In all, these gardens number over 100, and while they are humble bretheren of the mighty parks and large gardens of London, they breathe life into the capital and provide rest stops and meeting places as well as small playgrounds and dog walking areas.

More information can be seen on Wikipedia at this link

The photo above is of Gordon Square, a favourite for local dog owners and those looking for a little respite from the bustle of local city life.

We aim to collect details on as many squares as possible and provide brief information on each as well as their location.

Please visit us again to see updates to our Garden Square posts.

Wikipedia: “Green Park (officially The Green Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. Covering 19 hectares (47 acres), it lies between London’s Hyde Park and St. James’s Park. Together with Kensington Gardens and the gardens of Buckingham Palace, these parks form an almost unbroken stretch of open land reaching from Whitehall and Victoria station to Kensington and Notting Hill.

By contrast with its neighbours, Green Park has no lakes, no buildings and few monuments, having only the Canada Memorial by Pierre Granche and the Constance Fund Fountain. The park consists entirely of wooded meadows. The park is bounded on the south by Constitution Hill, on the east by the pedestrian Queen’s Walk, and on the north by Piccadilly. It meets St. James’s Park at Queen’s Gardens with the Victoria Memorial at its centre, opposite the entrance to Buckingham Palace. To the south is the ceremonial avenue of The Mall, and the buildings of St James’s Palace and Clarence House overlook the park to the east. Green Park tube station is a major interchange located on Piccadilly, Victoria and Jubilee lines near the north end of Queen’s Walk.”

Watch some stunning shots of the Royal Parks as spring and summer unfold, and hear park visitors describe what they love about the parks. 2011 marks 160 years of public enjoyment of the Royal Parks – bringing a breath of fresh air to Londoners since 1851.

This year’s anniversary commemorates the 1851 Crown Lands Act, in which the Crown transferred management of the Royal Parks to the Commissioners of Works and Public Buildings, to create the public open spaces millions of people enjoy today.

The Royal Parks will be celebrating the anniversary with a range of events highlighting its work across heritage, horticulture, cultural activities, sports and leisure. For more information about The Royal Parks visit: www.royalparks.org.uk

Reference : Royal Parks London (PDF’s)

Playing sibling to St James’s Park, Green park is a more peaceful and aged park, with it’s mature evergreen trees and open grassland areas. Covering just over 45 acres, it is surrounded on it’s borders by Constitution Hill, Piccadilly Walk and Queen’s Walk.

Main attractions: Buckingham Palace, Canada memorial, Canada gate, Gun Salutes,

Children: A deck chair area is located to the South of the park and is available from March through to October each year during sunlight hours.

Food and drink: There are two refreshment points in the park offering cold snacks and drinks. One to the North of the park and one to the South, nearest Buckingham Palace.

Sports facilities: None.

Horticulture and wildlife: Green Park is well known for it magnificent display of over a quarter of a million Daffodils which bloom each Spring time

Transport: Two subway and one mainline station border the park along the North edge. There is no on-site car park, nor are there Blue Badge bays located on the surrounding roads. The main entrance is the Canada Gate entrance and the Piccadilly entrance, located by The Ritz hotel.

Reference : Green Park (PDF’s)

Acting as home to the Diana Fountain, located on the famous Chestnut Avenue, Bushy Park’s history is inextricably linked to Hampton Court Palace.

Main attractions: Woodland gardens, Diana Fountain, water gardens, the Phesantry Welcome Centre, Chestnut Avenue, deer.

Children: A pond for model boating is located in the middle of the park and the Hampton Swimming Pool, a thirty six meter open air and heated pool is to the far West of the park, complete with a learner pool, gym and fitness studio. It is open seven days a week. There are an additional two refreshment points also in the park, located to the North central and far East locations within the park area.

Food and drink: The Pheasantry Welcome Centre has a cafe with an outside eating area, an education and community room and an information point.

Sports facilities: Sports facilities includes those for football, cricket, hockey and rugby. There are also tennis courts and bowling green, all of which can be found in the North West of the park.

Horticulture and wildlife: Chestnut Avenue is the grand pathway leading up to Hampton Court, lined by Chestnut Trees, it was built in 1699 to form part of Sir Christopher Wren’s design for a grand entrance to the palace. Red and Fallow deer can be seen in the wooded area to the West of the park, just as they where during the times of Henry VIII.

Transport: The park is surrounded on all sides by tube and mainline stations. There are two on-site parking facilities, one off Chestnut Avenue and the other off Upper Lodge Road, just next to the Bushy Lodge. An additional three car parks are provided for use by disabled visitors.

Author Resourses:- This Author Recommends London’s Gardens and Parks Near London

Green Park

Playing sibling to St James’s Park, Green park is a more peaceful and aged park, with it’s mature evergreen trees and open grassland areas. Covering just over 45 acres, it is surrounded on it’s borders by Constitution Hill, Piccadilly Walk and Queen’s Walk.

Main attractions: Buckingham Palace, Canada memorial, Canada gate, Gun Salutes,

Children: A deck chair area is located to the South of the park and is available from March through to October each year during sunlight hours.

Food and drink: There are two refreshment points in the park offering cold snacks and drinks. One to the North of the park and one to the South, nearest Buckingham Palace.

Sports facilities: None.

Horticulture and wildlife: Green Park is well known for it magnificent display of over a quarter of a million Daffodils which bloom each Spring time

Transport: Two subway and one mainline station border the park along the North edge. There is no on-site car park, nor are there Blue Badge bays located on the surrounding roads. The main entrance is the Canada Gate entrance and the Piccadilly entrance, located by The Ritz hotel.

The park is roughly rectangular in plan with sides 1000 metres by 750 metres and oriented with the long sides lying NNW to SSE. In what follows this direction is taken to be N to S for ease of exposition. It is located at grid reference TQ390772.

The park stretches along a hillside and is on two levels. The lower level (closest to the Museum, Queen’s House and, beyond them, the Thames) lies to the north; after a steep walk uphill, there is a flat expanse that is, essentially, an enclosed extension of the plateau of Blackheath.

Roughly in the centre, on the top of the hill, is the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. To the north is the National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House, and beyond those Greenwich Hospital. To the east is Vanbrugh Castle. To the south is Blackheath and in the south western corner is the Ranger’s House, looking out over heath. To the west lie the architecturally fine streets of Chesterfield Walk and Croom’s Hill (Pevsner 1983).

The Observatory is on the top of the hill. Outside is a statue of General James Wolfe in a small plaza from which there are majestic views across to the former Greenwich Hospital (the Old Royal Naval College and now the University of Greenwich) and then towards the river, the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf, the City of London to the northwest and the Millennium Dome to the north.

St James’s Park is located in the heart of London and is well re-known for it’s royal, literary and political associations. Harbouring a lake with geese, pelicans and ducks, it covers over 55 acres and is also home to the The Mall, the place of many national celebrations and events throughout the year.

Main attractions: The Horse Guards Parade, The Blue Bridge and Inn The Park.

Children: Kids can observe and help with the feeding of the geese, pelicans and ducks each day at the south east of the lake every day between 2:30 and 3pm. There is also a playground which has play equipment, and toilets for children. It is open all year, but children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Food and drink: Inn The Park is a licensed restaurant and also offers take away meals. The building has green roof and is made from sustainable timbers. There are also an additional three refreshment points located to the north and west of the lake.

Sports facilities: A deck chair area can be found to the South West of the lake offering great views right across the entire park.

Horticulture and wildlife: The memorial gardens, located in front of Buckingham Palace include a mind blowing 12000 Red Geraniums and are planted each year to match the colour of the guardsmen’s tunics. The Tropical Border is an area which contains plants from the warmer parts of the planet, bringing an exotic feel into London. To the North shore of the lake, the Nash Shrubberies display a mix of trees, shrubs and perennials, all of which are planted in the unique style of John Nash who first introduced them to the park in 1827.

Transport: There are no tube or mainline services running directly to the park, the nearest mainline station is Victoria. There is no car park for the venue, access is found by way of Admiralty Arch and Marlborough Gate.

Situated at the top of a hill, Greenwich Park is the oldest of the Royal Parks and is home to a small herd of Red and Fallow Deer.

Main attractions: It’s high location allows visitors a brilliant view across the River Thames right over to St. Paul’s cathedral. Located next to the National Maritime Museum, it is also host to the former Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian Line. The park covers over 180 acres.

Children: During the summer, children can pick English apples from the Community Orchard which is maintained by both staff and the local residents. The Greenwich Observatory is directly upon the Meridian Line, it’s zero degree longitude dividing the world into the East and West hemispheres. The observatory, which was established in 1675 was Britain’s first purposely built scientific research facility. A playground is also available for younger souls, complete with play equipment, sand pits and a refreshment kiosk.

Food and drink: The Pavilion Tea House is a licensed restaurant which serves both hot and cold foods. There are gardens to walk around, and also toilets, baby changing facilities and high chairs for the younger visitors use. There are also an additional four refreshment points available for drinks and light snacks.

Sports facilities: A boating lake offers both rowing and pedal boats from Easter through to October on half hour and one hour hire periods. There are also six open to the public tennis courts which are open every day during the summer months and on weekends during the winter.

Horticulture and wildlife: The Wilderness Deer Park is home to Red and Fallow deer, and other forms of wildlife including foxes, bats and other birds and ancient tree varieties.

Transport: Just two subway stations border the park, Blackheath and Maze Hill are the nearest main line stations. Greenwich park does however have it’s own car park, which is open from 7am until the park closes.

Most known for it’s planted avenues of ornamental flowers and large, established trees, Kensington Gardens covers 275 acres and is populated by quiet Italian gardens.

Main attractions: Albert memorial, Peter Pan statue, Italian gardens, the Serpentine Gallery.

Children: The Diana Memorial playground is a free to enter, with a Peter Pan themed play area, complete with pirate ship and beach area. The bronze statue of Peter Pan was donated in 1912 by the author of Peter Pan, J M Barrie. The Round Pond has been used for hundreds of years by the young to sail their model boats and feed the water birds.

Food and drink: The Broadwalk Cafe has a large, year round outdoor seating area and offers a children’s menu of both hot and cold foods. There are an additional 3 refreshment points located to the north, south and central points of the park.

Sports facilities: The Serpentine Gallery is a contemporary art gallery upon which a pavilion is constructed each year by an acclaimed designer or architect. A bandstand is located to the West of the park and is used for band concerts on weekend afternoons.

Horticulture and wildlife: An ornamental water garden is located to the north of the park and has various fountains, statues and water features. To the south, amongst the ever-green trees and wildlife is the Albert memorial, a gold plated statue of Prince Albert, which is accompanied by large scale sculptures and a stone made canopy. Finally, to the West of the grounds is Kensington Palace, birthplace of Queen Victoria and former home to the late Princess Diana.

Transport: Sixteen subways and main railway stations are located around the parks borders. Disable visitors can make use of free electric buggies, each of which seat five people and make half hourly tours of the park. You may get on and off as you wish.

Richmond Park – King Henrys Mound in England

King Henry VIII’s Mound is the highest point within the park and is located within the public gardens of Pembroke Lodge. It is named after Henry VIII of England.

There is speculation that the mound has an older history, and may have originally been a barrow.

From the Mound there is a protected view of St Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London over 10 miles (16 km) to the east which was established in 1710. (A telescope is installed on the mound, for a better viewing experience.) This vista is protected by a ‘dome and a half’ width of sky on either side. The Mayor of London (Ken Livingstone) sought to overturn this protection in 2005, and reduce it to ‘half a dome’. No final decision has yet been made public. To the west is a panorama of the Thames Valley.