A beautiful botanical garden steeped in hundreds of years of history. Although it is only four…read moreacres, we spent hours wandering along the paths and learning about plants. Plan to stay for lunch. I had the best savory tart I have ever eaten at the cafe.

A greatly hidden garden reserve that should be considered as the formal, manicured flower show,…read morefeaturing winding pathways, mazes, and beds organised by how plants are used by humans -- from traditional cures and poisonous species to edible crops and alcohol-producing flora.

I wish I had planned a bit better because it took so long to get over to Kew Gardens and it's…read morereally beauty that needs about a half day to walk around in, so we ended up having to cancel our plans to see a second play to fully enjoy it. Don't buy your Kew Gardens tickets through Get Your Guide. You have to wait in the same line as purchasing regular tickets so it saves you no time and actually costs you more time than just buying them through their website. You're able to bring in food and water, which is fantastic if you're planning to stop by Ginger Pig and make a picnic out of it, which we did. The space is really pretty and their hot houses are delightful so make sure to bring your walking shoes and enjoy yourself!

This was a beautiful opportunity to get close to nature and enjoy quality time with my family where…read morethere was something for everyone. Kew Gardens- yeah I know - Metropolitan Ave, right between Forest Hills and Richmond Hill/Jamaica and 22 minutes from New York city; well this is the original, the Kew Gardens 22 minutes from London in the United Kingdom with a 22 pound( that's 30 dollars US )admission for adults and $8 US equivalent for kids up to age 15 , which I thought was awesome and so worth it. What we enjoyed - 37 acres of nature- wildflowers, tall grasses and beautiful trees. Shaded walkways as we witnessed gorgeous butterflies and dragonflies in their natural habitat. Comfy shoes please!!!!!!!! Suggestion- hire a tour guide for 20 pounds for the group ( that's $26 US) - worth it as they know which sites are popular, busy and their knowledge about the history of the trees and flowers is precious. Maximize your time here!!!! Then on to the Alpine House where we loved seeing some of the most resilient plants in an Artic induced environment. The best part of the day - the Hive - a recreation of a real beehive with the real sound that is 63 feet high( photo) with over 1500 LED lights and music symphony responding to the sounds in C- the very key the bees buzz in. You have to also get to the top of the 160 feet Great Pagoda for some nice photos. Thank you Kew Gardens for being open year round and having so much for the grandkids who are still buzzing ( fun pun) about it. You will need the full day to experience every awesome aspect here. They are open from 10-7.( The Hive closes at 6). Please buy your tickets online to save time. Furthermore get the subway or tube day or 3 day pass to avoid the lines or US credit card processing delays at the machines at the stations. Public transportation especially the tube or subway here in London is absolutely stellar. Parking here is crazy and expensive. So yes take the tube or taxis are $68-70 from Central London. Great day here! Fully recommend Kew Gardens as a must stop.

Hidden along the Inner Circle of Regent's Park is a secret. It's the hidden Garden of St. John's…read moreLodge. Between a couple of hedges, there's a half open gate which might imply that it's a private garden. Far from it, this is completely open to the public. But good luck finding it! Through the aforementioned gate, down a path and around a turn, there it is. A perfect English garden. No one quite knows as much about these gardens as an Englishman! Even quieter and more sedate than a walk through Regent's Park, you would hardly know that you're here in the capital of one of the largest cities in Europe. There are no sirens here. No buses going past. No loud motorcycles. Just peace and quiet. A small slice of heaven. Perfectly manicured grass, plants that have been cared for and a shady spot where you can sit and reflect. I love it. If only I could find it again!

The Garden of St. John's Lodge is so beautiful. It is hidden away and can be accessed from the…read moreinner circle of Regent's Park. It reminds me of a secret garden because of it's quiet and serene nature that seems to be untouched. You enter through a iron gate and stroll along under arches above covered in green that leads you into a beautiful English garden. This is a wonderful place to go to relax and absorb the beautiful surroundings.

Beautiful nature, wonderful views and a well maintained park. The cost can be a bit much without a…read moremembership but it's worth it: a great experience all around.

Wisley is amazing and gorgeous. I cannot imagine the amount…read moreof water they must use to keep the gardens looking so glorious. Important in the summer heat: take the complimentary shuttle to the top and walk down. You'll be so glad you did. Ask at the entrance where to catch it and it'll drop you at the top by the new building. Staggering up in the pounding heat is miserable. Climbing to the roof, anticipating a breathtaking view is pointless if it's summer. Do it after the leaves have fallen or you'll get a big fat view of tree, as well as heatstroke. (The lift was broken today.) Well worth it.

Beautiful! The WWT has two adorable otters (feedings at 11am and 2pm) and so many ducks and geese…read moreof different colors than I had ever imagined existed! There are a south and west paths to follow and several lookout centers along the way to get a birds eye view of the wetlands. They also offer talks giving information about the various geese and ducks they have there. I love nature but am not a bird watcher or enthusiast and I still felt quite interested in seeing what was there. Although a bit of a trek to get out there, especially from East London, I would say worth it if you would like a nice nature day and especially if you are a fan of ducks and geese.

I had been meaning to go to this place for years since I moved to London. Finally managed to track…read moreit down and get some Autumn duck spotting on the calendar. This place is amazing, it is almost impossible to believe that you are in London when here, and you really are in London! Looking out over the wetland the horizon is this weird mish-mash of high-rise buildings and London landmarks, is really cool actually. Plenty of parking, and the best way to get there is by car, and you are given a free token to get out if you visit the centre, otherwise I think it'll cost you £7.50 to get out. The entrance building is also the gift shop, which you are able to wander around on your way out towards the exit. Nice little bird/duck related products, and it seems almost half the shop is dedicated to children's items! The wetland area itself is magnificent and there are loads of fabulously coloured ducks and geese for everyone to get excited about. The read-beds look beautiful in Autumn and that time of year also rewards you with a wide range of migratory birds to spy on from one of the numerous hides dotted around the site. If you have kids the highlight for them will most likely be the adventure area all the way at the end of the South Route. Be warned though, there is a maze of underground tunnels for little ones to play in and it is one-hell of a pain if they decide they don't want to leave or come out - those with bad backs and find it hard to bend should abstain! All in all a fabulous place that I cannot recommend highly enough, spoiled by one simple, yet vital element that this place HAS to get right - the cafe. The food is appalling, I mean really appalling...at least it was when we visited. "Undercooked, overcooked, bubbling free, the fish, beans and chips are all cooked dis-gus-ting-ly" (sung to the Wombles theme-tune). For a centre such as this, that can keep a family entertained all day very easily, it really is important to get the catering part right, even mediocre, but this place falls very short. But please visit, walk, listen, spy on the unsuspecting ducks, grovel in the playground...but avoid the indoor cafe if you possibly can.

2023 show. My 5th since 1992. Honestly the least impressive. The main pavilion had no splendid…read moresumptuous exhibits as in years past. After touring the building for 90 minutes I judged it as a ho-hum experience. I'm a RHS member. Visited the 1st members only day. The place was packed with a shoulder to shoulder horde. So crowded it was impossible to jockey a space to see some of the demonstration gardens. Way too many tickets we're sold. Disappointing. I'll never visit again.

Walking down memory lane and looking at old photos reminded me of my visit in 2019 to this annual…read moreflower show. Let me tell you that this show is popular! I had the General Admission ticket and the line to get into the show was long, but moved along. Some exhibits took place outside, while many took place inside. There's no rhyme, rhythm, or flow. People come and go in all directions, making it slightly overwhelming. Some of my favorites included treehouses, this sculpture made of straws and flowers, and the exotic plants such as the Venus fly trap. There's an area where they sold food with long lines at each food vendor. Nothing to write home about, but definitely helpful because no one likes to be hangry. Restrooms were plentiful and lines moved quickly. Before the exit, there's an area of vendors selling knick knacks, plants, home goods, and etc. Overall, a good first, and probably last experience with this flower show. #16/2020

So heres the thing. We went on a crappy weather day to kill time before a game (ffc stadium is…read morevisible from the property). The gardens are extensive and may be lovely on a nice day. The palace itself is ok. Well maintained. It's basically a slavery museum because a former bishop was involved in the abolition movement. It was an odd find in england. As an American i was hoping for british history, but if you are interested, theres a lot of good info. The docent was very kind and knowledgeable. The chapel was beautiful but for looking old... the art was from the 1950s. It honestly kinda felt like a scam. All in all it's free (they suggest a £5 donation) and was warm on an English winter day. Just be prepared to be disappointed if youre looking for a British Palace. It didn't seem to fit that particular bill.

Fulham Palace is a great spot to visit when visiting London. It's an easy tube ride from the heart…read moreof the city and gives you a feel of the grand homes and gardens that adorn the British countryside. Even better, admission is free! The best part of Fulham is the beautiful gardens that you can spend time walking through and exploring. The house has a lovely interactive exhibit that walks you through the history of the building. For over 1,300 years, since AD 704, the house had been a residence to over 133 Bishops of London that lived here. They used it as an escape from the dirty city of London. You walk through the beautiful gate to the house and through a tiny door that opens up onto a large courtyard. The start of the exhibit through the house begins to the door at your left that walks you through the gift shop. The gardens are home to the second oldest botanic garden in London. There are over 13 acres of garden to step through. Don't miss the walled garden. It is delightful! To top of your experience be sure to stop in at the cafe for a bite of food or drink. The cafe offers some incredible lunch or bakery items. They had many gluten-free options as well. The food was fresh and delightful. Nothing like eating delish food with an incredible view.

I did my work experience here,and although the building may seem inferior from the outside,its not…read morefrom the inside. Things inlcuded within are the first ever engine powered car,an orginial lock up cell,numerous Waltham Forest related items such as Halex/Xylonite etc. There are also things such as a roman sarchophagus,old signs,a recreation of a Victorian Parlour Room and a 1940's room Its free entry so youve got a great little museum to look around for nothing. The staff are great also. If you read this guys thanks for your time,sorry i havent been to visit for a long time!!!!!

This is a hidden star! On the backstreets of Walthamstow Village is the historical gem that is this…read moreMuseum. Within sight of the historic St Mary's Church, The museum is situated in the old parish workhouse (with a suitably grim message over the entrance!) Once through the doors (although the exterior is interesting, with the site of the old parish lockup marked out and an doorway from a demolished Walthamstow mansion) a wealth of artefacts await, including the oldest British-built petrol driven car, a police cell, a Victorian parlor, and the local archive, photographic archive and local studies library (the last three by appointment only) Behind the museum is a reconstruction of the workhouse garden, which is peppered with larger bygones such as a horse trough and water pump. Although this has no refreshment facilities, it is very close to Walthamstow Central and its hoard of take-away shops, and the garden is a pleasant place to picnic if the weather approves. There are modern toilets in the extension. There is a shop which sells local history books and lots of interesting bits for children. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and there are always lots of extras going on in school holidays, so check out the website. There isn't a great deal of parking close to the museum (there is a lay-by for 3 or 4 cars outside) but a major car park is about ten minutes walk away. I recommend this to all, it was just saved from closure (it was open 6 days until recently) its free to enter and well worth a visit.

This place is well hidden, but well worth the detour if you are after a quiet stroll and some peace…read moreand quiet. The car park used to be free, but they have recently installed pay-and-display, so be careful you don't get caught out with these new charges. They do have a lovely cafe that does some nice home made cakes and simple food, and a wonderful enclosed courtyard where you can sit outside in the fresh air. There are even a few plant stalls in the courtyard selling some of the plants you'll see in the gardens, a very nice touch. Another non-garden element worth noting are the toilets. Very clean, easy access and even a baby changing area - nicely done, and well appreciated. As for the gardens, they were featured on Gardeners World in 2014 for their Daffodil and bluebell meadow, so that is worth jaunt to see, and they also have quite a large and ornate veg patch that is beautiful in Spring and Summer - see the picture of the covered runner bean tunnel. Nice ponds, chicken coops, trellised areas etc. A lovely place for a day in the slow lane.