With September on the horizon, it’s hard to believe how far into 2020 we are! Even when the world keeps turning around us, it’s important to pause and breathe in a cleansing breath of fresh air. There are some amazing and tranquil public gardens in South London that we love visiting when we’re needing a pick-me-up. So here’s 9 South London public gardens for a moment of peace!
The Rookery Gardens
Streatham Common, Covington Way, Streatham, London SW16 3BX
The Rookery Garden is a quaint escape in Streatham Common, whose origins date back to 1659! The gardens originally belonged to Well House and Streatham Spa, and have now been open to the public since 1913. You’ll find several stunning flowers in the gardens, including The White Garden, which was originally laid out with white flowers for a Victorian family’s wedding. These gardens are also home to the Rookery Market, where you can support dozens of local businesses, including Mont 58 Coffee, Mel Tropical Kitchen and Wren Cakes!
Nicky Johns / Rookery Well, Streatham / CC BY-SA 2.0
Brockwell Park (The Old English Garden)
Brockwell Park, Brockwell Park Gardens, London SE24 9BJ
Brockwell Park is a community hub for locals to meet safely and peacefully to get away from the city. It is one of Lambeth's 12 Green Flag Award-winning parks and is home to The Old English Garden, full of colourful flower beds to peruse, featuring a 19th clock tower. The gardens are surrounded by several listed buildings, including Brockwell Lido (now open again!), the coach house and the Temple folly, with the park itself being a Grade II listing. The walled garden is a mini oasis with benches to sit and watch nature come alive around you, as well as admire the community greenhouses and watch the crops grow in front of you!
Photo © Marathon (cc-by-sa/2.0)
The Garden Museum
5 Lambeth Palace Rd, Bishop's, London SE1 7LB
The Garden Museum is back open and ready to welcome locals into its green paradise. Their current exhibition is Derek Jarman: My Garden’s Boundaries Are The Horizon, where you’ll dive into the story of Jarman’s garden at Prospect Cottage in Dungeness. The exhibition will house works of art and film, as well as personal artefacts from the cottage. You can also explore the rest of the museum and its celebration of British gardens throughout history.
Karen Bryan
Battersea 90s Style Unisex T-Shirt
Wimbledon Theatre SW19 - Giclée Art Print
South Park Gardens
Wimbledon, London SW19 8PN
South Park Gardens in Wimbledon is a well-loved community park for any locals looking to soak up the outdoor air. A collection of colourful flowers flood this garden, exciting the senses and any aspiring photographer, (or Instagram enthusiast). The Friends of South Park Gardens are a registered charity dedicated to keeping the park looking beautiful for their community and a safe place to escape. Designed in 1899, it is a Victorian residential park and has a Grade II listing. There are dozens of different species of wildlife to discover on your trails, including strawberry trees and judas trees.
Friends of South Park Gardens
Morden Hall Park
Morden Hall Rd, London SM4 5JD
Morden Hall Park is a National Trust managed public garden, often described as a green oasis and a highly respected green space in Morden. Locals love the rural garden’s contrast with the built-up area surrounding it, providing a wonderful escape from the real world. A key feature in these gardens is the renovated Stable Yard, as well as the cafe (open for takeaway only) and the garden centre. Bring the beautiful flowers and plants of this garden into your home by visiting their garden centre, where you’ll find plants, seeds, tools and more to exercise your green thumb.
Derek Winterburn
Bernie Spain Gardens
South Bank, London SE1 9PH
Bernie Spain Gardens is a hidden gem along the South Bank that we think should not be forgotten! Stroll down winding paths and smell the fresh flowers and plants that surround this green space. Known as ‘where nature meets the city’, this garden has been a reliable constant since 1988 and a safe haven for its local community. Their pollinator flower beds have created a colourful home for butterflies and bees, which border their wide open grass areas to relax and play.
Photo © Robin Stott (cc-by-sa/2.0)
Crystal Palace Park
Thicket Rd, London SE19 2GA
Crystal Palace Park is a local favourite, best known for its unique dinosaur sculptures that make for an iconic picture. It is an 80 acre Grade II listed park and is the largest park in Bromley Borough. Built between 1852 and 1855, the park was designed and built to be a site of discovery and invention; the full scale models of the several dinosaurs spotted throughout the park were pioneering for its time and are still a key landmark for Bromley locals today. Our favourite place for a pocket of peace is the lake!
Berit Watkin
Greenwich Park
Greenwich, London SE10 8QY
Whilst Greenwich Park is home to some of the most famous landmarks South of the river, including Greenwich Observatory, The Flower Garden is a hidden gem that we think is perfect for a colourful escape. From cedar trees to tulip trees surrounded by bright flower beds, The Flower Garden is a wonderful green space to take a quiet walk either alone or to have a distanced catch up with a friend. Other gardens around the park to explore are The Queen’s Orchard and The Rose Garden.
Photo © Marathon (cc-by-sa/2.0)
Manor House Gardens
Taunton Rd, Lee SE13 5SU
Manor House Gardens is well-loved by Lee’s local community, locals flocking here for its tranquil nature walks, large grass areas and duck pond. On your strolls through this park, you’ll find a walled garden and wild flower area, as well as a fountain. Locals love to support Pistachios In The Park, a community cafe now open again and serving delicious drinks and food, as well as plants to add some green to your home!
Photo © Mike Quinn (cc-by-sa/2.0)
What Is The South London Club?
The South London Club is a local discount card to help support small independent businesses across South London whilst saving all who live, work & play in South London money! With over 850+ local discounts to choose from, you will discover & explore all the best hidden gems in South London. Join over 7,000 of us & celebrate all that's independent & South London!