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If you get tired of London’s towering glass and concrete, you rarely need to go very far to find somewhere a little more natural and green. You may be surprised to find out that there are a whopping 3,000 green spaces dotted across London, making it one of the greenest metropolises in the world.
Of course, at Time Out, we’ve got our own opinions on which parks and gardens in London are most worth a visit, but now the Telegraph has weighed in with its list of the city’s 10 ‘greatest gardens’. Some are completely free to stroll around to your heart’s content while others require an entry fee so that they can remain bloomin’ beautiful .
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Kew Gardens was up first. Home to more than 50,000 living plants, the paper called the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew ‘arguably the crown jewel of British horticulture’. To explore this botanic oasis, you’ll have to pay £22 but we reckon it’s worth it. If you go, don’t skip the huge Temperate House, the world’s largest surviving Victorian glasshouse.
A little closer to the city centre (and free to enter), the Barbican Conservatory, ‘part plant haven, part architectural marvel’ also made the Telegraph’s list, as did Holland Park’s Kyoto Garden, a ‘serene Japanese garden’ and ‘a testament to cultural exchange and enduring craftsmanship’.
There were several lesser-known green hubs that featured, too. St Dunstan-in-the-East is a Grade I-listed church ruin that has turned into a magical secret garden in the middle of the City, a short walk from Tower Hill station. The Telegraph recommended that you ‘bring a sandwich and take a quiet lunch break as part of your tour of this historic part of London.
Another more hidden garden celebrated by the paper was Phoenix Garden, a quiet leafy retreat within bustling Soho. It said of the garden: ‘Despite its central location, the garden remains delightfully under the radar – a perfect spot for weary shoppers, theatre-goers or anyone seeking a breath of fresh air’. Read on to find out all the loveliest gardens in London, as picked by the Telegraph.
The 10 best gardens in London, according to the Telegraph
- Kew Gardens
- Barbican Conservatory
- Chelsea Physic Garden
- Eltham Palace Gardens
- Kyoto Garden, Holland Park
- Gardens at Buckingham Palace
- The Garden at 120
- St Dunstan in the East
- Phoenix Garden
- The Hill Garden and Pergola, Hampstead
- Natural History Museum Wildlife Garden
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