Winter Walks in London

Everyone will have their favourite walk round London, and this is but one suggestion that takes in one of the best Royal Parks, stunning panoramic views, fantastic market stalls and pretty boutiques. It will take about 2 hours depending on how much time is spent admiring the views or browsing the stalls.

The walk starts at Great Portland Sreet tube from where it is a short distance to formal, laid out Avenue Gardens part of Regents Park. After this you can either continue up through the northern end of the park or make a (probably not quick) detour left to the Queen Mary Rose Gardens.

Panorama of Regents Park - Rose Gardens in Queen Mary's Gardens supplied by Panoramic Earth

At the top of the par we pass by London Zoo and then cross the Regents Canal and along Prince Albert Road to Primrose Hill. For those inclined, it is a short, but steep, walk to the top for stunning panoramic views over the city. Exit at the north-east corner onto Regents Park Road and continue north along a pretty row of boutique shops and cafes - a good place to grab a slice of cake and drink.

Panorama of Primrose Hill supplied by Panoramic Earth

Continue across the railway bridge and then head right down to Chalk Farm tube where there is a fantastically painted building. At this point you begin the return trip turning south and heading back to Camden Market. This is where you can loose a lot of time browsing the various stalls selling almost anything you could imagine, including a lot of local arts and crafts.

Panorama of Camden Lock Market supplied by Panoramic Earth

The weary can opt to end their walk here or finish it by either wandering up Parkway past the Jazz Cafe and a fantastic health food shop or along Regents Canal. Both routes end up near the north end of Regents Park and from there you head south to end up back at Great Portland Street.

St. James Park - London

This photo of the view from St. James Park in London is part of one of the panoramic images found on the PanoramicEarth.com Tour of London. There are over 100 images taken from around London linked to an interactive map.

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St. James Park is one of the Royal Parks in London and forms a triangle. At one end is Buckingham Palace and the park is bordered by The Mall, Horse Guards Parade (which passes Downing Street) and then Birdcage Walk. St. James Park is one of the smaller Royal Parks, covering only about 95 acres of land

A lake runs almost the full length down the centre. The lake is populated by a variety of fowl, including the geese you see here feeding off the grass. There are two islands in the lake (Duck Island and West Island, and a large fountain close to Duck Island at the eastern end. There is a lovely bridge which spans the lake in the middle linking the two sides of the park and offering great views back towards Westminster.

St James Park is mostly grassland with trees, although there are some flower plantings, especially towards the east end of the park, near to Horse Guards Parade. The Mall, which runs down one edge, links Buckingham Palace with Trafalgar Square, passing through Admiralty Arch. This road is closed to traffic on Sundays, bringing calm to the whole area and allowing this part of London space to breathe. Within the park is also a bandstand, and often live music, and a restaurant, close to where this picture was taken.

In the summer the park is generally full of people taking advantage of a space to relax and catch a bit of the sun. The eastern skyline is now dominated by the London Eye, whose pods rise above the top of Whitehall.

Like most of the Royal Parks, St. James Park owes it’s history to Henry VIII who brought the land for hunting. The area was marshy and often flooded by the Tyburn. Over the next 200 years various changes were made to the park, and the final shape that we have today settled into place. John Nash was one of the planners who worked on the layout of St. James Park.

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The nearest tube stations include St. James Park, Westminster and Charring Cross. Green Park Tube is also close by.

The full panoramic image taken from the junction of St. James Park can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr. You can also find a marker for resturant in St. James Park on Tagzania.

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Serpentine Bridge - London

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The Serpentine Bridge spans the Serpentine in Hyde Park at the north end of Exhibition Road. This road then becomes West Carriage Way, which continues north and separates Hyde Park from Kensington Gardens. From the Serpentine Bridge you get a great view down the Serpentine east, towards the West End of London.

The Serpentine is a man made lake covering some 40 acres, created by Queen Caroline in the 1730 by damning Westbourne Stream. Unlike other man made lakes of the period, the Serpentine was given a natural curve, a design that was quickly copied in most other grand gardens of the time. The Queen also took about 300 acres of Hyde Park and to make Kensington Gardens to go with Kensington Palace. Hyde Park was then separated from Kensington Gardens by a ha-ha.

Like the rest of the parkland, the lake here officially divides into two. The area towards the West End is the Serpentine (situated in Hyde Park), while the lake on the other side of the bridge is called Long Water and lies in Kensington Gardens. The Italian Gardens are at the far end of Long Water and there is also a statue of Peter Pan. The first wife of Percy Shelley, a famous 19C writer, drowned herself in the Serpentine in 1818. Percy later married Mary, who wrote Frankenstein.

The bridge itself is more recent and dates from around the 1820s by John Rennie when King George IV was renovating the park. Near to the bridge you will find the Serpentine Gallery, Diana Memorial Fountain and the Albert Memorial.

If you follow Exhibition Road south out of the park then you will be taken towards South Kensington and the Museum district where you will find the Victoria and Albert, Science and Natural History Museums (along with the Earth Galleries).

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The nearest tube station is Hyde Park Corner, while South Kensington is about 10 minutes away down Exhibition Road.

The full panoramic image taken from the junction of the Serpentine Bridge can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr. You can also find a marker for Serpentine Bridge in Hyde Park on Tagzania.

For more articles on London see the London Index or select one of the labels at the bottom.

Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens

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The Serpentine Gallery is surrounded by Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, just a short distance form the Serpentine. It looks nothing like a traditional gallery, being housed in a Grade II listed former tea pavilion that was built in 1934. In 1998 the Serpentine Gallery was refurbished with a £4 million grant.

The grounds at the entrance to the Serpentine Gallery house a permanent work dedicated to Princess Diana, former patron of the Serpentine Gallery. This piece was made by Ian Hamilton Finlay and Peter Coates.

In contrast to the classical surroundings, many of the exhibitions at the Serpentine Gallery feature modern artists, and the list of those who have exhibited here is long and prestigious, including Henry Moore, Bridget Riley, Andy Warhol, Man Ray, Damien Hirst and Rachel Whiteread to name a few.

Unlike many other galleries in London, the special temporary exhibitions at the Serpentine Gallery remains free for all to visit. The gallery used to only be open during the summer months, but this may now have changed. Check the Serpentine Gallery website for current exhibition information and opening times.

Given the patronage of the late Princess Diana of the Serpentine Gallery, it is fitting that the Diana Memorial Fountain is just across the road from the gallery near to the Serpentine lake. Also near to the Serpentine Gallery are the Albert Memorial and the Royal Albert Hall, while Hyde Park Corner, and the Wellington Arch, are just a few minutes away.

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The nearest tube station is Hyde Park Corner, while South Kensington is about 10 minutes away down Exhibition Road and past the V&A and Science Museums.

The full panoramic image taken from the junction of the Serpentine Gallery can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr. You can also find a marker for Parliament Square on Tagzania.

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Italian Gardens in Kensington Gardens, London

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The Italian Gardens in Kensington Gardens are the result of nearly 200 years of activity by the kings and queens of England in Hyde Park. The Italian Gardens are on the north edge of the park, just inside Lancaster Gate, at the top of Long Water and just to the west of West Carriage Drive. At the other end of Kensington Gardens you will find the Albert Memorial and the Serpentine Gallery.

The Italian Gardens contain 4 fountains set in octagonal ponds set around one smaller central fountain, also set in an octagonal pond. At the north end there is a shelter which used to be the steam powered pump house that provided water for the Long Water. This is decorated with 3 heads above each arch, one central male face flanked by female faces. The edge of the fountain area is lined by stone urns with dolphins and yet more ideal heads, and at the south end of the Italian Gardens the water cascades down a sculpture of water nymphs by John Thomas into the Long Water.

Half way down the eastern edge of the Italian Gardens is a statue to Dr. Edward Jenner who perfected the smallpox vaccine in 1796 and provided the world with the first steps towards the eradication of this virus which had plagued humans for thousands of years. The statue used to be in Trafalgar Square.

Back in 12C Hyde Park belonged to a manor used by monks. It was seized by Henry VIII and turned into a Royal Hunting Ground around 1530. In 1637 the park was opened to the public then in the late 17C King William and Queen Mary brought Nottingham House and renamed it Kensington Palace.

We owe many of the modern features of the Kensington Gardens to Queen Caroline in the 18C who, being a keen gardener, took almost 300 acres from Hyde Park and turned them into Kensington Gardens to go with Kensington Palace. She separated it from Hyde Park by a ha-ha and created the Serpentine by damning Westbourne Stream. Queen Victoria commissioned the Italian Gardens at the same time as the Albert Memorial

There are many other famous monuments around Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park including the Albert Memorial, Diana Memorial Fountain, Marble Arch, Wellington Arch and numerous other statues.

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The nearest Tube station to the Italian Gardens is Lancaster Gate.

The full panoramic image taken from the Italian Gardens can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr. You can also find a marker for the Italian Gardens on Tagzania.

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Jubilee Gardens - London

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Jubilee Gardens is a new open space in London next to the London Eye, overlooking the Thames in the London Borough of Lambeth. The gardens were created in 1977 to mark the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, and were opened by the Queen on 9 June of the same year. As such, the gardens form part of the Jubilee Walk, which takes in various locations around London.

As mentioned, Jubilee Gardens are close to the London Eye, one of the most popular tourist attractions in London, and also close to the London Aquarium (free entrance with the London Pass), the Salvador Dali Exhibition and a short distance from where the steps from Westminster Bridge descend to the South Bank. Hungerford Bridge also crosses the Thames next to the park providing aceess to Embankent and Charring Cross. In the summer it is a great place to relax and watch the crowds bustle past along the South Bank while the London Eye continues it’s slow and graceful rotations.

At present, Jubilee Gardens is a grassed area surrounded by trees and overseen by local community groups and businesses. Following local consultation in December 2004 it was decided to turn the area into a park and the Jubilee Gardens Steering Group was formed to oversee the project. Four designs were short listed from a competition of ideas for the space and were presented to the public in May of 2005. In June 2005 it was announced that West8 have been selected to take their concept forward.

West8 sees Jubilee Gardens as ‘an holistically-designed, organic, lush and green park’, and plan an undulating area set with curved paths and raised lookout points. It will be planted with a variety of trees and flowers providing blooms throughout the year. Based on a ‘metaphor of Green Trafalgar’, it will transform Jubilee Gardens from a plain flat area into a dynamic and varied open space. More information can be found on the Jubilee Gardens website. In May 2006 Lambeth Council granted planning permission for the project to proceed, but as yet there is no date set for the commencement of the works which will probably see Jubilee Gardens close for several months.

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The nearest Tube stations to Jubilee Gardens include Waterloo, Westminster and Embankment

The full panoramic image taken of the Jubilee Gardens can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr. You can also find a marker for Jubilee Gardens on Tagzania.

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Green Park Tube Station

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Green Park Tube Station is, as you might expect, located very close to Green Park in Zone 1, and one exit gives access directly to the park. There is very little of the tube station to see above ground except for a couple of signs beside the road and some stairs descending to the bowels of London.

Green Park Tube Station buried at the northern most point of the Green Park, next to the Ritz Hotel and about half way along Piccadilly, which links Hyde Park Corner to Piccadilly Circus. This road is normally very busy, unlike the impression given in this photograph, and standing in the middle of the road taking pictures is not (normally) recommended.

There is a lot to see and do around the station apart from the park itself. Walking into the park down the path there you will pass Spencer House, one of the most ambitious aristocratic residences in London, on the right and, a little further on, is St. James Palace and Clarence House. At the bottom of Green Park you will exit through some iron railings onto Queens Gardens in front of Buckingham Palace. The Victoria Memorial, sometimes called the Wedding Cake because of the shape, stands in the middle of this with Queen Victoria looking down the Mall towards Admiralty Arch at the other end.

You will often find artists selling paintings along the railings of the park. The surrounding shopping area is fairly expensive serving the tastes of those living in Mayfair. The Mayfair Curzon cinema is very close by, and the Shepherd Market is also worth a browse. The USA Embassy is just north of this in Grosvenor Square.

Green Park Tube Station was originally called Dover Street and opened in 1906, then rebuilt in 1933 and the ticket hall moved below ground. Several busses run along Piccadilly serving the station including the 8, 9, 14, 19, 22 and 38.

The full panoramic image taken outside Green Park Tube Station can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr. You can also find a marker for Green Park Tube Station on Tagzania.

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Hyde Park Corner and Wellington (Constitution) Arch

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Hyde Park Corner, like Marble Arch at the other end of Park Lane, is a very busy gyro system for traffic and a tube station. Sitting on the south-east corner of Hyde Park, it is formed by the convergence of Park Lane, Knightsbridge, Piccadilly, Grosvenor Place and Constitution Hill. The road from Knightsbridge joins to Piccadilly via an underpass running under Hyde Park Corner.

All these roads link very important places in London, Piccadilly runs, well, to Piccadilly Circus along the top of Green Park. In the other direction Kiightsbridge will pass the Brompton Oratory and head on to the Natural History, V&A and Science Museums. Head up Park Lane to get to Marble Arch and the shopping Mecca of Oxford Street. Wander along Constitution Hill to get to the front of Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial. And finally Grosvenor Place will take you to Grosvenor Gardens and Victoria Station.

Thankfully, there is also an extensive set of underpass tunnels for pedestrians linking the various pavements around Hyde Park Corner, which avoids the need to play some demented version of Frogger trying to get from Green Park to Hyde Park. As you cross over though you will have to notice the triumphal Arch in the middle of Hyde Park Corner.

This is Wellington Arch (also called Constitution Arch) was built between 1826 and 1830 to counterbalance Marble Arch at the top end of Hyde Park. It was designed by Demicus Burton and the exterior is fairly plain as the cost of refurbishing Buckingham Palace at the same time consumed too much money for extensive decoration of the Arch to be possible.

Originally Wellington Arch stood opposite Apsley House just a short distance away, but was moved to the current location in 1882 when the surrounding roads were widened and Hyde Park Corner became an island surrounded by roads. Wellington Arch was originally topped by a statue of Sir Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, a soldier and Prime Minister. This was removed in 1912 and then replaced with the current bronze quadriga showing the Angel of Peace descending on the chariot of war. Unfortunately, the optimism of the early 1900s was not reflected by the conflicts of the subsequent years.

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The nearest tube station: Hyde Park Corner, though Green Park is also quite close.

The full panoramic image taken of the Hyde Park Corner can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr. You can also find a marker for Wellington Arch on Tagzania.

For more articles on London see the London Index or select one of the labels at the bottom.

Grosvenor Gardens - London

This photo of Grosvenor Gardens in London is part of one of the panoramic images found on the PanoramicEarth.com Tour of London. There are over 100 images taken from around London linked to an interactive map.

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Grosvenor Gardens is split into two tiny triangles, Upper Grosvenor Gardens and Lower Grosvenor Gardens. They are both found just over the road from Victoria Train Station and are surrounded by busy roads at the rear of Buckingham Palace gardens. The ‘squares’ get their name from the Grosvenor family, who own much of Mayfair and Westminster, and also built Grosvenor Square.

Grosvenor Place, a very busy road, runs past Grosvenor Gardens and up the rear wall of the Buckingham Palace gardens to Hyde Park Corner. Buckingham Palace Road, running along the bottom of Upper Grosvenor Gardens, will take you to the Victoria Memorial front of the Palace, St. James Park and Green Park.

Lower Grosvenor Gardens, being nearer the station, is more used by the public and has more seating in it. They are very busy in the summer lunch hour when workers from the surrounding offices pour into the area. At other times you will find travelers waiting for their trains and buses, as well as a fair number of others sleeping and waiting for, well, probably nothing.

Upper Grosvenor Gardens is quieter with a more formal laid out lawn and planting area. As can be seen in this image, there is a fantastic statue of a cheetah chasing a gazelle leaping out of the flowerbed. If you need to arrange a place to meet someone, then Upper Grosvenor Gardens, though a little further from the station, is a more relaxing place.

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The nearest tube station is Victoria.

The full panoramic image taken of Upper Grosvenor Gardens can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr. You can also find a marker for Upper Grosvenor Gardens on Tagzania.

For more articles on London see the London Index or select one of the labels at the bottom.

Grosvenor Square - London

This photo of Grosvenor Square and the Statue of Roosevelt in London is part of one of the panoramic images found on the PanoramicEarth.com Tour of London. There are over 100 images taken from around London linked to an interactive map.

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Grosvenor Square is an important square in the centre of London, mostly know now for the presence of the United States Embassy that sits at the west end of the square. Grosvenor Square sits in the middle of Mayfair, and, with Berkley Square, is one of the two large squares in the area. You can find Grosvenor Square on Tagzania, pinned to a map of London.

Grosvenor Square is in fact oval and the footpaths arch in from the corners to the centre in graceful curves. Towards the north side is a statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt from which a broad walkway runs directly to the south side. This is a pleasant area to sit in the summer, south of Oxford Street and away from the bustling shoppers.

The square was developed by Sir Richard Grosvenor in 1710. The Grosvenor family have long been important to this and the surrounding areas; the Dukes of Westminster all come from the Grosvenor family and own a huge percentage of the surrounding land of both Mayfair and Westminster. . Building around the square finished in 1727 and 0f the 51 people who took up residence here over the next 20 years some 35 were titled, with 16 peers, 2 dukes, 9 earls, and a scattering of dukes, duchesses and knights. Up to WWII, Grosvenor Square was considered to be one of the 3 most desirable locations in London to live, and, as can be seen, many of the aristocracy did so. Few, if any, of the original buildings survive.

The American Embassy was established in Grosvenor Square in 1938, and many of the houses swiftly became occupied by staff and military personnel associated with the embassy. Because of this American presence, Grosvenor Square was chosen as the location for the British memorial to F.D. Roosevelt, which was unveiled by Mrs. Roosevelt in April 1948. At the same time the current layout of the square was established, with many old trees and other plantings being removed.

Not everyone is happy now at sharing the square with the American Embassy, for the embassy remains a prime potential target for terrorist attack and, in spite of the huge amount of security, the price of the surrounding properties have been hit somewhat, much to the chagrin of their wealthy occupants.

There is an interesting fact about Mayfair, the name comes from a 2-week long fair that used to be held in the area in May between 1686 and 1764. It was then banned and moved out of the area. It is somewhat surprising that there has not been a move to reclaim the event for the area, though I suspect that hosting the fair in Grosvenor Square would not be acceptable to the American Embassy.

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The nearest tube stations are Bond Street and Marble Arch on Oxford Street, though Green Park is also fairly close.

The full panoramic image taken of Grosvenor Square can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr.

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Green Park in London

This photo of Green Park in London is part of one of the panoramic images found on the PanoramicEarth.com Tour of London. There are over 100 images taken from around London linked to an interactive map.

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Green Park is the smallest of the Royal Parks in London, covering only 53 acres. It is situated just north of Buckingham Palace, linking St James Park with Hyde Park. Green Park is triangular, Hyde Park Corner forms one point from which two roads run. Constitution Hill runs along the bottom linking Hyde Park Corner (and the Wellington Arch) to the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace, while Piccadilly runs north-east from here to Piccadilly Circus. Half way along Piccadilly, the park terminates (at Green Park Tube Station) and the 3rd edge of the triangle then runs south again to join up with Buckingham Palace.

Unlike the other Royal Parks, Green Park does not contain formal flower plantings, and this is why it is called Green Park. It rests on a gentle slope and is mostly grassy areas crossed by paths and peppered with trees. However, in the spring it can be covered with a broken carpet of daffodils and other seasonal blooms. A distinct avenue of trees lines the park running from Green Park Tube Station to the Palace. Buried just beneath here the River Tyburn flows on it’s way to the Thames.

The history of the park is not that great. Like much of Mayfair, the area was at one time swampy and marshy, and, in the case of pre-Green Park, used as a burial ground for lepers who died at the nearby St. James’s Hospital. In the 1500s Henry VIII enclosed the area for his own use and then Charles II laid out the main walks in 1668 making it a Royal Park. At the same time Charles built a ‘Snow House’ where guest could refresh themselves. This house has long since been demolished.

In the 1700s Green Park was often the site of fireworks, sometimes accompanied by music, and Handel wrote his Firework Music for the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle display that took place in Green Park in 1748.

Spencer House, said to be one of the most ambitious aristocratic houses built in London, still stands on the east side of the park, and is open to the public. The Spencer Family are better known now for Princess Diana, whose Diana Memorial is in neighbouring Hyde Park. There are fantastic views over Green Park from the terraces of Spencer House. Clarence House, the official residence of the Prince of Wales, is also found on this side of the Park and is also open to the public at times.

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The nearest tube station, naturally, is Green Park Tube Station on Piccadilly, next to the Ritz Hotel.

The full panoramic image taken of Green Park can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr.

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The Walk, Gray's Inn Gardens - London

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The Walks of Gray’s Inn Gardens is an open space next to Gray’s Inn, bordered by Theobalds Road to the north and Gary’s Inn to the east. Like any other open square or park, they are very popular with workers from the surrounding area during lunchtime in the summer. For the visitor too they make a good place to relax for a while before continuing to explore the surrounding areas.

Gray’s Inn, with which this field is associated, is one of the four Inns of the Court around the Royal Courts of Justice, and a home of barristers. The other Inns are Lincoln’s Inn, Inner Temple and Middle Temple. These legal quarters date back to the 14C, and is a place of training and support for lawyers.

The Gardens are officially known as The Walks, and were laid out by Sir Francis Bacon (who courted, but never gained, the favour of Queen Elizabeth I) near the end of the 1500’s. Records from 1597 show it was: 'ordered that the summe of £7. 15s. 4d due to Mr Bacon, for planting of elm-trees in the walkes, be paid next term'. In the following year more trees were planted at the cost of £60. 6s. 8d'. Unfortunately the construction of the Raymond Buildings and the Verulam Buildings destroyed both his mount and flower garden respectively, but much of the rest still remains. The man in charge of The Walks is known as the Mater of the Walks.

Gates dating 1723 lead into The Walks from Field Court, and remind all that the area is open to members, to the public during the summer, and never to dogs. On the gate posts are mounted griffons bearing the shields of the Inner Temple. The main feature of The Walks is the broad gravel path that runs North-South from Thoebalds Road down an avenue of mature trees. Set off on either side of this avenue are plantings of flowers and ornamental shrubs.

As well as being a location of Lawyers, Gray’s Inn also contains a Great Hall, the location for students to eat and often the location of plays and other entertainment. Gray's Inn became famous for dancing, masques, river pageants, revels and plays. Queen Elizabeth herself was the Grays Inn's Patron Lady and in 1594, under the patronage of Henry Wriothesley, Shakespeare put on his Comedy of Errors within the Hall.

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The nearest tube stations are Chancery Lane and Russell Square. The British Museum and Brunswick Gardens are also close by.

The full panoramic image taken of the The Walks in Gray's Inn Gardens can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr.

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Eccleston Square - London

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Eccleston Square lies just s short distance away from Victoria Station, it is a private square accessible only by those inhabiting the residences that line the square. There is very little information available about the history and the origin of the square available, and, unless you are inclined to climb the spiked fence, no public access.

Eccleston Square is notable for those institutions that occupy some of the surrounding buildings. Here you will find the London arm of the Passport Office (89 Eccleston Square), and the regular queues of people frantically trying to get rapid processing of lost, stolen or expired documents just before they go on holiday.

The Catholic Agency to Support Evangelisation (CASE) have their office at Number 39, having changed their name, after 100 years, from the Catholic Missionary Society. Other notable institutions around the square include the headquarters of the Buddhist Society (58 Eccleston Squar), which moved here in 1956, the year of the 2,500^th celebration of the Buddha Jayanti, or the Buddha’s Enlightenment celebrations in India. At 32 Eccleston Square you will find the Garden Design department of the Inchbald School of Design.

You can find Eccleston Square on Tagzania

The nearest Station to Eccleston Square is Victoria Station.

The full panoramic image taken from the top of Rose Gardens can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr

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The Rose Garden, Queen Mary Gardens, Regents Park

This photo from the Queen Mary’s Rose Garden in Regents Park, London is part of one of the panoramic images found on the PanoramicEarth.com Tour of London. There are over 100 images taken from around London linked to an interactive map.

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The Rose Garden is part of the Queen Mary’s Gardens in The Regents Park. In fact many people refer to the whole of the Queen Mary Gardens as the Rose Gardens, though this is incorrect. Within the gardens are nearly 330 different varieties of roses, all planted out with labels indicating what they are. As such this Rose Garden should be a one stop reference point for those interested in roses.

In fact the list of plants here is impressive: There are 84 Formal Beds containing 80 varieties of Roses and a further 145 varieties are in the borders. The Rose Gardens also contains some 60 varieties of rambling or climbing roses, 41 varieties of Patio (miniature) Roses giving a total of 326 varieties and over 15,000 plants.

The focal point of the Rose Garden is the Rose Wheel, the circular area shown in this photo. A series of 10 planted beds radiate out from a focal bed, and are further surrounded by 10 other more rectangular planting beds. Around the whole of this are a number of benches set into alcoves formed by climbing roses. From the air the Rose Wheel takes on the appearance of a crop circle. Yet this is by no means the ends of the Rose Garden More beds of roses are spread out along and around the main lake within Queen Mary’s Gardens forming a glorious display of colour and smells. Put together this is a very popular place where people stroll gently or simply sit surrounded by flowers.

The Queen Mary’s Gardens occupy the whole of the 18 acres surrounded by the Inner Circle. The Inner Circle was first leased to the Royal Botanical Society and used as their garden. In 1932 the lease ran out and the garden was taken over by the Royal Parks and renamed as the Queen Mary’s Garden, after the wife of King George V. Here you will find a National Collection of delphiniums, herbaceous and Mediterranean borders, extensive lawns, an alpine island on the lake and, in the summer, a begonia garden and a sub-tropical border. The Queen Mary’s Gardens are also home to the Open Air Theatre and Garden Café.

Regents park is very close to Baker Street and many people walk through it from here to London Zoo. From Baker Street you will enter the park at the Boating Lake, and then you can cross a bridge, proceed up the path to Queen Mary Gardens. Another formal gardens within the Regents Park is Avenue Gardens.

The full panoramic image taken from the top of Rose Gardens can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr.

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