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From hidden gardens to wildflower meadows, get to know the city’s incredible leafy oases and idyllic picnic spots
In recent years, Scandinavian culture has been taking over the world. Instagram introduced us all to hygge, and the idea of lagom (meaning ‘just the right amount’) has now found fans outside Sweden, but we think that this summer, we should all be celebrating the Swedish concept of allemansrätten. It means ‘the right to roam’, and while we don’t recommend wandering into someone’s garden for a picnic, we have handpicked five great places to get close to nature.
Despite its name, Covent Garden is anything but verdant. However, tucked away, so that it’s overlooked by all but the most ardent urban explorers, is this rustic and green-fingered community-run spot. Despite its location just off Shaftesbury Avenue, it manages to be wonderfully calm – the perfect spot for a West End time-out.
As the mercury creeps up from ‘freezing’ towards ‘might not need a jumper’, London Fields becomes a magnet for sun-seeking hipsters, who descend with bottles and boomboxes. One corner of the park has been given back to nature, and over the last few years it has blossomed into a mature meadow filled with wildflowers. Bees love it and so will you – it’s the ideal place for a Rekorderlig Botanicals summer refreshment.
King’s Cross may still be something of an ever-evolving building site but this sustainable (and mobile) garden offers proof that nature can flourish amid industry. As well as plants, flowers and veg in the skips, there are chicken coops, beehives and a kitchen serving dishes that use produce from the garden.
Getting lost in the woods, wandering the open heathland, leaping into the cool swimming ponds, surveying the city from Parliament Hill – is there anywhere else in London that offers as many opportunities to the roamer? Pack a picnic and find yourself some breathing space. With 800 acres to choose from, it shouldn’t be hard. Aaah...
Just ten minutes from Hammersmith but feeling a world away, this 100-acre natural wonderland in south-west London is a soothing place to spend a day strolling around lakes and gardens. If you’re lucky, you might even spot an otter enjoying some allemansrätten of its own.
Think of summer socialising, and what comes to mind? Long, lazy afternoons, sunshine through the trees, more friends turning up than we knew we had? And in shorts weather, maybe something cool and crisp to drink. Rekorderlig cider has long been a go-to for that, and now the newly launched Botanicals range has set the standard for summertime refreshment. Made with pure spring water and innovative flavours, the selection includes Rhubarb-Lemon-Mint (best served over ice with a twist of lime and a mint sprig), subtly tangy Peach-Basil (pour over ice, with a sprig of basil and a wedge of lemon) and citrusy, aromatic Grapefruit-Rosemary (the perfect serve is chilled, with a sprig of rosemary). Each flavour is beautifully Swedish and the ideal accompaniment to a summer spent exploring. Available in Tesco stores and from Ocado online.