London is a vast city with a rich history that can easily be viewed through its many famous buildings, from the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral to Big Ben, from sporting arenas like Wimbledon and Wembley to royal residences such as Buckingham Palace.
However, for all these great buildings, the myriad of famous people who have lived in the capital and the huge number of statues and monuments, many visitors are pleasantly surprised at how much natural beauty can be seen in a metropolis of nine million people.
Not only does London have some large green open spaces, especially (but not exclusively) in its Royal Parks, it also has some of the finest horticultural treasures you could wish to see.
Private tours of London focused on these can show you this wonderful element of London and they do not all need to wait for the spring and summer, although that is certainly the best time to see the capital in full bloom.
Not only does London have some wonderful gardens, but some great horticultural events.
What London Gardens Are Great To Visit At Any Time Of The Year?
Kew Gardens has to be one of the first ports of call in London for anyone fascinated by the world of plants and flowers. Located in the west of the capital, its importance is such that it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Among the remarkable features of Kew Gardens are:
· Over 50,000 plants, with one of the most diverse collections in the world
· The Princess of Wales Conservatory, a year-round indoor greenhouse attraction featuring plants in microclimates matching everything from the desert to the tropics
· The Carbon garden, the newest at Kew, which reveals the importance of plants and fungi in balancing the ecosystem
· The Alpine House, which replicates the conditions needed for mountain plants to flourish
· 37 acres of woodland
The fact that much of Kew Gardens is under glass in controlled environments means it is a year-round, all-weather attraction, although of course, if you plan your trip to London for the spring or summer, you can enjoy some glorious floral colours.
Another indoor garden is something very different, being situated high up in a skyscraper. This is the Sky Garden, located in the ‘Walkie Talkie’ skyscraper in the City of London financial district. Here, amid all the steel and glass towers, are floral blooms ranging from agapanthus to red hot pokers.
Why Is Chelsea A Centre of London’s Horticulture?
Outside, you can enjoy a particular treat in Chelsea’s Physic Garden, the oldest botanic garden in London, dating back to 1673. It contains over 4,500 plants and was created to serve London’s apothecaries with medicines.
Chelsea is also home to the biggest horticultural event in the UK, the Chelsea Flower Show. Held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, this year’s edition will take place.
The event will feature several special gardens created temporarily on various themes, while you can also encounter all manner of plant experts who can share their horticultural knowledge, something you could make good use of back home.
Which London Parks Have Great Gardens?
London’s Royal Parks contain some fine gardens of their own that you can enjoy.
· St James’s Park contains some beautiful flower beds in season, as well as some wonderful trees
· Regent’s Park features the stunning St Mary’s Gardens, home to 12,000 roses, as well as the beautiful Avenue Gardens. Plans are being developed to create a new garden dedicated to the memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
· Hyde Park has a beautiful rose garden, which opened in 1994 and features two fountains and a pergola. The pergola was established in 1994, but the fountains are much older.
· Kensington Palace Gardens lives up to its name, with highlights including the Victorian Flower Walks.
· Greenwich Park contains a rose garden, a flower garden and a huge herbaceous border, at 400 metres, the longest in London
· Richmond Park features the ‘secret garden’ of the 40-acre Isabella Plantation with its year-round colours and the beautiful 12-acre Pembroke Lodge Gardens
It is not just the royal parks where you can see some great gardens, either. Golders Hill Park on Hampstead Heath has a beautiful walled garden, while Holland Park in west London is home to the Kyoto Garden, donated by the Japanese city’s Chamber of Commerce in 1991.
London is not just a city of big buildings and busy streets, but green spaces, stunning gardens and Britain’s biggest gardening event. When even one of the skyscrapers has its own garden, there can be no doubt that this is a city that values its greenery and a myriad of other natural colours.
