When it comes to beautiful gardens and green spaces, London certainly has no shortage of them, but some of these are – until now – not open to the general public. The city is home to hundreds of private, resident-only gardens, typically located in affluent areas and surrounded on all sides by magnificent Victorian mansions. This weekend more than 100 of these gardens, scattered across London, will open their doors to the public.
That means visitors can explore unspoilt areas and bask in the sun as the Met Office has forecast temperatures will now hit 27C for this Saturday 10 June. So far this year, London has yet to hit 25°C, meaning Saturday could be one of the hottest days of the year so far in the city.
Hosted by London Parks & Gardens, the event normally takes place every summer and this year there are seven newcomers to the list, including the revamped OmVed Gardens with a wildflower meadow and vegetable beds. There is also a modern roof garden at 25 Cannon Street which offers spectacular views over St Paul’s Cathedral and the surrounding city.
READ MORE: Met Office forecasts London weather to soar to 27C in a matter of days
Many private gardens are surrounded by Victorian mansions(Image: Chmee2)
Another great newcomer with a vantage point is 245 Hammersmith Road – a stylish apartment complex with a terrace offering panoramic views across west London.
If you’re spoiled for choice, you might want to visit some of the most popular gardens on the list, such as the historic Lincoln’s Inn Gardens and Montague Street Gardens, which embody the classic garden squares around Bloomsbury; and a modern terraced garden on the roof of Nomura International PLC, which offers unobstructed views over the River Thames.
Many gardens will also host events with a variety of hands-on activities. Some offer tours, live music, drawing workshops, refreshments, and more. There may even be some plants that you can purchase yourself. You can check the London Gardens Trust’s list of participating venues to find out what’s going on at each garden.
There are hundreds of private gardens in London(Image: J Taylor)
An adult weekend ticket, which gives you access to all the gardens on the list, costs £20, while for students it costs £15 and a normal youth (aged 12-18) pays £10. Tickets can be purchased here and a full list of gardens can be found on the London Parks & Gardens website. Visitors should note that opening hours vary by garden and not all venues are open all weekend. Therefore, it pays to double-check each entry and plan ahead.
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