The Best Spots In London For Flower Lovers – And IG Addicts
Now that warmer weather has finally graced London, it’s time to enjoy the best flowers it has to offer and see them all in bloom. Our guide has spots throughout all of London and gives you plenty of choice of locations for you to get those picture perfect shots to post on your Instagram (of course).
1. Regent’s Park
Located in Regent’s Park is Queen Mary’s Garden which is certainly a marvel during spring and summer. Named after the wife of King George V, the garden opened in 1932 to the general public and is filled with fragrant roses in great abundance. The rose garden is in fact London’s largest collection of roses with approximately 12,000 roses all of different varieties which allow for the garden to be filled with different bright and vibrant coloured roses. Regent’s Park’s location is advantageous considering how close it is to central London which means a visit is a must. The first two weeks of June is prime time for the best blooms.
2. Kew Gardens
Perhaps the most magnificent out of all of our picks in this guide is Kew Gardens. The sheer size of it means you’ll need to spend the whole day exploring all that flowers and plants they have to offer. This botanical garden’s attractions include the Palm House which is kept humid to accommodate for the tropical trees its home to, the Waterlily House which the name suggests is full of stunning waterlilies, a treetop walkway, the Hive and many more. Kew Gardens of course displays some amazing flowers but it certainly offers much more than that.
3. Richmond Park
Deep within the lush woodlands of Richmond Park (where deer roam freely, by the way) is the Isabella Plantation which is a 40 acre woodland garden planted in the 1830’s and first opened to the public in 1953. It’s famous for its vibrant evergreen azaleas that line the ponds and streams, creating a stunning mirror effect on the water which looks Instagram perfect. The azaleas were introduced to the West by Japan in the 1920’s meaning the Plantation not only gives us beauty but a lot of history too. The pond and the bright pink flowers create an oasis right in the middle of Richmond Park and makes for an amazing tranquil space to just take all the beautiful scenery and nature in. To see the azaleas in peak bloom, the best time during the year is between late April to early May.
4. Columbia Road Flower Market
Found between Bethnal Green and Old Street in East London, Columbia Road Flower Market is exactly as its name suggests, a bustling flower market on the road. Only open on Sundays, Columbia Road Flower Market can be found to be full of two things, people and flowers. Venders sell a wide range of flowers which all come cutely wrapped in brown paper. The markets popularity has meant that many shops, restaurants and cafes have opened up along the road which make for the quintessential Insta post of someone holding a bouquet in front of a store front or brightly coloured wall. Why not jump on the bandwagon?
5. Chelsea Flower Show
The annual Chelsea Flower Show is truly the greatest flower event London has to offer. Chelsea becomes littered with extravagantly decorated store fronts with flowers and the show itself will take your breathe away. An array of stunning gardens are presented at the show all with different designs and ideas in mind. The exclusivity of the event can be seen in the fact that even the Queen attends the flower show. However, if you aren’t fortunate enough to score any tickets, walking around to see the decorations around Chelsea will still satisfying your flower cravings.
