Popular Gardens in Hounslow West

"In 1759 botanists began rummaging around the world for specimens to plant in the 3-hectare Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. They never stopped collecting, and the gardens, which have bloomed to 121 hectares, provide the most comprehensive botanical collection on earth (including the world's largest collection of orchids). A Unesco World Heritage Site, the gardens can easily devour a day's exploration; for those pressed for time, the Kew Explorer hop-on/hop-off road train takes in the main sights."

"Founded in 1840, using plants from Kew Park in Middlesex, Kew Gardens is one of the largest and lushest botanic gardens in the world."

"For a lunch date to remember, 155 meters high at the top of the famous ‘Walkie-Talkie’ building, the Sky Garden offers spectacular views of the city. But it’s the incredible tropical garden which makes this iconic London landmark a must-see. There are multiple restaurants and bars to choose from, but for informal yet stylish lunchtime dining, we highly recommend Darwin’s Brasserie to take in some of the best views of the city."

"Sky Garden is one of the modern but still equally famous attractions in London. Since its opening in 2015 on the 43rd floor of the "Walkie Talkie" building, the Sky Garden has gained a lot of popularity and has become one of London's best gardens to visit. This attraction serves as a public park for visitors on top of a commercial building."

"A lush oasis from the chaotic pace of London, it will captivate children and adults alike. Spectacular 360-degree views, exotic plants and an array of dining choices await you, and admission is free!. Your visit begins with an online ticket reservation."

"There are costumes to try on, musical instruments to play and stuffed animals to investigate at this treasure trove of a museum in Forest Hill. The collections of objects from all over the world include a torture chair, African and Mexican masks and over 1,300 musical instruments. There are activity packs and trails for most of the rooms and interactive sound tables for you to listen to music and try making some of your own."

"In Forest Hill in leafy south London, the Horniman Museum is like the Natural History Museum but on a much smaller (and more digestible) scale. Its collection has subjects including natural history, anthropology, and musical instruments, and is particularly famous for its many taxidermied species. There’s quite the eclectic mix, and you’re sure to find something intriguing at the Horniman Museum."

"This eclectic collection of anthropological curios was put together by Frederick Horniman, the son of a successful businessman, who had plenty of money to play with. The museum hosts a fascinating natural history exhibit and a collection of musical instruments from around the world. Horniman Museum © Flickr Neil Turner"

"Hampton Court Palace (fee*) is a former royal palace, originally built in the 16th century for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, a powerful person during the time of King Henry VIII. However, Wolsey would fall out of favor with the king (as most people did) and Henry would confiscate his house and use it as his own palace. The huge Tudor and Baroque style royal palace was used by British monarchs until the 18th century and is now a popular tourist destination. The palace is huge and you could spend all day exploring its many rooms, but luckily the self-guided tours are broken up by themes so you can decide which parts of the palace are of most interest to you. The gardens, the tennis court, and hedge maze are also definitely worth exploring here."

"Download the Hampton Court Map to easily navigate around the palace. It is highly recommended to download this Hampton Court Palace Map as it will be handy if you’re doing a self-guided/audio tour of the Palace."

"Built on an old railway line, this garden is yet another community endeavour—filled with trees, shrubs, butterfly bushes and raised beds for growing food!. COVID-19 UPDATE: Dalston Eastern Curve Garden is currently closed to the public. For the latest information, head to their website."

"More of a yard than a proper park, Postman’s Park is still one of the largest green spaces in the City of London yet it remains a hidden gem. It’s also full of plaques dedicated to everyday heroes – these stories of self-sacrifice were collected by artist George Frederic Watts and turned into a memorial in 1900 – making it a very peaceful spot."

"One of the highlights of visiting Kew Gardens in summer is seeing the stunning Rose Garden behind the Palm House. The Rose Garden at Kew Gardens is home to 170 different species and cultivars of rose, with bold plantings of mixed shrub roses."

"It lifts the soul to see what a passionate community can achieve when it works (damn hard) as one. The jam-packed ‘Pleasure Garden’, created from an old bombsite, is a masterclass in use of space. But the true pleasure here is how the horticultural enthusiasm erupts from its tiny confines to virtually every free surface of the square."

"If you like your photographs packed with famous faces, then Proud Galleries has a veritable galaxy of stars on display at any given time. Rock stars, fashion models and the Swinging Sixties make a regular appearance at Proud’s exhibitions, with a month long 2017 exhibition dedicated to the life and times of much-missed music superstar Prince. This year will see the lens focus on the contemporary fine art paintings by British artist Mark Thompson."

"Alex Proud launched Proud Galleries in 1998, a hotbed of pop culture photography and an edgy hipster’s wet dream. The gallery is an independent warehouse, intimate and vibrant. Wooden beams hang over chic leather sofas, giving the place a rawness."

"The University College London Art Museum houses a collection that goes back to 1847. The collection began when artist John Flaxman offered his sculpture models and drawing to the university. Now, there are more than 10,000 objects in the collection, to include etchings by Rembrandt."

"Good news for disorganised Londoners: most of the seats at new Brixton restaurant Temaki will be walk-ins, with only a few spots you can reserve. ‘Temaki’ means ‘hand roll’ in Japanese and this place claims to be London’s first hand-roll bar, so it’s kind of a big deal. Unsurprisingly, temaki sushi is the focus here – expect traditional combinations such as unagi eel or tuna with fresh wasabi and soy, as well as regularly rotating seasonal specials."

"In a nutshell: Handroll sushi bar in Brixton Market Where is it?. Unit 12 Market Row, Brixton, London, SW9 8LD Why should you care?. A top Japanese chef is promising to serve up some excellent hand rolls at this tiny Brixton sushi bar."

"Because it’s been there a while and their terrace is dominated by drinkers in the summer, there may be a bit of snobbery when it comes to Aqua Kyoto. But thanks to Executive Chef Paul Greening and his exceptional knife skills they consistently send out exceptional sushi and sashimi from his kitchen. Because of the other parts of the restaurant and bar some people will avoid Kyoto but it’s hard to find such high-quality sushi and sashimi at this price point in central London."

"Perfectly perched just off Regent Street and with a stunning rooftop terrace for summertime, Aqua Kyoto is one swish new sushi restaurant in central London. Expect to find a menu of omakase sushi and sashimi, alongside signature dishes of tempura and robata grilled goods."

"Hidden above the swarming streets of Regent Street, Aqua Kyoto is the contemporary Japanese restaurant with one show-stopping terrace. Best to visit at night when lanterns are lit and the cityscape comes to life.aquakyoto.co.uk"