Raise your hand if you’ve tried to recreate that Notting Hill (the movie) moment by scaling the fence of one of those private gardens that look pretty?
Well, now you don’t have to be quite so sneaky.
On Saturday June 9th and Sunday June 10th, 212 gardens in London will open their locked gates for you to explore their loveliness and maybe get inspired to go to somewhere like an online garden centre to get some things to start your own gardening journey.
23 new gardens will be opening for the very first time, including several roof-top gardens and urban ecology centres.
Among the green spaces open especially for Open Garden Squares Weekend will be many of the popular gardens such as Bonnington Square, Cable Street Community Gardens, The Regent’s Park Allotment Garden, The Kensington Roof Gardens, and Eaton Square.
And it gets better! 30 of the gardens will be offering activities for children, here’s a small taste of what’s going on:
Bowes Park Community Garden (N22) will have a community picnic, face-painting, a magician plus Morris dancers. Lexham Gardens (W8) is having a Garden party including children’s entertainment. Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses (SE24) will be offering a Family quiz sheets and Carnegie Library – also in SE24 – will have Storytelling and other children’s activities. Centre for Wildlife Gardening (SE15) have organised children’s crafts and games, while Culpeper Community Garden (N1) will be hosting children’s trails and activities and Culverley Green (SE6) will be offering face- painting. Eaton Square (SW1W) will have Punch & Judy as will Russell Square Gardens (WC1B).
The Compound at Stave Hill Ecological Park (SE16) will have craft activities and Thrive Battersea – Herb Garden (SW11) will be giving a free balloon for every child as well as offering activities include flowerpot painting, a bug hunt, tombola, face-painting and a painting competition. The William Morris Society (W6) will have a Children’s quiz and trail.
There are many other activities in the gardens all around London! To find something in your area, visit the Open Garden Squares Weekend here. Tickets bought in advance are only £9, and kids under 12 enter free!
UPDATE:
Readers of An American Girl In Chelsea can claim a 10% discount on tickets by visiting www.opensquares.org and quoting AMGCH27. This will provide a 10% discount for all tickets booked ONLINE (www.opensquares.org) before 31 May and cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts.
UPDATE:
Readers of An American Girl In Chelsea can claim a 10% discount on tickets by visiting www.opensquares.org and quoting AMGCH27. This will provide a 10% discount for all tickets booked ONLINE (www.opensquares.org) before 31 May and cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts.


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