London Parks & Gardens Guide

Park Life: Discover the greener side of life in London's parks

Hyde Park, England, UK. — Serpentine, Hyde Park, London

Daniel Allen

London is one of the greenest cities in the world. At the heart of London's park system are the capital's eight beautiful Royal Parks, which together cover nearly 20 square kilometres. These former royal hunting grounds are open to the public and completely free to visit.

Four of the Royal Parks - Green Park, St. James's Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens - form a verdant chain running through the centre of London, while Regent's Park lies just to the north. The remaining three - Greenwich Park, Bushy Park and the huge Richmond Park lie farther out.

As well as being the perfect place to relax, enjoy the views and escape the city's hustle and bustle, London's parks host a wide range of sports events and activities, areas for kids, and music, art, theatre and dining venues. For meandering, picnicking, gossiping, serious exercising or simple revitalisation, London's green spaces have something for everyone.

The biggest park in London by area is Richmond Park, next is nearby Bushy Park, followed by Regent's Park and Hyde Park, both in the centre of the city.

Hyde Park

Huge and centrally located, Hyde Park is one of London's most visited parks with more than 4,000 trees, a lake, a meadow and ornate rose gardens. The park's meandering paths are perfect for a relaxing stroll or bike ride, while the meadow frequently hosts picnickers during the summer months. The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain can be found in the park.

Nearby is the Isis Statue, a work by Simon Gudgeon from 2009, representing Isis, the Egyptian goddess of motherhood and more widely nature and magic, in the form of a bird.

royalparks.org.uk
bst-hydepark.com

Green Park

This green, triangle-shaped expanse of leafy land just beyond the Ritz London is adjoined by St James's Park and Hyde Park. Green Park was enclosed by Charles II in 1668 as a hunting ground before opening to the public in 1826. Today Green Park plays host to lunching commuters and tourists who come to escape the hustle and bustle of the park's urban surroundings of Piccadilly to the north and Victoria to the south.

royalparks.org.uk

St. James's Park

Regal St James's Park is fittingly surrounded by three royal palaces. Covering 23 hectares (58 acres) it has a large central lake that hosts a noisy colony of pelicans (see them fed around 2.30 p.m. each day). The park is also home to Horse Guards Parade and the Mall - the setting for countless ceremonial parades - and the trendy Inn The Park cafe.

royalparks.org.uk
peytonandbyrne.co.uk/inn-the-park/

Kensington Gardens

Every year thousands of locals and tourists visit Kensington Gardens (111 hectares, 270 acres). Kensington Palace, the Italian Gardens, the Albert Memorial, the Peter Pan Statue and the Serpentine Galleries are all located here. Boasting formal avenues of majestic trees and gorgeous flower beds, the gardens are also home to the popular Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground.

Opposite the Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington stands the Albert Memorial on the southern edge of Kensington Gardens. The Albert Memorial was completed in 1872 to honour Albert, the Prince Consort, and husband of Queen Victoria. Albert died of typhoid in 1861, aged only 42. Over £120,000 (worth around £10,000,000 today) was raised by public subscription to build the memorial and the gilt bronze statue of the prince (by John Henry Foley and Thomas Brock), which sits under the canopy.

The Physical Energy Statue in Kensington Gardens is in the artist's words a symbol of "that restless physical impulse to seek the still unachieved in the domain of material things." The statue may have reference to Cecil Rhodes the diamond magnate and imperialist active in southern Africa, as well as other empire builders such as Attila the Hun, Mohammed, and Genghis Khan. The bronze equestrian statue of a naked rider shielding his eyes against the sun, while looking into the distance, was erected in 1907. It is the work of George Frederick Watts (1817-1904). A cast of this statue is also located at the Rhodes Memorial in Cape Town, South Africa.

royalparks.org.uk
serpentinegalleries.org

Regent's Park

Officially "The Regent's Park", this green space spans 166 hectares (410 acres) and was designed at the turn of the nineteenth century by famous British architect John Nash. It includes stunning rose gardens and has the largest outdoor sports area in London, with facilities for football, softball, rugby and cricket. There park is home to many wild bird species, and there is also an al fresco theatre.

Primrose Hill lies at the north of Regent's Park, offering panoramic views of Westminster and the City of London. Both Regent's Park and Primrose Hill have a number of chic cafes.

Frieze Sculpture is part of the annual Frieze Masters and Frieze London art fairs that take place in the autumn. Frieze London focuses on contemporary art whereas Frieze Masters sells work by historic artists. Art on display at the art fair comes from more than 160 of the world's leading galleries. Visitors to the art fair can see and buy art from hundreds of the world's leading artists.

royalparks.org.uk
openairtheatre.com

Greenwich Park

Greenwich Park is the oldest of the Royal Parks, offering beautiful views over the River Thames and Canary Wharf on a clear day. Be sure to keep an eye out for the small herds of deer that live here. This is the perfect place to take a break between visiting Greenwich's other attractions, boasting three cafes, a bandstand and a children's playground.

Deer were first introduced by King Henry VIII in the sixteenth century and small herds of Fallow and Red deer still live here. The brick wall that surrounds much of the modern park was added by James I in the early 17th century. The public were first admitted in the 18th century and Dr. Samuel Johnson recorded his visit.

royalparks.org.uk

Bushy Park

A stone's throw from the celebrated royal palace at Hampton Court, Bushy Park is the second largest of the Royal Parks. Not as famous as London's other parks, the grassland, woodland and meandering rivers here nevertheless hide a fascinating history. A settlement for over 4,000 years, a number of interesting items have been found in the park - archaeologists recently unearthed a Bronze Age burial mound and barrow, the contents of which are now on display in the British Museum.

Today Bushy Park is a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors, take some exercise, and, weather permitting, watch the sun dip below the horizon. The park's most notable feature is Chestnut Avenue, a mile long thoroughfare designed by Sir Christopher Wren and flanked by rows of magnificent horse chestnut trees that end at the Diana Fountain.

royalparks.org.uk

Richmond Park

Covering around 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) and only 30 minutes from central London, this is true English countryside. Richmond Park is the largest of the capital's royal parks and is home to large wild herds of Red and Fallow deer. The park also boasts some great cycle lanes, riding stables and two golf courses. The views from the top of Richmond Hill are so great they are actually protected by an act of Parliament.

Wherever you chose to wander - via the ponds and Deer Park or around the numerous lodges - be sure to explore the magnificent Isabella Plantation. Heavily wooded and wholly organic, this heavenly garden bursts with azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias.

royalparks.org.uk

Hampstead Heath

It's easy to forget you're just four miles from Central London on Hampstead Heath, and those that reach the top of Parliament Hill are rewarded with some majestic views over the city. The heath is the perfect spot for flying a kite, taking a romantic stroll, or simply relaxing with a picnic and bottle of wine.

On the edge of the park is Kenwood House one of England's finest so-called "country houses". It is now no longer in private ownership and is managed by English Heritage after the house and its important Iveagh Bequest of classical art was left to the nation in 1929. The collection contains paintings by Frans Hals, Joshua Reynolds, Rembrandt, Anthony van Dyck, J. M. W. Turner and Vermeer as well as other Old Masters which were donated by Edward Guinness, the 1st Earl Iveagh, in the 1920s. The grounds contain sculptures by both Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth as well as a piece by the French artist Eugène Dodeigne. The Spaniards Inn is a good London pub close to Hampstead Heath.

hampsteadheath.net

Wimbledon Common

For those looking to escape urban life, if only for an hour or two, Wimbledon Common in south-west London is the perfect spot. This extensive area of heath and woodland sprawls over 1100 acres and is crisscrossed with paths and bridle ways. Most of the common has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation, making it a great place to relax and reconnect with nature.

wpcc.org.uk

Finsbury Park

Finsbury Park is one of North London's greatest and most well-known open spaces, as well as one of the first, being created in the Victorian era. The petition for the park was started in 1841 with the objective of improving conditions for the poor people of Finsbury. Finsbury Park is now a well-kept, frequently-used London park, equipped with a running track, tennis courts, a skate park, a baseball field and an art gallery. It is also used as a venue for music concerts.

Acton Park

Acton Park opened to the public in 1888 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. It is Acton's largest open space and contains many features that make it stand out from other parks, including the 'Twilight Tree', a fantastic playground, a children's centre, tennis courts, a pond, a basketball court and, most recently, a miniature golf course.

The 'Twilight Tree' is a Dutch Elm tree that was carved into a statue of a woman, with a squirrel and a pair of owls above her. The sculpture was originally about 28 feet tall, but has since been cut in half, so the woman and the wildlife are now separate statues.

Sky Garden, London, UK — Sky Garden, London

London Sky Gardens

Green roofs have come on a bit since the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Once viewed as quirky, one-off projects by those with tree hugging tendencies, green roofs are now transforming the London skyline as residents and businesses take an elevated approach to improving the capital's biodiversity, liveability and ability to handle the vagaries of climate change.

Today all kinds of elaborate and exciting green spaces - together with complimentary fauna - are starting to appear on buildings. Way up above the capital's bustling streets, rooftops old and new are now morphing into vibrant flower, fruit and vegetable gardens. See a listing of London's best sky gardens.

Chelsea Physic Garden

Chelsea Physic Garden, located in one of London's most affluent areas near the River Thames, is an historic garden with a long history. Chelsea Physic Garden was established in 1673 as the Apothecaries' Garden for training students to identify and use medicinal plants, making it the second oldest botanical garden in Britain, after the University of Oxford Botanic Garden, in Oxford, founded in 1621. Hans Sloane, previously a student at the Chelsea Physic Garden, was to purchase an area of land containing the garden and lease it back to the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London at a minimal rent. Chelsea Physic Garden holds a number of remarkable "firsts" in the history of botany and plants. It has the oldest garden devoted to alpine plants, the largest fruiting olive tree in Britain and world's northernmost grapefruit growing outdoors.

Kew Gardens

Of all the world's famous gardens, Kew boasts the largest collection of living plants. With tree canopies, numerous glasshouses, a Chinese pagoda, four cafes and restaurants, art galleries, a serene lake and water lily ponds, this is the perfect location for a green day out in London.

Founded in 1840 from the exotic garden at Kew Park in the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames, Kew is now home to more than 30,000 different kinds of plants. The herbarium - also one of the largest in the world - has over seven million preserved plant specimens. The library contains more than 750,000 volumes, while the illustrations collection contains more than 175,000 prints and drawings of plants.

kew.org

Gladstone Park

Gladstone Park located in the Dollis Hill area of Willesden in northwest London is a large, historic park dating back to the early 20th century. The park was named after former Liberal Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone.

The northern part of the park is kept in its pristine, heathland state, while the area to the south was developed for various sports.

Now run by the London Borough of Brent supported by the voluntary community group, Friends of Gladstone Park, Gladstone Park and the adjoining Gladstone Open Space cover a vast 86 acres in total.

Russell Square

Russell Square, located in the Bloomsbury district of central London near the British Museum and London University is a large, historic city park (square) dating back to the early 19th century. It is London's second largest square after Cadogan Place. It covers about 2.5 hectares. Russell Square dates from 1804 on land owned by the wealthy local landowners, the Russell family, the Earls and Dukes of Bedford.

Brockwell Park

Located in the South London borough of Lambeth, Brockwell Park covers an area of approximately 50.8 hectares (125.5 acres) and is situated between the neighborhoods of Brixton, Herne Hill, and Tulse Hill. The land was originally the estate of John Blades, a wealthy glass merchant, who built Brockwell Hall. The park opened to the public in 1892. Facilities include a children's play area, a walled garden, tennis courts, a bowling green, a fitness trail, and sports fields. There is also an outdoor lido called the Brockwell Lido, which is a popular spot for swimming, particularly in the summer. Brockwell Park hosts various cultural events throughout the year. One of the most notable is the Lambeth Country Show, which is a free annual festival celebrating the best of the countryside with agricultural displays, live music and food and drink stalls.

Dulwich Park

Dulwich Park is a beautiful and well-loved park in south London, located in the London Borough of Southwark. The park spans approximately 72 acres (29 hectares) and boasts a mix of formal gardens, wide open spaces, a picturesque lake, and a network of winding pathways. Its carefully planned layout is still largely reminiscent of the Victorian era. There is a wide range of facilities and amenities, including a large children's playground, tennis courts, cricket nets, an outdoor gym and football pitches.

Golders Hill Park

Golders Hill Park located west of Hampstead Heath in north London is a large park largely grassy heathland but also with formal gardens. The park is named after the Godyere family that owned the surrounding area in the 14th century as is the Golders Green tube station. The park contains various distinct areas including a bandstand (which hosts free music concerts in the summer), a cafe (see below), a children's playground, a croquet lawn, table tennis tables, four hard-surface tennis courts, a walled garden and a small zoo. The zoo is small but has a number of exotic animals including an eagle owl, donkeys, fallow deer, lemurs, and wallabies. Visitors can help support the zoo by adopting an animal. The zoo began in the early 20th century when deer were donated to the park. There are plans to refocus the zoo to more represent "Wildlife in Britain." Dogs should be leashed within the park.

Holland Park

Holland Park in the wealthy Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in west London covers approximately 22.5 hectares (56 acres). The northern section is semi-wild woodland, the middle section comprises formal garden areas, and the southern part used for sport (cricket and tennis). The park contains two Japanese gardens the Kyoto Garden laid out in 1991 and the more recent Fukushima Garden opened in 2012. The park stages the annual Opera Holland Park festival during the summer in an open-air auditorium in front of the remains of Holland House. Holland Park Café by Daisy Green, located in the historic listed arches of the park, serves Australian-style brunch, lunch, and coffee. Nearby are both the Design Museum (the former site of the Commonwealth Institute) and Leighton House.