Best Botanical Garden in West Hyde

"Amazing Kew Gardens in the southwest neighbourhood of Kew is one of London’s most picturesque parks; 132 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses that that house the world’s most diverse collection of living plants. Kew Gardens was founded in 1840 and is today London’s largest UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with beautiful glasshouses, including the iconic Palm House and its exotic rainforest. There’s a magical children’s garden, the fantastic Treetop Walkway that soars into the tree canopy at a height of 18 metres, and Kew Palace, the former summer residence of King George III."

"Ok, it’s not technically a park, but it most definitely is one of London’s foremost green spaces. Speaking of technicalities, its proper title is actually Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, but when did anyone last call it that?. However you refer to it, Kew is a glorious day out, and with 300 acres and 50,000 plants, you could go every week of the year and discover something new every time."

"Enter the Royal Botanic Gardens, as Kew Gardens are officially known, and you are enveloped by blazes of color, extraordinary blooms,…"

"A trip here offers more than just plants, as you can also visit art galleries, the Great Pagoda, and tour Kew Palace, a former royal residence located within the gardens. You can explore at your own pace or join one of the garden’s guided walk tours that come free with entry. This is a must-see for any garden lover. Kew Gardens are located in outer London and can be reached by public transportation."

"One of London’s Historic Royal Palaces, Kew Palace is located within the Royal Botanic Gardens. It’s not open in the winter months, but in the spring and summer, it’s worth entering this intimate royal family retreat. You can also access The Great Pagoda and climb its 235 steps for stunning views across London."

"This small Victorian woodland plantation was planted in the 1830s, but not opened to the public until 1953. It’s famed for its evergreen azaleas, which are best viewed in late April or early May. The garden includes the National Collection of Wilson 50 Kurume Azaleas, as well as other rare and unusual shrubs and trees."

"Established in the second half of the seventeenth century by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, the Chelsea Physic Garden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in England. Included among the London Museums of Health and Medicine, this botanical garden has some unique features attracting tourists interested in botany. Noteworthy mentions are Britain’s largest fruiting olive tree and the world’s most northern grapefruit that grows outdoors."

"Fulham Palace is a site dedicated to tracing its own history. Items found on the palace's grounds date all the way back to prehistoric times; the archaeological finds are part of the museum's impressive collection of artifacts and objects. The site has been a residence of the Bishops of London since 704 and played a major role as a hospital during World War I and a refugee spot during World War II."

"A beautiful open garden, glasshouses, flowers in bloom, and brick walls, all in a place less visited by tourists which make for one great location for a photo shoot or a private event. And if you’re looking for some diversity, just walk a few steps out of Fulham Palaceand you’re right on the shore of river Thames."

"Gardens emerge in the unlikeliest of places, including this tropical beauty atop a railway station. Crossrail hasn’t quite reached Canary Wharf yet, but this stunning spot is open for business—as is the adjacent street food hall!. COVID-19 UPDATE: Crossrail Place Roof Garden is open 8am-9pm daily."

"The Davies Alpine House is a somewhat different greenhouse, it is quite long (16m) and high (10m) and was designed to provide ideal conditions, fresh with natural wind for the best conditions the mountain plants. The collection features a wide range of campanulas, dianthus, small ferns, helichrysum, small lavenders, primulas, saxifrage, thymus, tulips and verbascums along with lesser known species."

"Many of the plants at Kew couldn't survive in Britain's grey, damp climate. The Davies Alpine House supports those that thrive in dry, cool, windy conditions of mountainous areas such as succulents and campanulas,"

"Lose yourself amongst the stone pines, olive trees, and cypresses of this typical Mediterranean landscape. The King William's Temple stands in the middle of the garden, lending a sense of grandeur to the vibrant landscape."

"What do you get when you put a Korean, a Filipino and an Aussie chef together?" enquires one reader. The answer is 100 Hoxton, a low-lit, concrete-hued hangout that gives fusion food a good name. "You'll want to order every small plate", insists one fan – perhaps braised octopus with garam masala or crunchy, salty soft-shell crab with peanut brittle and a dousing of fresh lime from the dinner menu."

"From soft shell crab doused in honey and garlic sauce through to Asian takes on ceviche and hand-dived scallops, Rapsa is bringing a delicious taste of the Philippines to Hoxton High Street. Staking their claim as one of London's best places for seafood, it's well worth a visit."

"A family favourite for hordes of Richmond locals, this neighbourhood Italian (family-run, of course) has been doing its thing on Kew Road for more than a decade. It may be dressed up in fashionable contemporary garb, but this is a diehard trattoria at heart and the food presses all those familiar comfort buttons – arancini balls, homemade pasta, saltimbocca, calf’s liver, tiramisu. The decked forecourt gets rammed in summer."

"This genuinely friendly family-run Italian is popular with locals and visitors alike on account of its authentic food and charming service. Bacco may have all the visual trappings of a contemporary Italian restaurant, but at its heart is an old-fashioned trattoria so diners can expect classic pastas and simple antipasti as well as more expensive dishes come evening. It’s also handy for theatre-goers."

"Open for both lunch and dinner, this quaint restaurant tucked away in the heart of Smithfield is said to serve the best cote de boeuf around. Café du Marché offers fixed price two and three-course menus, as well as an a la carte menu with an array of soups, salads and terrines for starter; guinea fowl, salt beef and calves’ liver for main; and cheese, tarts and sorbets for dessert. Go on a Friday night to sit back in a cushioned wicker chair, sip decanted wine and listen to the jazz pianist playing softly against a bare brickwall backdrop."

"What better surroundings to feast on traditional French countryside fare than in La Poule au Pot's rustic interiors?. They do the 'on-trend' mix of exposed brickwork and dark wood so well, because it's authentic to the style of cuisine they're serving and hasn't been modernised at all. It's lit by flickering candles so everyone looks glowing and warm as you gaze across your escargots, foie gras and expertly cooked fillet of sole at your dining partner."

"Restaurants French Belgravia. A classic French restaurant in Belgravia, La Poule au Pot has oodles of charm and a very summery white-tableclothed outdoor dining area that’s open during the warmer months. The food is gloriously old-school: think pan-fried scallops and foie gras terrine to start; tender, slow-braised beef bourguignon to follow."

"Add some je ne sais quoi to your date night at La Poule au Pot, a long-running restaurant that brings Gallic flavours to Belgravia. The rustic decor and vintage tableware are good talking points, even before you discuss the merits (or not) of ordering snails."

"Based on a quiet street in Chelsea’s upmarket district, the Michael Hoppen Gallery has been specialising in all forms of photography for over 20 years. The ground floor showcases exhibitions from world-renowned contemporary photographers chosen or represented by Michael Hoppen, such as William Klein’s striking photojournalism and editorial pieces which frame the open space. The staircase up to the second floor gallery is wallpapered with nostalgic features and reviews of celebrated exhibitions over the years, leading to a reading room displaying exhibits from the likes of Peter Beard around a well-stocked reference library."

"The Cinema Museum in London was founded in the 1980s by Ronald Grant and Martin Humphries. Grant and Humphries filled the museum with objects from their private collection of cinema memorabilia. The museum is housed in the workhouse where Charlie Chaplin lived during his childhood."

"London’s Cinema Museum is devoted to keeping alive the spirit of cinema from the days before the multiplex. Admission is only via joining one of their regular guided tours, which costs £10."

"October Gallery is a major proponent of the Transvangarde art movement - spreading Western Avant-garde beyond the West. It’s responsible for giving platform to several hundred African artists, voices, intellectuals and poets. The space is bright white walls and shiny wooden flooring."