The most beautiful parks and gardens London

Hyde Park, London's green lung, is the largest and best known park in the capital. It is also the favourite of Londoners who come here to jog or simply walk, especially on Sundays. Unlike many French parks, you can do almost anything in Hyde Park: cycling, rollerblading, rowing, horse riding, picnicking... Historically, it was Henri VIII who acquired this land from the monks of Westminster Abbey in 1536. It will serve as a hunting ground until James I accedes to the throne and authorizes access to it. The site had several uses: an important gathering place under Charles II, it hosted the Universal Exhibition in 1851 and was transformed into a potato field during the Second World War. In winter it hosts the Winter Wonderland, a Christmas village, and in summer we like to come for a picnic like the real English.

Diana Memorial Fountain. Open from April to August from 10am to 8pm, in September from 10am to 7pm, from March to October from 10am to 6pm and from November to February from 10am to 4pm. The memorial is generally closed once a year, at the end of October-early November, for maintenance purposes. The memorial was inaugurated on July 6, 2004. It represents a fountain with contemporary forms whose design, created by the American architect Kathryn Gustafson, is a metaphor that reflects Diana's life with two waves separating, one of which forms a waterfall, eddies, bubbles and eventually joins the other in a quiet pool. Water is constantly renewed, drawn directly from the city's drinking water reserves.

Marble Arch. At the northern corner of Hyde Park, Marble Arch is a vast white Carrara marble monument built in 1928 by architect John Nash. Marble Arch is inspired by Constantine's Arc de Triomphe in Rome. It was originally located in the Mall and served as a doorway to Buckingham Palace, but was moved in 1851 during the extensive development of Buckingham Palace by Queen Victoria to its present location.

Speaker's Corner. Speakers' Corner is a public area where it is possible to speak freely. At this place, everyone is allowed to speak as long as what they say is not in violation of the law. The police rarely intervene, usually when listeners complain or when the language is really vulgar. This is where fundamentalists of all stripes come to shout out their convictions. The comments are most often political or religious.

St James's Park is London's central park, with its 23 hectares and lake dotted with ducks, geese and pelicans. It's London's oldest royal park, surrounded by three palaces: Westminster, St James's and Buckingham. Close to this royal attraction, it's an ideal spot for a relaxing break or country picnic amid lush vegetation, pelicans and squirrels. The vegetation is lush, sun loungers are available for a fee in summer, and classical music concerts are held regularly.

Created in 1433, this hilltop park offers panoramic views over the Thames, the Docklands and the City. Punctuated by historic buildings such as the Royal Observatory, where the Greenwich meridian runs and which serves as a reference point for calculating time around the world, it has always maintained a strong attachment to royalty. It was badly damaged during the Second World War. Today, it has been restored to its original form and is a must-see for visitors to Greenwich. Greenery, calm and pleasure.

The garden. Kensington Gardens adjoins Hyde Park to create a complex more than 7.5 km long. The garden was originally the Kensington Palace garden chosen by William III and Mary II for their London home. But it was Queen Caroline, George II's wife, who, in 1728, gave the garden its present form by creating Lake Serpentine. It remained closed for much of the 18th century and gradually reopened for high society. It was after a series of improvements commissioned by Queen Victoria that the Italian gardens and the Prince Albert Memorial were created.

Peter Pan. The character invented by James Matthew Barrie is present in the form of a sculpture that all children will think of greeting each other with the promise that they will never grow up.

Albert Memorial. Located south of Kensington Gardens, this memorial is commissioned by Queen Victoria to commemorate the memory of her beloved husband Prince Albert of Saxony Coburg-Gotha. It is based on Sir George Gilbert Scott's plans in the neo-Gothic style. Prince Albert is depicted sitting surrounded by allegorical sculptures: four groups depict Victorian industrial arts and sciences (agriculture, commerce, technology and industry) and four groups illustrate the four continents (Europe, Asia, Africa and America), each continent being adorned with an animal (the bull for Europe, the elephant for Asia, the camel for Africa and the buffalo for the Americas).

This immense 166-hectare park was designed by John Nash in 1811. Nicknamed "the jewel in the crown", Henry VIII used it as a hunting ground until 1646. It was John Nash who modified its appearance, creating sumptuous terraces, a lake and a canal, lined with villas, of which only 8 were finally built out of the 56 planned. In the early ^20th century, Queen Mary's Gardens was added. Regent's Park features over 400 varieties of roses, fountains and sculptures... You'll find a sports course, one of the largest outdoor sports facilities in London, with a soccer pitch and a cricket pitch, among others. Also within the park is London Zoo, home to a collection of 755 species of animals, making it one of the largest collections in the UK... To the west, the dome and minarets of London's central mosque can be seen on the horizon. Primrose Hill, just to the north of Regent's Park and a little higher up, offers a beautiful view of the whole of London. The park is also crossed by the charming Regent's Canal, which you can wander up and down. One of London's most pleasant parks, it's the perfect place for a picnic when the weather's right. As soon as the weather warms up, the English come out to stroll and laze in the sun. Regent's Park is also home to the famous Open Air Theatre, which presents classic plays in a bucolic, original and poetic setting.

London's largest royal park, with almost 1,000 ha and a unique view of the River Thames from Richmond Hill. Set amidst hills, woods and ponds, it's a haven of peace for all visitors. It's a far cry from the hustle and bustle of central London. The park is a protected area, formerly used as a royal hunting ground by King Charles ^I. Deer and stags still roam freely here, crossing the paths of golfers, joggers and even horse riders.

Don't miss Primrose Hill which, as its name suggests, is a hill in the northward extension of Regent's Park. It's a trendy little park where local Londoners like to come for picnics, but Primrose Hill above all offers one of the best views of London. Don't hesitate to take a stroll through the pretty streets of Primrose Hill, via Regent's Park Road and Chalcot Crescent. A real gem. Many celebrities live behind these superb colorful facades, including Kate Moss and Jude Law.

Located between Hyde Park and Saint James, Green Park once had various infrastructures: several lodges, a library, an ice house and two huge "temples" called respectively the Temple of Peace and the Temple of Concord. All of them were destroyed in the 19th century. Hugh's Temple of Peace was erected in 1749 to mark the end of the Austrian War of Succession, it was demolished during a fireworks display. The Concorde temple, which dates back to 1814, was built on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Hanoverian dynasty. In 1668 and under Charles II Green Park was home to deer. It was then called Upper St James' s Park. Before Charles II who made it a royal park, Green Park was only a marshy ground to bury the lepers of the Saint James Hospital. In 1746, it was named after its current name, The Green Park. At the beginning of the 18th century, several facilities made it even more pleasant. The Tyburn swimming pool was built, and in the 1720s a reservoir was installed to provide water for St. James Palace and the Buckingham house. This reservoir has been called the Queen's Basin, and is becoming a popular place for its beautiful walk. The park was opened to the general public in 1826. The Ranger's Lodge, Queen's Library, Queen's Basin and Tyburn Basin were all demolished in 1855. During the Second World War, it was used as a vegetable garden for the inhabitants. It is one of London's eight royal parks.

This park has a different appearance from other London parks. Very calm, it extends all the way along, and the further north you go, the more intense the vegetation becomes. So that at the park's limits, a small forest populated by rabbits, squirrels and ducks awaits us. Holland Park has also taken the liberty of making some eccentricities: modern sculptures scattered throughout the park and the Kyoto Garden, a small Japanese style garden. Holland Park has become one of the most expensive areas in London.

East London's largest and most beautiful park. Victoria Park is modelled on Regent's Park. It's a romantic park where you can enjoy a stroll. It's also a hotbed of political protest and anti-conformism. The park was a rallying point for radical workers in the 19th^century and a venue for major demonstrations in the punk years. Today, numerous outdoor festivals take place here every summer, including Lovebox, Underage Festival, Paradise Gardens and Field Day.

Hampstead Heath is one of London's must-see parks, although it's not as well known as Regent's Park or Hyde Park. The huge 320-hectare park is located in one of the city's most exclusive districts, which is also worth a visit for its small village feel. It's one of our favorite parks. There are small lakes to swim in on sunny days, vast expanses of grass ideal for picnics, and breathtaking views of central London and the City below. A true countryside interlude in the capital.

Located in the heart of London, this "secret garden" was created in 1673 by the Society of Apothecaries, who wished to have a botanical garden for their research into the properties, origins and conservation of plants. It was not opened to the public until 1983. Inside, you can discover some 5,000 different species, mainly medicinal plants, and the place is still used for research today. Ideal for a break or an unusual visit, this poetic garden is a miracle in the heart of the city.