Gardens near London, ideas please

I think Regent's Park is a wonderful place to visit:) and also Kensington Gardens, Holland Park... and small but educational gardens at Geffrye Museum are worth to see.

I haven't seen it but I am told there is a small park beside the Thames Barrier

~Chelsea Physic Garden,Chiswick House,Museum of garden history Lambeth Place Road,Syon Park across the river from Kew~~Roots and shoots Walnut tree Walk is a wildlife garden~ you will need to check tube links ~I have no idea how easy these would be without a car!

The london parks are lovely. Also Hampton Court palace with the maize and family trails.
Kensington gardens has a sunken garden and the Diana memorial garden.

When I worked in Chancery Lane, London years ago (too many years ago!) I used to go for walks during my lunchtime and stray from the noisy main roads through little cobbled streets, mews and alleyways and often found delightful little private gardens along the way. If you allow yourself some unplanned 'wander time' you could find all sorts of treasures. Have fun! :o)

They would love the Natural History Museum, and the Science Museum, too!

And The London Dungeon

Ooohh, yes! My two did at that age! Spooookkkyyy!! :-)))

Thank you. Now I have ideas to ´google´. Nice to have summer-dreams/plans in the winter.

We would like to travel a bit away from London too, perhaps we dare to rent a car. But it´s a bit spooky and exciting to drive en the ´wrong´ side of the road.

o yes - driving on the wrong side of the road, sitting in a car at the wrong side - many times I almost have opened the door because I wanted to change the gear... but after a while you will get used to... and driving in England is just a pleasure - other drivers are so kind and polite :-) the mos difficult though are roundabounds - you can get confused a bit, haha... If you would like to visit gardens near London- RHS Wisley is a must! and RHS Hyde Hall is a lovely place. Beth Chatto garden is located near as well. I hope your holiday is a long one - there is so much to see here:)

~we recently went on a guided Beefeater tour of the Tower of London which was very interesting~ lots of school groups there who were loving all the gory details~ hadn't been for years but you do forget things like the fact that Elizabeth was virtually imprisoned there before finally becoming queen~

Although it's a day trip from London, if you hire a car, you should visit Sissinghurst Castle in Kent. It is the most visited garden in the country and rightly so

I have read a lot obout it, I wish to go there. Next year or in a couple of years, when my children are occupied else where.

Hanne, there is or used to be a famous but kind-of-not-TOO-well-known rooftop garden right in central London. I'll try googling it to get the address, but maybe another GOYer will find it faster or know already where it is?

Driving on the OTHER - not wrong! - side of the road: no problem as long as there are plenty of other vehicles around you, cos you just copy! After you get over the fumbling at the door handle to change gear, it's only tricky if on a quiet section of road at a junction. Then you may be tempted to go a bit mad... Around London there are so many cars that no-one can drive dangerously fast anyway, and you won't need a car in central London, I can't think of any benefits. Hiring one to go down to Sissinghurst sounds a good idea though.

You may be able to google in advance the "yellow book" or booklet which is published for every county or area every year. These are gardens which open for charity (National Gardens Scheme) Have a look and see what you can find for London and surrounding area for July '10. Good luck, hope you have a wonderful holiday.
Whatever you do, don't be persuaded to go to Madame Tussauds, it's awful!

http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/kensington_roof_garden

found it! 99 Kensington High St - but you need to ring and check beforehand whether it's open. Has very mixed reviews and sounds interesting.

~just had a look at that Weeding~ owned by Richard Branson sounds fabulous!

Thanks.

Now I have ordered the plane tickets. I look forward to it. But I may choose among the many things worth seeing.

We stay in London 5 days and outside London in Biggleswade near Bedford. My husbond wants to see a sort of car exhibiton at Old Warden park. There should be a Swiss garden there too, a park.

Funny about the roofgarden. There were a article recently in a danish garden magazine.

I should live very near Hyde Park.

Really hope you enjoy yr summer break. Will you do us a blog please?! : )

Yes of course, I would like that. A ´all a around one´, not only flowers.

Earlier you wrote, that Madame Thausaud is awfull. What do you mean. To boring, to crowdy og...