Easily one of the most beautiful spots in London; and I'm not just saying that because it's less…read morethan a 10-minute walk from my flat. Obviously, it shines brightest in the Spring/ Summertime, as that is when everything is in bloom, but I've been here mostly during the Winter months, and it is still a super-chill spot to gaze across the treetops, watch the clouds speed across the sky, and take a stroll through the garden for that much-needed Zen time amidst your busy day. Word to the wise: Bring a beautiful soundtrack along for the walk to enhance the magic. Another perk to this place is that there are a few other parks and even a cafe connected directly to it. Norwood Grove, in particular, is another great place to sit, relax, and watch dogs frolic while their owners get their daily exercise, along with a few families taking in the fresh air. The Rookery Cafe is also a lovely place to visit, especially after your walk through The Rookery. Don't get me wrong, the city is great at all times of the day; but for the perfect midday pick-me-up, I believe there is nothing better than spending some time alone in a beautiful nature-filled space to reconnect with what matters most. Yes, that would be yourself.

This place was BEAUTIFUL! We were here for wedding photos. I was amazed at the beauty of the…read moreplants. Very nice to see the other guests enjoying themselves for picnics and playing with their children.

Morden Hall Park is probably one of my favourite parks in the local area. I grew up around the…read morecorner and would often frequent it with my friends or to ride my bike as a child. It is a National Trust park, spanning from Morden through to Mitcham, and you could even walk it as the paths are clearly signposted for one to follow. The park also boasts a large garden centre and a lovely little cafe with a National Trust shop attached. The River Wandle runs through it and in summer you will find children in the streams, fishing or playing. There is also a cute little flower garden which is maintained all year round.

We were in Wimbledon for a car test drive but wanted to walk our dog too so did a quick google…read moresearch and this National Trust property came up. It's beautiful! There's a garden centre and a couple of cafes (though I did find the food at the Potting Shed cafe rather disappointing and tasteless if I'm honest). They've got 'wilder' bits with long grass for dogs to run around and a rose garden (not blooming yet but looking forward to seeing it in the summer) and mowed areas perfect for kids to run around. There are streams running through the park and lovely white bridges. It really is picturesque and not at all what I was expecting to find. The dog loved it too!

Where to begin... do I start with the fact that all the while you are here you are still in south…read moreLondon or do I start with if you just want a bit of tranquillity and don't want to drive for miles this is the place to go. Either one is a good starting point as both are true. The park covers 125 acres 50.59 hectares, yes I did look that fact up but it goes to show how big an area it covers. There are many dog walkers in the park and you can see why as loads of space for the dogs to run around and do what dogs do. Not sure how much picking up of dog mess happens but there are bins a plentiful for them to use. Within the park you will find wet land and a lake area which has seating around it so you can sit and while away some time, although no fishing is allowed... From the top of the hill/viewing mound you get a great view of the extent of the park and also some of the high rises in the distance which remind you that you are in London still. There is a children's play ground (that was undergoing some renovations) wild flower meadows, I understand there is a visitors centre but I think it is for school groups (I could be wrong). I'll finish with the surprising part which is that they have a pitch and putt area for those of you who like a bit of golf but you would need to check the opening hours by contacting the council. Enjoy

you can almost forget that you are in South East London... home to Lake Conan, lovely walks - calm…read more& quiet with a great kids playground... so lucky to have this space in London... It is like being in the countryside - and you can get there by tram which is always exciting!

I love living by the common! Don't be stopped at the big grassy area, head further to the Rookery…read moreand orchard behind it. It's gorgeous and worth the walk up the hill. There's a fantastic and friendly community garden that has volunteer times on Sunday. I planted a tree there and it was fun. Great place for running, walking, picnics. There's a snack bar, too, that serves hot food and ice cream. It's very windy so it's not surprising it hosts a summer kite festival. Definitely just as cool as Tooting Bec common.

Streatham Common is so not common. It is the most amazing place ever. It feels like gnomes and…read morefairies and mystical ponies come out of the bushes at night and throw parties when all of the humans are gone. There is this one place called the Rookery which is an old Victorian garden with wells and pathways and streams that would put any gardener at the Chelsea Flower Show to shame. It's such a great escape and it's right in the city's backyard. If you want to take a date down here, it might not be a good idea. This place is too romantic for a fledgling romance. Unless you just met your soul mate and you two are planning to elope this isn't the place for a person you're vaguely interested in. Bring your long term love, bust out a proposal and party with the pixies when they get rambunctious at night.

Probably the jewel in Beckenham's crown and easily the finest park in the area. Like all great…read moreparks, this was originally the landscaped gardens of the Kelsey Manor Estate. Encouraged by the local newspaper, the Beckenham Urban District Council purchased it 100 years ago, saving it from extinction. Built on the River Beck, the large ornamental lakes provide an amazing array of waterfowl that I'd always taken for granted. Maybe it's because I used to be easily scared by Canadian Geese! Apparently, if you want to see Herons in the South East of England, this is the place to go. Alternatively, do what I do and just talk to the Canadian Geese like a madman. Not so scary now, are you? The park is very long, and not very wide in sections, and long walks meander through the trees and over the river. Large lawns provide awesome picnicking and loafing opportunities. What I like about the park is the many elements working together to create a park for all. The Northern sections of the park are quieter, whilst the South East of the park has all the action, with a Children's play area, tennis courts and a recently-refurbished cafe. I really love this park. No, it isn't well-known and you're not going to see it referenced in a movie but it's our St James' Park. And from the amount of use it sees, everybody around here agrees.

I really enjoy coming down to this quaint little park just down from the Natwest in Beckenham high…read morestreet for a bit of parklife in the summertime. The main focal point is a small lake populated by Canada geese and ducks, running down to a small waterfall and stream (no it's not for sale). You can probably walk it in about 15 minutes, but what's the hurry? Loadsa room to find a spot even when its perfectly sunny; I've spent some really lazy summer afternoons here relaxing with friends and a picnic without being bothered by anyone else. There's room for a kickabout or a spot of Frisbee, a couple of tennis courts and a good sized play area etc for the kids to scream and run around in if that's your thing. There's usually an ice cream van in the middle, but I doubt there'll be much need for him in winter.

I appreciate that the London Wildlife Trust has preserved this small slice of woodland from the…read moreencroach of civilization. And it is vaguely wild - there's a decent tree canopy overhead, but very little underbrush. It's not quite large enough to really feel like you're really apart from the city - from several spots, we could see houses and hear noises from the surrounding city. It's worthwhile for locals looking for a spot to walk or run, but in my view, it doesn't justify more than a 5 minutes drive to get here.

Due to time restraints I wasn't able to explore, but the little bit of woods I saw was adjacent to…read moreCox's Walk. According to my map Dulwich Wood is some distance away, but it's what the sign said the website later confirmed my assumption that the wood stretches right across the Northern end of the golf course. I wish I'd had time to explore further what I saw was beautiful. Apparently it's the remnant of a much larger ancient wood. Lovely mature trees, not much undergrowth, views out over London between the trees. A really peaceful atmosphere.

There's just something about this park that sticks close to my heart- in a good way. It's super…read morespacious, has plenty to offer, and is quite lovely all throughout the year. No matter which entrance you come through, there will be plenty to see- from gardens to playgrounds, walkways to interesting exercise equipment that doesn't appear to be at first glance, and even a tennis court and BMX cycling course. There are lovely views of the city, plenty of quiet spots with benches overlooking peaceful vistas, and lovely wooded spots where you can spread a blanket and chill under a tree at your leisure. It's also a pet-friendly park, and you'll see plenty of dogs and their owners out for a lovely walk in the park on any given day; just make sure to clean up after them if they drop something on the way... Out of all the parks in London, this is definitely in my Top 5.

What beautiful fireworks! I can't believe that Lambeth put…read moreon a magnificent 30 minute display for FREE! So fantastic and really made my day. Amazing amazing amazing, and not to be missed. One word... Wow!

Queen's Gardens is a very pleasant green oasis adjacent to the Town Hall in Croydon, and just a few…read moreminutes' walk from the busy shopping centre. It is popular with office workers, and for wedding photographs for those undertaking Civil Ceremonies in the Town Hall, but not that well known to many of the visiting shoppers, who never stray this far. It is a mix of lawns, formal borders and a more informal sunken garden, complete with palms. It has an interesting history: the 'sunken' gardens to the north of the site were formed from the railway cutting which led to the former Croydon Central railway station. During the early days of the railways, the two current stations, West Croydon and East Croydon were built by the London and Croydon Railway (1839) and the London and Brighton Railway (1841) respectively, but the townspeople felt neither station was conveniently sited for the town centre. This pressure led to the authorisation in 1864 of a short branch line from East Croydon station to a new station on the site of the present Town Hall, which duly opened as Croydon Central station in 1868. It was a spacious two-platform terminus, handsomely provided with an Italianate station building in brick. Alas, with a meagre service of just 12 trains a day, passengers found it easier to use the other two stations, and the service ceased in 1871. After pressure from the Council, a service was reinstated in 1886, (this time as 'Central Croydon') but this too lasted only until 1890, when the station closed for good. But one advantage of the legacy was that it provided a large, consolidated site for redevelopment. The Council used this opportunity to build the original Town Hall, Courts, a Police Station and Public Library. The sunken garden was constructed in the cutting and opened in 1896. In 1968, the lawns facing Taberner House were laid out, which at that time remained separated from the sunken gardens by Mint Walk and the Victorian Police Station. The Police Station was demolished in 1980, and the two sections of garden joined together as we see them now. They were opened by the Queen on 21st June 1983.

I was so pleased to discover this small area with urban gardens right in the heart of Croydon…read more Opened by the Queen in 1983 it has blossomed ever since. At one of the weddings I attended, we came down here for photo shoots. With the vast array of beautiful flowers amidst a beautiul fountain, this garden truly represents what tranquility and serenity one can find in the open. As I sat on the bench, I imagined myself coming down there again, to bask in the lovely sunshine and soak in the pleasant scents of the colourful flowers overlooking me. It even gets more attractive because there are a bit more private areas the next level below, like (its like a one storey plan) and you can enjoy a lovely novel in the more shaded areas or for those serenaders, its a nice place too. You cannot miss it. It's just right across the Registry.

Almost at the end of the Thameslink you'll find Carshalton, with lots of green space, some ponds,…read moremany commuters, and the Carshalton Water Tower. It's pretty much what you'd expect, a building designed to hold some water for a large house, with some original features and if you do a guided tour, a wealth of information to be had. Most surprising is that they let you up on the roof, which in today's health and safety obsessed society was a welcome treat. Carshalton isn't an area I know well and is properly outside of my day-to-day life (I think I was last there in around 2002, looking at a flat) but I think if for killing some time on a Sunday afternoon, you could do worse than spending the £2 to come here. It's near the ponds and the nature reserve and a park, so a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Just make sure you check that it's open before you go, as it's only open seasonally and on Sundays. I was lucky enough to go during the week on a private tour!

Great to look around a bit of history. historic gardens for all!read more