London is having a moment, a very sunny one. Take a walk in the park, lunch al fresco and spend as much time as possible enjoying this blip of California blue. London is chock-a-block with open air options. And for those craving the real deal beyond London, check out the fabulous informal gardens at Barnsley House in the Cotswolds. Read my article “Cotswold Cool: Flower Power” in Trufflepig if you need some convincing.
Dedicated urbanites can still smell the roses amidst the diesel. Below are a few of my London summer-time picks. Kensington Gardens and the Serpentine Pavilion are easy green options.
Shoppers can catch some rays at Q, Selfridge’s pop-up terrace restaurant.
For something a bit buzzier visit Granary Square at King’s Cross where daily street vendors sell everything from Mexican tacos to Mumbai meatballs to Falafel wraps. It’s the edible U.N. here, otherwise known as Kerb street food collective.
You can watch the boats pass by.
Or follow the tennis.
And for a special garden treat outside central London – Petersham Nurseries near Richmond Park is unbeatable. Its bohemian glasshouse restaurant (dirt floors, sublime food, cool staff) and the chic garden shop make the journey well worth it.
Fragrance maker Jo Malone believes in the power of gardens to provide solace and lift the spirit. Jo Malone Urban Community Garden Project supports gardens in deprived areas in Edinburgh, Liverpool and Bristol. Buy a Silk Blossom Home Candle in the UK to help this cause, and bring a little piece of garden home.
July, 2014
* Petersham Nursery photo courtesy of Keiko Oikawa
