Samuel Johnson famously said, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” One of my steps to dealing with the tiredness that underpinned my choice to take a sabbatical, has been to go back to basics and do one of my favourite things. That is to embrace London, to take joy in its verve and chaos, and to explore the metropolis.
As a Hertfordshire lad born and bred, going into London was always something of an adventure. As a family, when I was young, we used to go into Town for all sorts of events; concerts, shows, exhibitions etc. I was taught about everything from classical music to navigating the tube.
It was here I gained my love of infrastructure from going with Dad to watch trains at the big London termini or planes from the old viewing platform at Heathrow Airport. I got butterflies in my stomach at the top of the Monument and hiccups in the middle of a BBC Prom at the Royal Albert Hall!
As a teen, I gave tours of the sights to visiting French penfriends and went with my mates to the Trocadero and HMV and to explore the awesome hi-fi stores that proliferated Tottenham Court Road. I have so many memories of London they are too numerous to list.
This past Wednesday, I did that most wonderful of things and ticked off an item from my bucket list. In this case it was seeing the fantastic comedy magic duo, Penn and Teller, live. It was fun, irreverent, ingenious and highly entertaining and fully lived up to my expectations. I genuinely loved every minute of it and couldn’t believe how fast the time passed. However, as the show was at the Hammersmith Apollo, this was a perfect opportunity to have a little adventure in London during the day and explore somewhere new.
Thus, a quick look at a map and my list I have built over the years of places I’d like to see, and a plan formulated. The weather forecast said it was going to be a hot day so that got me thinking of two things – one, air conditioning and two, ice-cream! The best places for these things in London are museums and parks respectively. Unfortunately, it did mean a trip on some of the older tubes which have neither, but that is the offset! Hence, I aimed for Holland Park and two places I have never been before, it’s Kyoto Japanese Garden and the nearby Design Museum.
Both were excellent but it is the garden I specifically want to talk about. London is considered a very green city. I learned recently that it is regarded as a city national park and has enough trees to meet the definition of a forest. This is probably not what most people think of when considering London and yet, in my adult years, I have really come to appreciate this aspect of the city. This has been augmented by subscribing to IanVisits and enjoying his series on the pocket parks of London.
Pocket parks are the little oases of calm that pepper the landscape of the capital. They manage to bring together the tranquillity of being amongst nature and the busyness of people scurrying their way through their day. They are small nooks of greenery. Whether you want to eat your lunch (or ice-cream!), read a book or just people watch, I find them invigorating. I have mentioned I have helped friends look around London and thus, I wanted to share my five favourite pocket parks / small gardens of the many I have been to thus far, in the hope that, if someone is ever looking for somewhere to find that moment to breathe in London, this might inspire.
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Holland Park
Firstly, is the Kyoto Garden in Holland Park. As might be expected this is in the Japanese style. I sat there surrounded by acer trees of green, red, purple and brass, and silver and bronze birches and warmed myself in the heat of the sun like a lizard on a rock. Like that lizard though, I was kept alert by all the comings and goings of the garden. The waterfall cascaded into the pond, which contained the carp, that were also enjoying the warmth of the day – although they were quite coy! (Sorry!). Above them floated Mallard ducks with their laughing quack and above them ancient dragonflies hovered across the scene. Moorhens strutted along the grassy bank dodging bold squirrels hunting for snacks and the flirting pigeons.
However, none of this was so fascinating as the school children circulating the pond on their park treasure hunt for daisies and cobwebs. They were trailed by their embattled teachers and tourists from near and far looking for selfies and Instragramable panoramas huffing as a child tiggered their way across the pond bridge! It was an oxymoron of frenzied peace. A place where all of life could be seen and enjoyed for its bizarreness and beauty. I shall be going back.
Secondly, St Dunstan-in-the-East Church Garden near Tower Hill. This is the site of a ruined 17th Century Sir Christopher Wren church, all but its tower destroyed in the Blitz. The plants grow up around the remains of the church, creating a secret garden feeling as they intertwine with the stonework. A tree sits majestically in the aisle of the nave, whilst a small water feature brings thoughts of thousands of christenings at a font. This was my Jen’s favourite garden in London. For her, it was a place to be absorbed and to trigger the imagination, with undertones of the paintings of Waterhouse and the romantic medievalism of Tennyson. I felt very close to her when I was there recently.
Sky Garden
Thirdly, the Sky Garden at the Walkie Talkie. Sat at the top of one of the great modern edifices of the City, this is a tropical enclosure with a balcony giving unprecedented view of the Shard and the great sprawl of London. You can sip a glass of something fizzy from the bar and, on a clear day, look through the ferns of the garden like a hunting Velociraptor and watch the business of the world go on for miles and miles. Like the Top of the Rock in New York or the view from Montmartre in Paris, it’s a place within the skyline that includes the skyline. Well worth a visit.
Canary Wharf Railway Station
Fourthly, the roof garden of Canary Wharf Elizabeth Line Crossrail station. I think this is a little gem. Jen and I first visited when it originally opened, when the plants were new and small and the railway line many floors below in this groundscraper in a dock, was still being built. I returned in May last year as part of a day out I had exploring the newly opened Elizabeth Line. That day was very enjoyable, and I loved discovering the textures of the line covering all the new stations in a day, including returning to the terrace.
The garden itself is modernistic in many ways, with its semi open lattice-based roof with bubble infills that allow glimpses of the skyscrapers above. The plants have begun to grow towards the light and have matured to the point where some escape the roof line. A small performance space was occupied by a blues singer that day and the vibe, combined with the sound of exploring families and well-dressed visitors to the bars, gave a chilled invigoration to the environment.
Postman’s Park
Finally, is my true favourite, Postman’s Park, King Edward St, near St Paul’s Cathedral in the City. There are a few components to this park that mean I always seek it out when I am nearby, most recently when I completed a self-guided walk of Roman London that finished just round the corner.
Firstly, is the association with the Postmen who used to visit here from the GPO HQ nearby. My grandfather and his father before him worked for the Post Office and I feel a connection to them when I am there.
Secondly is the fabulous Wall of Heroes. This is an inconspicuous lean-to covered section in one corner of the garden. It contains tributes written in tiles to those who have sacrificed their own lives saving others. The oldest are from the late nineteenth century but one was added as recently as 2009. Each time I read them, I feel humbled and amazed at the human capacity to help those in need and trouble. It is a genuinely moving place to visit and spend a little time contemplating.
There are many more places like these across London that I have enjoyed, and this list could easily have been much longer. Prime Minister William Pitt the Elder described the parks of the capital as “The Lungs of London”. I certainly enjoy taking a breath there and, if possible, eating an ice-cream! The best thing is that there is always a new one to discover.
Life moves pretty fast 
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