It’s one of the best gardens in London to see something pretty in flower all year round.
Entrance to Archbishop’s Park is free
Closest tube station Lambeth North
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The best gardens in North London
- Fenton House and Gardens
- Hampstead Hill Garden and Pergola
- The Rose Garden at Alexandra Palace Park
- Sensory Gardens at Broomfield Park
A map of the best gardens in North London
1. Fenton House and Gardens
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For a secret walled garden
If you’re looking for a traditional English house garden, Fenton House and Garden is one of the best places to be. Its charm is in the secretive nature of the space, walled in by well-groomed hedges and containing winding walkways. There are apple trees in spring, and roses in summer. You can also book to visit the actual house and make a whole day of it.
Entrance to Fenton House and Gardens is £10 for adults
Closest tube station Hampstead
2. Hampstead Hill Garden and Pergola
An overgrown garden filled with flowers
Hampstead Hill Garden and Pergola is the lesser-known sister to the famous Hampstead Heath park. But what it lacks in infamy it makes up for in charm.
The gardens are filled with charming walkways overgrown with vines and shrubs. In May, its one of the best places to see wisteria in the city.
And like Hampstead Heath, Hampstead Hill Garden and Pergola also has stunning views of London
Entrance to Hampstead Hill Garden and Pergola is free
Closest tube station Hampstead
3. The Rose Garden at Alexandra Palace Park
For a garden with panoramic London views
Also known as Ally Pally, Alexandra Palace Park is home to one of the best rose gardens in north London. One of my favourite things to do is sit on a bench in the garden with a packed lunch and a thermos of hot tea.
And if you’re keen to wonder around the rest of the park, you’ll find great views that span across London.
It’s also a great place to take the kids. There are floating dragons on the lake for hire, or you could take a ride on the Segway rally. You can also book tree-climbing courses for older kids, and the park also has a soft play playground for younger children.
Entrance to Alexandra Palace Park is free
Closest tube station Alexandra Palace
4. Sensory Gardens at Broomfield Park
For a secret garden in Aldermans Hill that caters to the visually impaired
Hidden gardens in London don’t get any more beautiful than the ones at Alderman’s Hill. And the Sensory Garden in Broomfield Park is a brilliant place to visit.
The Sensory Gardens were designed to support people with visual impairments and include varieties of plants chosen for their distinct smells. There’s also a tactile element to the horticulture in the Sensory Gardens.
Broomfield Park also has a series of ponds, one of which was most recently used as a bathing lake. Although they’re not in operation now, there are hopes that locals will be able to swim there again. Another of the ponds is a model boating lake, which I didn’t even know was an actual thing. How brilliant!
Entrance to Broomfield Park is free
Closest tube station Arnos Grove
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