Britain is renowned for being a green and pleasant land, and nowhere in the British Isles has such a rich diversity of beautiful green spaces as London. The capital s green bounty includes magnificent royal parks, historic garden cemeteries, majestic ancient forests, breath-taking formal country parks, expansive commons, tropical greenhouse collections, elegant squares and enchanting secret gardens, many of which are known only to insiders and locals. London is more verdant than any other world city of its size green spaces cover almost 40 per cent of Greater London and provides a wealth of places where you can play, relax, exercise and commune with nature year round. There are around 400 green spaces in the City of London alone and over 1,000 in Greater London, ranging from famous public parks to semi-private gardens, city farms to converted church yards each with its own unique character. This book gathers together over 250 of London s parks, gardens and squares, including all the major ones, and many that are lesser known but often just as glorious most of which can be visited free of charge! For London s largest, best-known (royal) parks we must thank somewhat surprisingly Henry VIII. Not that the Tudor monarch ever intended his lands to be opened to the hoi polloi; when he appropriated them in the 16th century it was so he and his friends could hunt deer in private. Bushy Park, Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hampton Court Park, Hyde Park, Regent s Park, Richmond Park and St James s Park all owe their existence to the royals passion for chasing deer. The vast majority of London s public parks were founded by the Victorians from the 1840s onwards (the first was Victoria Park in Hackney, created in 1845) as part of a range of measures to improve the living conditions of the working classes by providing green lungs where they could enjoy exercise and fresh air. It s thanks to the foresight and dedication of those visionary Victorians that modern London is the greenest of green cities; their work is continued today by an army of volunteers ( friends ), who toil selflessly to restore, maintain and improve the city s green spaces. London s living network of parks and gardens, commons and woodlands, canals, rivers and reservoirs, is vital to the health and well-being of Londoners (and visitors!) and makes an invaluable contribution to the quality, character and economy of the capital. It also provides food and refuge for the city s flora and fauna, which despite living alongside some 8.25m people is extraordinary in its abundance, variety and scope. There s nothing pristine or precious about London s parks and gardens, no multitude of signs saying, Keep off the grass heaven forbid! The city s green spaces are there to be enjoyed by all as places to sunbathe, nap, play, picnic, read, listen to music or just chill out. They attract all kinds of sportsmen and women, from walkers to joggers, cyclists to horse-riders, frisbee throwers to rollerbladers, kite flyers to model boat sailors, tai chi practitioners to yoga enthusiasts. They also provide a stage for all manner of organised sports including swimming (in lidos, lakes and ponds), tennis, soccer, rugby, cricket, hockey, skateboarding, basketball, bowls, golf and much more. So, whether you re a nature lover or a history buff, a horticulturist or a fitness fanatic, or just a deckchair dreamer looking for a bit of peace and quiet, you ll find your perfect spot in London. All you need is a comfortable pair of shoes, a sense of adventure and this book! We trust you ll enjoy discovering London s profusion of amazing parks and gardens as much as we did.