Not to be confused with Kensington Gardens , Kensington Roof Gardens is the London equivalent of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
In an unlikely location on top of a department store on Kensington High Street, these tranquil gardens were planted in the 1930s and feature a Spanish garden, a Tudor garden, an English woodland garden, and even resident flamingos.
Kensington Roof Gardens Introducción
I learned about Kensington Roof Gardens from David Long’s book Spectacular Vernacular.
Virgin Limited Edition, the luxury portfolio of Virgin Hotels Group Ltd, has owned the gardens since 1981 and renamed them ‘The Roof Gardens’ (although they are still referred to as Kensington Roof Gardens by all).
Combine your visit to Kensington Roof Gardens with a meal at Babylon Restaurant, which serves contemporary British cuisine and overlooks the gardens.
Theme gardens
There are three themed gardens, with over 70 large trees, a flowing stream teeming with resident fish and flamingos: Bill, Ben, Splosh and Pecks.
- Spanish garden
This is the most formal and is based on the Alhambra, the Moorish fortress complex in southern Spain. There are vine-covered fountains and walkways, all centered around a curved sun canopy designed by Bernard George. - Tudor Garden
A smaller formal walled garden with arches and secret corners. It is largely a garden scented with an abundance of lavender, roses and lilies, plus panoramic views over West London through windows on the walled edge. - English Woodland Garden
This winding garden overlooks the main street to the south. There is a wide variety of trees, many with Tree Preservation Orders to protect the garden. There is also a stream and a garden pond that is home to ducks and flamingos.
Historia de Kensington Roof Gardens
The Roof Gardens cover 1.5 acres on top of the old Derry and Toms building on Kensington High Street, making it the largest roof garden in Europe.
1930s
In the 1930s Trevor Bowen (the vice president of Barkers, the Kensington department store that owned the site and built the building in 1932) commissioned Ralph Hancock, a leading landscape gardener, to create the gardens. The gardens were designed between 1936 and 1938 at a cost of £ 25,000.
1970s
The department store building was Derry and Toms until 1973 and some people still refer to the gardens as ‘Derry and Toms Gardens’. It was then the infamous Biba store until 1975.
The gardens were declared a Grade II classified site by English Heritage in 1978.
1980s
The gardens were largely abandoned until Virgin took over in 1981. Virgin uses The Roof Gardens for luxury private entertainment, but the good news is that the gardens are open to the public unless pre-booked by a private party.
How to visit Kensington Roof Gardens
The Roof Gardens is located at 99 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA. Access to the building is via Derry Street, which forks into Kensington High Street.
Nearest Tube Station: High Street Kensington
Use Journey Planner to plan your route on public transportation.
The Roof Gardens is open to the public, unless in use for a private event or annual winter maintenance. Always call first to verify: 020 7937 7994.
