Popular Gardens in Oakwood

"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."

"Visiting the Kew Garden is always a very good surprise, I have been in 2 times in the royal gardens at different times of the year. On my first visit, it was with a couple of dear friends that helped me a bum here in the land of the Queen when I arrived. We went in August 2014, so the trees were heavy with leaves, all very green and a very pleasant temperature."

"20 Fenchurch Street was beautifully designed by renowned architect Rafael Viñoly. The building spans 37 storeys and rhubarb occupies the top three levels alongside the public space known as Sky Garden, which provides 45,000 sq ft of high level amenity space. Visitors can wander around the exquisitely landscaped gardens with 360 degree panoramic views of London and all of the flora and fauna they need!"

"Located in the iconic Walkie Talkie, Sky Garden has a foliage-filled viewing gallery on the 43rd floor. From here, visitors are surrounded by exquisite greenery while looking over panoramic views of London. Also seeBeer Tasting in London"

"At the Sky Garden you’ll get panoramic views of the city and you can also stop for food and drink. You have to book a ticket in advance to visit but it’s free. Head to skygarden.london for more info."

"At Horniman Museum, your kids will get to explore some of the most important elements of the natural and cultural world. Based off the lifelong passion of the Victorian tea trader John Horniman, the museum has a collection of almost thirty thousand elements of the natural history and world culture. The legendary Totem Pole, the Humanity in the House of Circumstance neoclassical mosaic mural, the aquarium, the gigantic walrus and the wonderful galleries and displays are only some of the most popular attractions of the Horniman Museum the kids will love."

"The Horniman Museum, founded in 1901, has around six hectares (16 acres) of gardens to explore, plus daily free activities for children. It also houses dozens of family-friendly exhibits, including the Nature Base, which features live animals; a hands-on display that lets kids touch museum pieces; and an aquarium with 15 exhibits of environments from around the world."

"PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The museum is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. Admission is free but you must book your visit in advance here. NEAREST METRO STATION: Forest Hill (Overground)"

"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."

"Built by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in 1515 but coaxed from him by Henry VIII just before Wolsey (as chancellor) fell from favour, Hampton Court Palace is England's largest and grandest Tudor structure. It was already one of Europe's most sophisticated palaces when, in the 17th century, Christopher Wren designed an extension. The result is a beautiful blend of Tudor and 'restrained baroque' architecture. You could easily spend a day exploring the palace and its 24 hectares of riverside gardens, including a 300-year-old maze."

"While not exactly in Central London, Hampton Court Palace does fall within the boundaries of London. It’s still a minor transport effort to get here, but totally worth it. Hampton Court Palace isn’t an inhabited Royal Palace, but it has plenty of Royal history, most notably as it was one of the principal residences of Henry VIII, he of the many wives."

"Named after King Olaf of Norway, St Olave Silver Street is one of many places in London with connections to the Vikings. St Olave Silver Street: This was the parish church of St Olave Silver Street destroyed by the dreadful fire in the year 1666. Barbican, London EC2"

"Located on the top floor of 120 Fenchurch Street you will find the Garden at 120. The garden is free to enter and not only has beautiful views over London, but also a modern style and green spaces to relax. It’s the perfect spot for some Instagram shots and also to relax a bit."

"The Garden at 120 is another public London garden that offers epic views. And even better, it’s completely free to go with no booking required!. While it’s not quite as impressive or high as Sky Garden (15th floor vs 43rd floor), it does boast some unique photo opportunities."

"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."

"The second restaurant from the Pachamama group, Chelsea’s Chicama is a charming seafood restaurant named after a coastal town in Peru – not the word chic, although that does describe it well. If you can pry yourself away from the pretty beach-inspired indoors, the outdoor terrace is an equally lovely dining spot for sunny days: a petite plant-filled space overflowing onto the pavement on a quiet section of the Kings Road. From here, tuck into a meat-free menu of vibrant seafood and vegetarian small plates alongside colourful cocktails."

"Restaurants Peruvian King’s Road"

"Restaurants American Soho. Like it says on the tin, you know where you are with the flashily decorated Burger & Lobster chain. Hand-minced burgers (made with Nebraskan beef) and lobsters (shipped over from Nova Scotia) are the star attractions, with back-up from lobster rolls, oysters and other affordably luxurious hits."

"Like it says on the tin, you know where you are with the flashily decorated Burger & Lobster chain. Hand-minced burgers and lobsters (shipped over from Nova Scotia) are the headliners, with backup from lobster rolls, ‘beast’ combos and other affordably luxurious hits. Flagship site: 29 Clarges Street, W1J 7EF"

"With all there is to see at Kew Gardens, you might easily miss the attractive red brick building housing the Marianne North Gallery. But don’t hesitate to take a look inside — the exquisite interior, which incorporates different kinds of wood and stenciled floor tile, is home to more than 800 works of botanical art. Marianne North was a wealthy, single Victorian woman who traveled the world solo in pursuit of interesting plants to paint."

"Another attraction in Kew Gardens, this gallery is dedicated to the work of Marianne North, a Victorian artist who specialised in botanical paintings. The walls of the gallery are covered in her stunning and colourful designs, which show off her incredible natural talent."

"This trendy vegetarian venue in Crouch End with bare brick walls may have healthy eating at its heart, but the food is so tasty and skilfully made the health angle is barely discernible. There are several international dishes such as expertly made, ethereal spring onion gyoza; jackfruit in beautifully spiced tomato sauce with coconut rice, black beans, guacamole and grilled plantains; and dense, mealy arepas with a soft crumb. Cakes include three-layered tiramisu sponge; plus there are Latin American breakfasts, Buddha bowls, burgers and cocktails."