The bustle of Britain's sprawling capital is part of its appeal. But where do you go if you're in need of an oasis in the urban landscape? We've unearthed six of London's best secret gardens — just in time for springtime's slow crawl to the continent.
Main cover image: Courtesy of The Geffrye Museum
Forward thinking and utterly beguiling, the Chelsea Physic Garden was founded in 1673 as the Apothecaries' Garden, with the purpose of training apprentices in identifying plants. Highlights include a Garden of World Medicine and a new Pharmaceutical Garden. Frequent talks and workshops and pop-up events tantalize the home gardener and aesthete alike. Open Tuesdays through Fridays noon to 5 pm, Sundays noon to 6 pm through October 31; £9 (£6 concessions).
The Geffrye Museum has long been a beacon of culture and horticulture in the city's East End. The museum shows the changing style of English domestic interiors from 1600 to the present day. Outside, there is a sequence of period town gardens highlighting the key styles over the past four centuries. It includes a 17th-century garden with medicinal and culinary plants in medieval patterns. Running through August 26, a photo exhibition "Stands Alone" documents life in a north London housing project that's arranged around a communal garden. Admission and events are free to the main museum and gardens; special exhibition £5.
One hundred feet above the bustle of High Street Kensington, on top of a 1930s former department store, you'll find three lush gardens with mature oaks, fruit trees, and a flowing stream, all which celebrate their 75th birthday this year. Visitors are free to roam the Moorish Spanish Garden based on the Alhambra in Granada; the Tudor Garden with its lilies, roses, and wisteria; and the English Woodland Garden, best right now for spring when thousands of narcissus and crocus are in bloom. There's also a restaurant serving lunch, Wednesdays through Fridays, and dinner, Tuesdays through Saturdays. Gardens open daily; call ahead to confirm times (+44 20 7937 7994).
Few people know about the tropical conservatory garden with coffee bean and citrus trees, palms and ferns, and finches and quails in the Barbican, a huge performing arts center in the City of London. Hidden within the blockish Brutalist architecture, the conservatory is a great place to chill and chat between bouts of culture. Alternatively, take the Architectural or Hidden Barbican Tour. Both give fascinating insights behind the scenes of Europe's second largest arts center. Open Sundays and public holidays 11 am to 5:30 pm; £8 (£6 concessions). But go quick: it will be closed for maintanence from May 28 till July 21.
Bloomsbury, known for its literary associations and garden squares, has a off-the-radar green space at The Montague Hotel. The work of floral designer and fragrance creator Kenneth Turner, this enchanting English garden is landscaped with birch, Leanna vine, summer roses, and hanging wisteria — and is due to re-open as soon as the weather warms and England's freak snowstorms subside. It's the perfect place for a glass of Pimms, afternoon tea, or an evening barbecue. Visitors needn't be staying at the hotel but, if its popularity is anything like last summer's buzzy debut, booking in advance is recommended.
Tucked away beside Lambeth Palace Gardens, across the River Thames from Tate Britain, The Garden Museum celebrates the design, history, and art of cultivated places. At its heart lies a knot garden in honor of the great plant hunters, John Tradescant the Elder and Younger, where you can discover red maple and tulip trees scarlet runner beans. "Green Fuse: The World of Dan Pearson" opens May 23 and promises to multimedia immersion into the works of the famed landscape designer. Sundays through Fridays 10:30 am to 5 pm, Saturdays 10:30 am to 4 pm; £7.50 (concessions £6.50/£3/children under 16 free).
As springtime makes its slow crawl to the continent, we've unearthed six lesser-known leafy spots in which to celebrate