Local values, sustainability and the gentle spread of nature are the goals at the heart of community fave Alexandra Nurseries. The much-loved Penge plant haven is a ramshackle herbaceous oasis in south-east London. Visitors can also find vintage homeware and a charming café, which sometimes stays open late in the summer months for barbecues and beer, under a canopy of vines.
At first glance, London might seem grey and concrete-covered, but it's actually a proudly green city. Almost half of London is made up of lush green space, with grand stretches of grass in famous parks, hidden gardens where you'd least expect them, community spaces sprouting out behind office blocks and Londoners planting on shelves, balconies and windowsills. And when outside space isn't an option, we're filling offices, house shares and rented bathrooms with as many house plants as we can keep alive. As a city, it’s clear we’re suckers for foliage, so we’ve pulled together our pick of the biggest, best and the most beautiful garden centres and plant shops in the capital.
RECOMMENDED: The best of outdoor London