Top London Gardens

London is full of beautiful gardens, from Royal gardens to small gardens tended to by volunteers. Take a day to see the thousands of plants and flowers at Kew Gardens or enjoy a quiet stroll in Holland Park.

Look out for on-site shops where you can often buy seeds and gardening equipment to recreate a London garden at home, you can have lots of fun with your little ones plating it.

Many of London's most famous gardens are on a grand scale and are former private estates designed to dazzle. Here are some of London's best large gardens:

Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew: 121 hectares (300 acres) housing more than 30,000 types of plant, Kew Gardens has a 250-year history and is a World Heritage site

This must-visit attraction is located just 30 minutes by Tube from central London. 

Kew Gardens boasts a soaring treetop walkway, galleries and iconic listed buildings. 4.5 acres of gardens under glass reach up to 27 degrees Celsius, guaranteeing year-round warmth and cover.

Eight glasshouses provide hours of undercover discovery for visitors of all ages. Be amazed by giant lily pads in the Waterlily House; delve into an exotic rainforest in the Palm House; explore the Temperate House – the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse; and travel through ten climatic zones in the Princess of Wales Conservatory.

Kensington Palace Gardens: A variety of garden landscapes, including the 19th-century Italian Gardens.

Don't forget to visit Kensington Palace while you are there! It is a palace of secret stories and public lives that has been influenced by generations of royal women. Experience life as a 17th and 18th century royal courtier whilst making your way through the magnificent King’s and Queen’s State Apartments adorned with remarkable paintings from the Royal Collection. Victoria Revealed, set within the rooms Victoria lived as a child, this exhibition explores her life and reign as wife, mother, Queen and Empress. New in 2013, Modern Royals, the story of the 20th century young royals that have set the spotlight on the palace.

Hampton Court Palace Gardens: Devised by Henry VIII as a magnificent display of opulence with more than 24 hectares (60 acres) of beautiful gardens. Lose yourself in the famous maze and appreciate the beauty of one of the greatest palaces on earth.

You can also discover the magnificence of Henry VIII's favourite royal residence. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the bustling Base Court and marvel at the breath-taking grandeur of Henry's State Rooms. Tickle your taste buds in the vast Tudor kitchens. Creep along the Haunted Gallery and discover another palace, the Baroque Palace, full of intrigue and gossip from the Stuart and Georgian era. Costumed tours and talks happen daily, whilst many more seasonal events are worth noting

Eltham Palace: Seven hectares (19 acres) of original medieval gardens with Art Deco elements.

A unique Art Deco mansion in a medieval setting is worth visiting. Built for millionaires, Eltham Palace reflects the glamour and allure of 1930s fashionable society. Stunning interiors and furnishings reflect a masterpiece of design, and combine the cutting edge designs of ocean-liner style, with French influence Art Deco. The mansion's backdrop is a medieval royal palace from Tudor times, with magnificent Great Hall, the childhood home of Henry VIII. The 19 acres of beautiful gardens blend 1930s and medieval features, including London's oldest working bridge over the moat. 

Syon House and Gardens: 16 hectares (40 acres) of garden landscaped by the renowned garden innovator Capability Brown, with a spectacular "Great Conservatory" The gardens are Grade I listed and include a collection of rare trees and plants, a rose garden and circular lakeside walk.

Syon House is the lavish home of the Duke of Northumberland, built in the 1500s. The house includes a great hall based on a Roman basilica and a bedroom used by Queen Victoria. The 3rd Duke built the spectacular Great Conservatory in the 1820's and is thought to be the earliest of its kind in the country.

London is also home to many smaller gardens, offering a brief respite from the buzz of London life. Some of the most picturesque include: 

Chelsea Physic Garden: Founded in 1673 for the cultivation of medicinal plants, today the garden contains a Garden of World Medicine and a Pharmaceutical Garden

The Kyoto Japanese Garden in Holland Park: Created as a "strolling garden" in 1991, plants and pruning techniques are carefully selected and maintained to reflect this style

Charlton House Peace Garden: In 2006, one of Charlton House's original walled gardens was opened to the public. It was dedicated as a Peace Garden in support of Amnesty International's Stop Violence Against Women campaign

Fulham Palace: The palace's spectacular gardens include an 18th-century walled garden and a variety of rare shrubs. Look out for The Bishops' Tree – a carved cedarwood sculpture

Chiswick House Gardens: These London gardens were designed in the 18th century by William Kent. Kent's idealised vision of the Italian countryside transformed British landscape gardening. The gardens are still being restored, but are well worth a visit.

The Garden Museum: Complete your exploration of London gardens by visiting this museum devoted to British gardening history, with an extraordinary garden of its own. This fine reproduction of a 17th-century knot garden boasts historically authentic plants and ornamentation.