Behind the closed gates and painted railings of iconic squares, in urban community allotments, and up high on the rooftops of London are some magical, hidden gardens waiting to be discovered. These green lungs improve the air we breathe and add value to our lives, culture and nature.
Horticultural havens
While almost half of London’s footprint is green, only 18% is designated as public open space. On Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025, more than 100 secret gardens in the city will open exclusively for the London Open Gardens event to support London Parks and Garden’s (LPG) work protecting city parks. Here’s your chance to uncover some of the city’s lesser-known horticultural highlights, among hidden squares, rooftop spaces, community gardens and re-wilded areas that aren’t usually open to the public.
See below for how RHS members and friends can enjoy these gems with an exclusive RHS offer – available only when booking an adult weekend ticket on the official London Open Gardens ticket site.
Battersea Roof Gardens
One of London’s largest residential rooftop gardens, spanning 29,000ft2 and planted with 23,000 plants and 55 trees, Battersea Roof Gardens offers inspiring views of the adjacent Grade II-listed Power Station and London skyline.
- Entrance: Beechmore House Concierge, Battersea Power Station, SW11 8BT
- Open: 10am – 4pm, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025
- Please note: Balloted entry exclusively for London Open Garden ticket holders. Opening date TBC
Marlborough House
Formerly a grand town mansion built to a design by Sir Christopher Wren in 1711, Marlborough House became the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat in 1959. The garden located off The Mall is largely maintained in its 18th century format. Marlborough House returns to London Open Gardens for the first time since 2017.
- Entrance: Marlborough Road, SW1Y 5HX
- Open: 10am – 5pm, Saturday 7 June 2025
30 Cannon Street
Short-listed for a RIBA London award, this impressive triangle-shaped roof garden has captivating views of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Square Mile, London and beyond. The garden at 30 Cannon Street comprises a mix of shrubs, perennials, grasses and bulbs and houses two beehives.
- Entrance: Bread Street, EC4M 6XH
- Open: 10am – 3pm, Saturday 7 June 2025
- Please note: Booking required for timed garden entry. Booking date TBA. This garden is also not accessible to wheelchair users
Moat Community Garden
Part of the Grade II-listed Millbank Estate near Tate Britain, visitors will discover how local people have used the remains of the former prison moat to create a community garden. The space – used by residents to relax, read and play games – has around 30 wooden planters and a number of benches, tables and chairs used by residents and for events. It also includes washing lines, used for laundry as well as by artists for projects.
- Entrance: John Islip Street or Cureton Street, SW1P 4EH
- Open: 10am – 5pm, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025
The Sanctuary Garden at Freedom from Torture
A Silver medal winner at the Chelsea Flower Show 2024, the The Sanctuary Garden at Freedom from Torture was then relocated to Finsbury Park where it is being used for horticultural and other therapies for survivors of torture.
- Entrance: 111 Isledon Road, N7 7JW
- Open: 10.30am – 5pm, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025
Barbican Wildlife Garden
Devoted to enhancing biodiversity at the heart of the Square Mile, The Barbican Wildlife Garden – awarded an RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood award for six years – is home to 300 species of wildlife, including the lesser stag beetle and house sparrow, and includes ponds, an orchard, a bird hide and a meadow.
- Entrance: Fann Street, EC2Y 8BR
- Open: 11am – 4pm, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025
Cloth Fair Hidden Garden
Hidden behind the 900-year-old St Bartholomew the Great, London’s oldest church, this garden has been farmland, a priory garden, a school building and a manicured garden. Following a period of neglect, in 2017 it was lovingly brought back to life by local volunteers, and is planted to attract pollinators to stimulate all five senses.
- Entrance: beside No 43 Bartholomew Close, EC1A 7JN
- Open: 10am – 5pm, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025
Doddington and Rollo Community Roof Gardens
On the roof of a former car park in the midst of a high-rise estate, you will find a hidden oasis of five ‘garden rooms,’ featuring decorative plants, edible crops, trees, a composting area and the original metal staircase, which has been repurposed as a trellis. The garden was the inspiration for an RHS Gold medal winning RHS Chelsea Flower Show Sanctuary Garden, London Square Community Garden, in 2023. The garden has now relocated here, with the addition of a kitchen garden, pizza oven and raised beds.
- Entrance: Up the stairs at the end of Charlotte Despard Avenue, across the square behind Tesco on Battersea Park Road, SW11 5HD
- Open: 10.30am – 4pm, Saturday 7 June 2025
Earls Court Square
An award-winning Victorian garden laid out as part of the Edwardes Estate in the 1870s, Earls Court Square fell into disrepair after the Second World War but was rejuvenated by local residents in the mid 20th century, becoming a conservation area in the 1970s, and now encompasses a children’s play area in the main square.
- Entrance: North side of square, SW5 9DG
- Open: 10am – 5pm, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025
The Ismaili Centre Roof Garden
This beautiful roof garden is a sanctuary of calm, set against the backdrop of a bustling city. It reflects motifs from Islamic architectural heritage and draws on the traditions of Muslim civilisations that have inspired outstanding buildings around the globe for centuries. The chaharbagh (four-part garden), delineated by a central fountain, draws inspiration from the Qur’anic imagery of the Garden of Paradise. It combines granite and greenery with geometry, symbolism and the sound and flow of water in a serene, sheltered yet welcoming open garden.
- Entrance: Thurloe Place, SW7 2SL
- Open: 10am – 3.30pm (last entry 3pm), Sunday 8 June 2025
London Open Gardens event 2025
On Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025, you can satisfy your curiosity and get a glimpse into these urban, hidden gems. The London Open Gardens event has cherished and supported London’s secret gardens for 26 years. A free printable map will be available online approximately six weeks prior to the event, to help you plan your weekend. It will also be available to pick up during the weekend at participating gardens.
*London Parks and Gardens is a third party. When booking tickets online you are leaving the RHS website, and all bookings will be subject to London Parks and Gardens’s terms and conditions and privacy policy.
The RHS is committed to ‘being more urban’ and helping those living and working in cities to enjoy gardening, whether by visiting an open space, cultivating a window box or greening up their back garden or balcony. London Parks and Gardens support and protect city green spaces throughout the year and profits from the weekend are being shared with participating community gardens.
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