The website for Islington and District Gardeners

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The stunning flowers on the other side feature Dahlias, Gladioli, Roses, Delphiniums, Rhododendron, amongst others. The flower border is framed by a Bacchus vine at one end and two colourful Acer trees at the other.

At the end of the garden there is a tall Mulberry tree that provides shade for the ferns growing underneath. Two beehives house nearly 100,000 bees, producing delicious honey. The bees produce between 60-90 jars of honey each year.

The garden gate leads directly to the Regent's canal where the owners have planted more fruit bushes such as raspberries, blueberries, red and blackcurrants.

A truly diverse garden in the middle of London! They also have an en-suite guest room overlooking the garden for two visitors.

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A tiny back garden - but maybe more than 100 plants. You should see roses, bearded iris, libertia, alliums, aquilegia, possibly aconite, hemerocallis and roses, as well as some new inspiration for 2018.

The owner inherited the basic structure of the garden with its brick floor. Plants seed successfully, often making themselves more useful and behaving better than the carefully chosen and placed original. The owner likes rare plants and jolly annuals. Don’t talk to him about low maintenance.

Of interest now in the front area: Phlomis tuberosa, Tibouchina urvilleana, Pittisporum tobira. And in the back garden: bearded iris, Libertia ixiodes (a special form only available from one nursery), various Aquilegia, Allium ‘Globemaster’, Asphodeline lutea, Rosa ‘Félicité Parmentier’, Rosa ‘Ghislaine de Féligonde’, Clematis ‘Arabella’.

Shrubs and trees in the back garden include Salix exigua, Pseudowintera colorata and Bupleurum fruticosum.

• 4 Arlington Avenue, N1
• 15 Arlington Avenue, N1
• 26 Arlington Avenue, N1
• 21 Arlington Square, N1
• 25 Arlington Square, N1
• 30 Arlington Square, N1
• 5 Rees Street, N1

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Arlington Square is a stirring example of how communal gardening can bring neighbours together, forge friendships and create a beautiful community space.

It is a public square that was laid out by the council in the 1950s, but had recently become pretty neglected. Six years ago the Arlington Association started to renovate the square and reclaim it as a place of peace and beauty.

The Association’s volunteer gardeners now meet every month and have planted more than 50,000 plants, trees, bulbs and shrubs in the square. The square has mature London Plane trees and consequently considerable focus has been on planting for dry shade. This has been very successful and what was once dry earth is now covered in plants. Improving the soil has been key and over 50 tonnes of compost have been added to the beds in recent years.

In the last 12 months many different varieties of Rhododendrons, Cornus, Schefflera and Tree Ferns have been planted to compliment the collection of Magnolias, Acers and Camellias planted in previous years. In recent times HRH, The Prince of Wales and HRH, The Earl of Wessex have made separate visits to the square to see and learn how a community can transform a public space. In 2015 it was voted the nation's fourth favourite green space in a Green Flag online poll.

Arlington Square is now a popular meeting place for local families and much loved by the whole community.

Live music at St James' Vicarage, 1A Arlington Square.

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Two ponds are home to a few elderly golden rudd and an army of frogs. The plant-covered walls are favoured by nesting great and blue tits, wrens, robins and blackbirds. The flower beds have been built up over the years using mainly home-made compost and leaf mould, and the bricks holding back the earth and the York stone were reclaimed from skips and from friends. The rust and black spot on the roses demonstrate this is an organic garden.

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The owner inherited the basic design of the garden, which has always had camellias and roses as the main attraction.The size of the garden limits what can be planted, and the owner's inspiration comes from horticultural shows and RHS gardens.

In the front area, camellias, rhododendrons and arum lilies are grown in pots. In the back, a box hedge dominates the garden with randomly placed rustic obelisks supporting roses. An impressive sculpture from a Chelsea Flower Show Garden is the centrepiece.

The garden featured in an article in the London Evening Standard

Plants are the owners passion; they pack the central bed and spill out onto the other borders. Camelias, hydrangeas, clematis and roses dominate but other unusual plants are of interest throughout the year. The exuberance of the roses, like Compassion, Ferdinand Pichard, Mutabilis, Rosa Mundi, Gentle Hermione, Sir John Mills and the City of York on the arch, hits you like a painter's palette with its flush of the year

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The hard landscaping is very much in line with the philosophy of its owner that nothing should be thrown away and can always have a future life. Consequently this garden is a wonderful addition to the spectrum of the garden styles that comprise the Arlington Square Gardens group which opens for the National Garden Scheme.

The planting is far from mundane, tree ferns, scheffleras and rare angelicas give the garden a feel of the exotic. All thrive under the canopy of a much loved old and gnarled cherry tree.

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

The garden has a number of micro habitats incl. ferneries, a bog garden, stream and pond plantings, rockeries, alpines and shade plantings. Young ferns and plants propagated from specimens in the garden for sale. Cream teas for sale. Indoor pop-up cafe and home-brewed ginger beer with views over the garden when wet.

The garden has over 40 varieties of Japanese acers including Atakama, Baldsmith, Beni Hoshi, Encans, Ellen, Emerald Lace, Flavescens, Green Cascade, Garnet, Goshiki Kotohime, Goshiki Shigare, Kamagata, Mikawa Yatsubusa, Orangeola, Red Autumn Lace, Red Pygmy, Shirasawarum 'Autumn moon', Shishi Yatsubusa, Villa Tiranto, Viridis, Zaaling.

The fern collection continues to expand. We now have over 60 different species and cultivars including specimens of Adiantum aleuticum 'Imbricatum', Asplenium scolopendrium 'Kaye's Lacerated' & Bolton's Nobile, Athyrium x Ghost & Athyrium vidalis, Doodia media, as well as a range of dryopteris and polystichum species and cultivars. The vertical fern panels first planted in 2014 are now well-established. They provide a fine display of less common smaller fern species.

A wide range of young flowering plants and ferns propagated from specimens in the garden will be on sale, most priced at one to two pounds. Some mature specimens of shuttlecock fern and soft shield fern will also be available.

A full list of available plants will be posted up at the beginning of May.

• Barnsbury Wood, N1
• 57 Huntingdon Street, N1
• 2 Lonsdale Square, N1
• 36 Thornhill Square, N1

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The gardens have extensive collections of unusual plants;
57 Huntingdon St is a secluded garden room - an understorey of silver birch and hazel, ferns, native perennials and grasses and two container ponds to encourage wildlife.
2 Lonsdale Square is a charming small cobblestoned garden with herbaceous beds and apple trees, structured with box and yew hedges. Climbing roses and star jasmine add delicious scent; planters overflow with lavender and pansies.
36 Thornhill Square, a 120 ft garden with a country atmosphere, filled with old and new roses and many herbaceous perennials. A bonsai collection will astound!

These gardens have evolved over many years and show what can be achieved in differing spaces with the right plants growing in the right conditions, surmounting the difficulties of dry walls and shade.

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• 100 Downham Road, N1
• 64 Lawford Road, N1
• 1 Northchurch Terrace, N1
• 21 Northchurch Terrace, N1
• 42 Oakley Road, N1
• 10 Ufton Grove, N1

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Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Entrance is via the first floor terrace with raised fernery which overlooks the 75 x 35ft. garden. Steps down lead past a tall cypress with floating seat and a mature acer to a central lawn. To the right is a pond with a 'Monet' bridge, to the left a rock garden and garden swing seat all handmade by the owners. Ahead is the dry garden with a pencil pine, cardoons, a lavender hedge and various Mediterranean plants. It is contained by a path featuring a large bug hotel leading to a paved firepit and art exhibition area at the far end. Flower beds abound on all sides.

The open lawn along with the secluded corners have made it a popular spot for concerts, weddings, and all manner of charity events and parties over the years.

Variety of teas & soft drinks, with a range of cakes & biscuits, all home made; plenty of seating dotted around the garden.

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Sustainability is key to this volunteer-run project, with substantial compost bins to recycle all garden waste and butts to collect rainwater. The ornamental planting has been designed to require minimal watering, and contains a high proportion of plants that are particularly attractive to bees and other insects. Hedges provide food and shelter for the large bird population that has grown significantly since the garden was first planted up in 2008. As a hub for the local community, King Henry’s Walk Garden hosts events throughout the year, including popular seasonal shows, regular talks and workshops on gardening-related topics, and educational sessions for schools.

HRH The Duchess of Cambridge visited King Henry's Walk Garden on January 15th 2019 to see how the project brings people together through gardening and food growing.

The open afternoon will also feature home-made teas and a plant stall.

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

5 Northampton Park is a set in a leafy oasis set within the busy urban environment of North Islington. The old red brick walls which surround it lend an air of peace and tranquility as well as being a remnant of the gardens 160 year history.

The planting within is abundant with an emphasis on contrasting foliage and white/blue flowers. It is divided into three sections: a 'Mediterranean blue' themed gravel area with potted fig tree, vine, palm and a lavender encircled, burgeoning olive tree. The wall is draped in vine, clematis and a relatively new but thriving, colourful cobea climber. The olive tree, blue shed and bench help sustain the feeling that you are in the south of France rather than London!

The middle section includes two big stands of black bamboo which provide an arched entrance from one end of the garden to another. A yew hedge with a white wisteria and honeysuckle arch, then divides the final section from the rest. Red brick paving weaves its way around an oak tree and a holly tree and the sunniest spot in the garden is reserved for a table to sit out and enjoy the view.

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This is a 2 year old garden which is still developing and the plant choices may change as they mature and prove to be suitable or not for container growth. I also hope to win the battle with dozens of squirrels determined to bury their nuts in my pots. Sun and shade need also more observation so this garden will continue to evolve.

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This garden has areas of intense sunlight and deep shade and the planting attempts to take these factors into account. Some of the shrubs are new, others are in their prime. Many are quite large, such as crambe, euphorbia millefera, an unnamed palm and hydrangea quercifolia. The garden has new additions every year as the owner is a plantaholic.

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

The volunteer-run charity Olden Community Garden maintains the garden, for the benefit of people living or working in Islington. The land is owned by Islington Council.

Through partnerships with local groups, people of all ages come to enjoy our special green space in the city. Opportunities for education and recreation help to reduce isolation and increase involvement in the community. Volunteering in the garden is open to all, regardless of ability or disability.

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Divided into three rooms by glass walls, this garden is highly architectural in design. Sculpture and tree ferns form the framework for densely planted beds, which include some unusual plants as well as those more widely seen.

Room 1 comprises a terrace with a water feature, large doors fold back so there is a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor space. A mature grape vine in a large pot covers the rear brick wall. Wisteria and jasmine hang down over high trellises creating a leafy enclosed space.

Room 2 is reached by a flight of steps lined with Crassula ovata (money plants) and a Muehlenbeckia astonii. A subtropical feel is produced by the three large Dicksonia antarctica (tree ferns) that dominate and define this room. Raised beds are closely planted with perenials, including Thalictrum delavayi, Ferula communis and hardy geraniums. Trellising is covered with a range of climbers including clematis and jasmine. A Pseudopanax crassifolius surrounded by Macleaya cordata towers above a small bog garden planted with flag irises set adjacent to Mathiasella bupleuroides.

Room 3 is the seating area at the rear of the garden, with small pots of succulents and cacti and large planters planted boldly with Inula magnifica, Impatiens tinctoria and Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea'.

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The garden contains hundreds of different varieties of herbaceous perennials, including hardy geraniums and heucheras. Many of the unusual perennials are propagated for sale. There are old and new shrub and climbing roses, with good specimens of David Austin's modern English Roses as well as hybrid musks and older roses including Old Blush China and Tuscany Superb. Our dramatic big rambler, Francis E Lester, lost its (dead Silver Birch) support last year, and is being helped to curve over the end wall. We also have two rare examples of 'old' new roses - the single Floribunda Dainty Maid and the single hybrid tea Dusky Maiden. There are many clematis, including Marie Boisselot and C. durandii. There are tender plants in pots on the patio, including Pittosporum tobira and scented pelargoniums, and a small collection of bonsai trees.The garden was begun more than 30 years ago, when it was full of rubble, rough grass and a huge diseased black poplar. It is in a constant state of change as new plants are discovered and somehow made room for. A couple of years ago we created a new short path from the patio, with tall 'see-through' beds either side and these are doing very well.

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Pre-booking Optional, Please click here to go to the NGS booking page to pre-book your tickets

Changing from a much loved cottage garden when we extended our house in 2005, making this garden was a bold move. But now we have a seamless join with our new living room & can sit and enjoy the garden night and day, whatever the weather. There is nothing better than to have the illuminations on in torrential rain & watch the fish swimming in the pond - all from our couch. It is easy to maintain, which is important as we get older & spend more time fulfilling our travel dreams. We have used several mediums including steel, granite & slate, and made use of large mirrors on the walls. There is a large mosaic mural of the Thames & a huge piece of stone with Brazilian fossils that I fell in love with & had shipped over. So it's a bit quirky!

Our front south facing courtyard was completely reorganised during Covid so we could sit outside in the sun & watch the world walk past. Having painted the door bright pink, we bought lots of planters in similar shades, using plants to complement the colour scheme & added lots of lavender for the bees. We are now known as the house with the pink door!

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