Parks and open spaces in London

File:St James's Park Lake – East from the Blue Bridge - 2012-10-06.jpg, looking east from the Blue Bridge towards the London Eye.]]

{{main|Royal Parks of London}}

The centrepieces of Greater London's park system are the eight Royal Parks of London. Covering 1,976 hectares (4,882 acres),https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo020207/text/20207w18.htm, Hansard. Written answers for 7 Feb 2002. URL accessed on 17 July 2009. they are former royal hunting grounds which are now open to the public.

• Richmond Park {{Convert|955|ha|acre|abbr=off}}{{Cite web |date=2023-08-16 |title=Richmond Park {{!}} The Royal Parks |url=https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/richmond-park |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=www.royalparks.org.uk |language=en}}
• Bushy Park {{Convert|445|ha|acre|abbr=off}}{{Cite web |date=2023-08-16 |title=Bushy Park {{!}} The Royal Parks |url=https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/bushy-park |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=www.royalparks.org.uk |language=en}}
• Regent's Park {{Convert|166|ha|acre|abbr=off}}{{Cite web |title=The Regent's Park & Primrose Hill {{!}} The Royal Parks |url=https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/regents-park-primrose-hill |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=www.royalparks.org.uk |language=en}}
• Hyde Park {{Convert|140|ha|acre|abbr=off}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-11 |title=Hyde Park {{!}} The Royal Parks |url=https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/hyde-park |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=www.royalparks.org.uk |language=en}}
• Kensington Gardens {{Convert|107|ha|acre|abbr=off}}{{Cite web |date=2023-08-21 |title=Kensington Gardens {{!}} The Royal Parks |url=https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/kensington-gardens |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=www.royalparks.org.uk |language=en}}
• Greenwich Park {{Convert|74|ha|acre|abbr=off}}{{Cite web |title=Greenwich Park {{!}} The Royal Parks |url=https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/greenwich-park |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=www.royalparks.org.uk |language=en}}
• St James's Park {{Convert|23|ha|acre|abbr=off}}{{Cite web |title=St. James's Park {{!}} The Royal Parks |url=https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/st-jamess-park |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=www.royalparks.org.uk |language=en}}
• Green Park {{Convert|16|ha|acre|abbr=off}}{{Cite web |title=The Green Park {{!}} The Royal Parks |url=https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/green-park |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=www.royalparks.org.uk |language=en}}

==Garden squares==

{{Main|List of garden squares in London}}

File:Gordon Square Gardens, London Borough of Camden, WC1.jpg

Many of the smaller green spaces in central London are garden squares, which were built for the private use of the residents of the fashionable districts, but in some cases are now open to the public. Notable examples open to the public are Russell Square in Bloomsbury, Lincoln's Inn Fields in Holborn and Soho Square in Soho.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea contains over a hundred garden squares whose use is restricted to residents. The upkeep of many of these spaces (also named for example Crescents, Gardens, Place) is paid for through a levy on top of residents' council tax.[http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/gardensquares/general/default.asp "Your garden square and you"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060711162431/http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/gardensquares/general/default.asp |date=2006-07-11 }}, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, UK. URL accessed 20 June 2006.

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Image:Victoria park1.jpg

In addition to these spaces, a large number of council-owned parks were developed between the mid 19th century and the Second World War.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets

• Victoria Park 86.18 ha (213 acres),{{cite web |url=http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/451-500/461_parks/victoria_park/visitor_information.aspx |title=Tower Hamlets Council > Leisure and culture > Parks and open spaces > Parks > Victoria Park > Visitor information |author= |work=web page |publisher=Tower Hamlets Council |access-date=29 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125021941/http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/451-500/461_parks/victoria_park/visitor_information.aspx |archive-date=25 January 2013 }}

London Borough of Wandsworth

• Battersea Park 83 ha (205 acres).{{cite web|url=http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/info/200073/parks_and_open_spaces/266/battersea_park |title=Wandsworth Battersea Park |year=2013 |work=web page |publisher=Wandsworth Council |access-date=29 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123123710/http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/info/200073/parks_and_open_spaces/266/battersea_park |archive-date=23 January 2013 }}

London Borough of Lewisham

• Beckenham Place Park 96 hectares

London Borough of Bromley

• Crystal Palace Park, South London 80 ha (200 acres)

Lambeth Council

• Brockwell Park 51 hectares (126 acres){{cite web|title=Brockwell Park|url=https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/places/brockwell-park|website=Lambeth Council|access-date=18 February 2018}}

London Borough of Haringey

• Alexandra Park 80 ha (197.68 acres)

:*Tottenham Parks

::* Bruce Castle park, Tottenham's oldest park.

::* Lordship Recreation Ground

::* Tottenham Marshes

::* Tottenham Cemetery has park grounds.

::* Downhills Park

::* Chestnuts Park

::* Down Lane Park, metropolitan park since 1907 with soccer fields, tennis courts, playground, an outdoor gym and a BMX track for cyclers.

::* Markfield Park

::* The Green (Tottenham)

::* Brunswick Road Open Space

::* Chapman's Green

• City of Westminster

:* Grosvenor Square

Image:Hampsteadheath1.jpg

Other major open spaces in the suburbs include:

They have a more informal and semi-natural character, having originally been countryside areas protected against surrounding urbanisation. Some cemeteries provide extensive green land within the city — notably Highgate Cemetery, burial place of Karl Marx and Michael Faraday amongst others. Completing London's array of green spaces are two paid entrance gardens — the leader is the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, whilst the royal residence of Hampton Court Palace also has a celebrated garden. All Outer London boroughs contain sections of the Metropolitan Green Belt.Greater London Authority - [http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/images/maps-diagrams/jpg/map-3d-3.jpg London's strategic open space network] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409101910/http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/images/maps-diagrams/jpg/map-3d-3.jpg |date=2008-04-09 }}

There are over a hundred registered commons in London, ranging in size from small fragments of land to large expanses.

File:Lavish Lavender Carshalton London Borough of Sutton.jpg

There are two historic lavender fields in the London Borough of Sutton. One, at Oaks Way, Carshalton Beeches is three acres in size and is run as a not-for-profit community project. The other, a 25-acre commercial site in Croydon Lane called Mayfield, is popular with tourists. Situated on the North Downs of Surrey, the locality is ideal for lavender cultivation, owing to the chalky free-draining nature of the soil. It was known as the "Lavender Capital of the World" from the 18th to the early 20th centuries, with global production of the plant centred here and blue fields dotting the area.{{cite web|url=http://www.mayfieldlavender.com/lavender-revival/|title=Mayfield Lavender|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530101538/http://www.mayfieldlavender.com/lavender-revival/|archive-date=2008-05-30}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.carshaltonlavender.org/Aboutus|title=Carshalton Lavender}}

There are several types of London greenways including The Greenway and the Thames Path.

London was officially declared the world's first National Park City in July 2019. A National Park City is inspired by the family of National Parks but is not the same as a National Park: it is a “large urban area that is managed and semi-protected through both formal and informal means to enhance the natural capital of its living landscape".{{cite web |title=FAQs |website=London National Park City |url=http://www.nationalparkcity.london/faq }} It is led by volunteers with a network of supporters and backing from councils' including the Mayor of London with activities linking to the Greater London Authorities' Environment Strategy.

The London National Park City was established by the National Park City Foundation [NPCF], which aims to inspire 25 National Park Cities around the world by 2025.

• List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Greater London
• List of Local Nature Reserves in Greater London
• Walking in London

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.londongardenstrust.org/ London Parks and Gardens Trust]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20061016200221/http://www.gardenvisit.com/landscape/london/lguide/landscape-architecture-sites.htm London Landscape Architecture Visitors Guide]
• [http://www.green-spaces.co.uk/ Green-Spaces Guide to London]
• [http://parklifelondon.org/ Green Spaces Near You in London]
• [http://www.nationalparkcity.london/ London National Park City]

{{Parks and open spaces in London}}

{{Parks UK}}

{{London landmarks}}