It was here, then it wasn’t. And now, we think, it’s back again. Hopefully.
Even with the heat island climate effect, summertime in London isn’t that much different from the rest of the UK. Unpredictable, unreliable, fleeting moments of brilliance giving way to damp squib days and torrential downpours. It’s always important to make the most of what you’ve got, though, and take a coat. And, thankfully, August has so far given us ample opportunity to get out, explore, and enjoy nature’s bounty. Whether you make it to the countryside or not.
Even in the midst of The Big Smoke there are still plenty of green pockets to discover. Some deeper than others. In fact, a recent study by NerdWallet ranked Europe’s 30 most populated metropolitan areas on access to greenery, and found London beat the rest. In total, the city lays claim to 3,000 parks, nature reserves and similar areas. That’s far more than second place Berlin, which offered a mere 2,500 locations, and the 2,000 found in third place Vienna, Austria’s most prestigious ville.
This isn’t the only research that proves London is much more than a mere concrete jungle, mind. Swerving the more obvious ‘count the parks’ approach, florist extraordinaire Bloom & Wild recently hit the streets to try and identify the city’s most Instagrammable businesses. And by that they mean the premises that embrace flowers and floral arrangements the most, creating mini-landmarks that simply have to be captured and shared in the name of dopamine.
The list is long and, as ‘best ofs’ usually are, distinguished. It’s also dominated by some of the wealthiest London boroughs. Like Kensington, where The Churchill Arms has been almost completely taken over by incredibly eye-catching flora. The transformation of a watering hole built circa 1750, into an organic edifice popping with colours is remarkable and quite breathtaking.
Elsewhere in this area, the shop front of Barbara Harris Water Jewels also ranks for its flowers, as does Les Senteurs, the oldest independent perfumery in town, where window displays are works of art in their own right.
Meanwhile, in Belgravia — historically known as the home of ambassadors and foreign dignitaries — Peggy Porschen, a pink-hued cake emporium selling itself as The Prettiest Bakery In the World, is lauded for the wave of roses forming a canopy over its doorway.
Unsurprisingly, Chelsea, which hosts one of the world’s foremost green-fingered events in the annual Flower Show, has the most entries on this Insta hot list. It’s here we find No. Fifty Cheyne, up there with London’s most coveted restaurants, which makes Bloom & Wild’s league table thanks to the brightly hued foliage adorning the exterior and spectacular arrangements inside.
Even more dramatic, a ten-minute walk brings you to another renowned eatery, The Ivy Garden, its windows almost completely obscured by a veritable sea of colourful plants and flowers.
Throw in Drunch, a typically chic brunch spot in deliriously upmarket Mayfair, and the appropriately named steak and fish affair, 34 Mayfair, and it’s easy to start thinking great floral design is the exclusive preserve of London’s most exclusive districts.
Enter The Dickens Inn, a huge, timber-fronted pub in Tower Hamlets — one of the city’s most deprived boroughs — which uses its double-height wooden terrace to display large hanging baskets, overlooking a pristinely pruned front garden. Then there’s Minnow, in the deep south of Clapham, a cute little cafe with a penchant for wisteria and ivy, alongside seasonal dishes.
Keen to tick off the full list? Here’s a complete rundown.
The Churchill Arms, Kensington
Instagram followers: 21,100
Instagram tags: 19,400
Peggy Porschen, Belgravia
Instagram followers: 729,000
Instagram tags: 1,000
The Ivy Garden, Chelsea
Instagram followers: 468,000
Instagram tags: 1,000
No. Fifty Cheyne, Chelsea
Instagram followers: 44,400
Instagram tags: 500
Les Senteurs, Kensington
Instagram followers: 11,000
Instagram tags: 1,000
34 Mayfair, Mayfair
Instagram followers: 82,200
Instagram tags: 5,000
Drunch, Mayfair
Instagram followers: 461,000
Instagram tags: 1,000
The Dickens Inn, Tower Hamlets
Instagram followers: 6,663
Instagram tags: 1,000
Minnow, Clapham
Instagram followers: 10,000
Instagram tags: 100
Barbara Harris Water Jewels, Kensington
Instagram followers: 944
Instagram tags: 0
