1.  Battersea Park

Festival Gardens, Peace Pagoda, Henry Moore sculpture, Exotic trees and 200 acres of lively park and amenities. All these features and more are to be found on the southside of the Thames opposite Chelsea.

2.  Hampstead Heath

Heather and heathland plants attract birds including flamingos and parakeets. The Pergola and Mawson Hill garden planting are worth a visit in this ‘green lung’ of London that has (or suffers) 10 million visits a year.

3.  Regents Park

John Nash created a formal circular design containing Queen Mary’s gardens at the centre. Regents canal, London Zoo (for garden compost no doubt), Primrose Hill, sports facilities and lots of green space are available for exploration.

4.  St. James’s Park

Despite its central location it has an intimacy and accessibility that can be squeezed into a 15 minute short cut to Buckingham Palace or used for a half day picnic and rest of weary legs.

5.  Horniman Museum Gardens

Despite the 5 acre nature trail this is a smaller well maintained garden park with herbaceous borders roses, sunken gardens and floral displays through summer.

Other Parks that missed my top 5

Green Park. Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens (although I should have made space for this).
Plant nursery at West Ham Park, 1810 garden at Holland Park, and Victoria & Mile End Park both close to Mile end tube station.

Further out you could include Richmond Park, Eastbrookend Country Park and Chiswick House