Why London’s Garden Museum is an underrated city highlight everyone should visit

The Dragon Tree: Socotra. Photo / Andrew Svk, Unsplash
Matt Collins, author of Lonely Planet’s The Tree Atlas and Head Gardener at London’s Garden Museum talks to Travel about trees, London’s best green spaces and US road trips.
The intent of the book is foremost to champion the world’s tree species diversity: to celebrate not only the unique physicality, utility and beauty of the 50 trees chosen from across the globe, but also their essential place within the environment of their origin and what they tell us about particular landscapes and cultures alike. As a travel book, the message is also that these trees don’t necessarily exist out in the remote wilds: many are very accessible and you can get up close to them, touch and experience them, and the more that we connect with nature at a personal level, the more likely we are to champion and protect it.
READ MORE: Lonely Planet book author Anita Isalska learns about life and death from cultures around the world
It’s always going to be hard picking just a few trees from the book, as those chosen are themselves only 50 out of a possible 70,000+ global tree species … But among my personal favourites – of those outside New Zealand, anyway – would certainly be the stately European beech, host tree of magnificent blue bluebell carpets in spring; the curious Namibian quiver tree, a giant succulent in the same family as the Aloe vera that thrives in one of the sunniest, driest places on earth; Chile’s enormous and unfathomably ancient alerce tree; the flaming yellow aspen of montane Colorado, which grows in vast colonies stemming from one single root system, and then for outrageous blossom, either Japan’s iconic cherry or the vivid purple of Argentina’s jacaranda. To catch either of the latter in their brief seasonal moment of dramatic colour, particularly in a city context, is an experience literally anyone will connect with, and one that brings people together.
The Garden Museum is housed inside a deconsecrated 14th-century church in central London, on the south bank of the Thames facing the Houses of Parliament. The church, which had been due for demolition, became a museum celebrating the art and culture of gardening in 1977, owing to the rediscovery of the tomb of the Tradescants – father and son gardeners and plant collectors of the 17th century – in the churchyard. New contemporary buildings have since been added to the church building, facilitating exhibition and education spaces, new gardens (of course!) and a new, very popular cafe-restaurant. In the last few years, the Garden Museum has become a real hub for amateur and professional gardeners alike; a unique place in London to attend an interesting talk, exhibition, practical workshop or general get-together. It’s developed a real sense of place and a particular atmosphere enjoyed by new and returning visitors.
It’s a little museum – two hours would give you enough time to take it all in. Take a walk around the permanent collection (paintings, garden designs, historic tools and artefacts), look at the current exhibition and the Tradescant Ark, visit the new and productive community garden, and have coffee or lunch at the award-winning cafe, which can be enjoyed in the lush and tranquil Dan Pearson-designed courtyard garden. A “must-see” for those able, is the museum’s medieval tower, which you can climb (131 spiralling steps) to heady views of the Thames, Big Ben, the London Eye and the palaces of Westminster and Lambeth.
The museum has some interesting fruit tree species including medlar, mulberry and strawberry trees, but a favourite rare plant in the collection is a species of tree dahlia – a huge specimen from the Tamaulipas region of north-eastern Mexico. It was given to us by nurseryman Nick Macer, who saw it growing in the Sierra Madre mountains, and its stunning lavender-pink flowers bloom on three metre-high stems right at the end of the year when most other UK garden plants have finished. It’s a remarkable plant and always eye-catching for visitors.
A real favourite New Zealander in the museum’s collection is the “bush flax”, Astelia nervosa. In New Zealand it’s a woodlander, growing in the dim understory as a mass of narrow, speared, silvery green leaves. Although smallish in size when compared with other popular garden astelias, nervosa shines brightly for a plant in the shade – I absolutely love it and regularly recommend it to inner-city Londoners whose sunlight is often restricted by tall buildings.
The museum is a great place for visiting families. There are books and toys for younger children, explorer backpacks and an activity trail. There are cooking sessions and gardening workshops for all ages, and each year the museum hosts a “Festival of Fairytales”, guest-curated to explore a different garden-related theme each time, from garden bugs to growing wild.
Undoubtedly, the many diverse landscapes of the USA are a continual draw for me. Given the size of the country and the completely contrasting environments – from coniferous and broadleaf forest to desert and swamp – I’ve found myself returning year after year for over a decade now, whether with friends, family or on solo trips. Disappearing off on a road trip alone, exploring any one particular state, has become something of an escape and brain-recharging getaway for me. I’ll take any opportunity I can to get to know some new corner of the country, all the more so if the plant life is particularly interesting. Most recently I spent time in Virginia on the east coast, immersing in the swampy cypress trees and stunning deciduous forests of Appalachia. That said, I’ve been thinking that it’s high time for a New Zealand road trip…
London isn’t the most relaxing of cities, though it is known for its amazing parks and green spaces, 3000 in total, apparently. Swimming in the lakes on Hampstead Heath with friends was a daily post-work ritual for me when I lived in North London – a huge green oasis you could immerse in within the city. The ponds are surrounded by great beech and oak trees, and kingfishers fly past you while you swim. Equally, there are some great bars close to the Garden Museum in Waterloo. I’ve always loved the low-key feel of Waterloo, with its old, unchanged streets, unpretentious outlets, street market and hidden-gem pubs. It’s surprisingly relaxed for central London.
Written and compiled by leading arboreal expert Matthew Collins, the Head Gardener at London’s Garden Museum and gardening contributor to The Guardian and The Times, and UK garden writer Thomas Rutter, “The Tree Atlas” by Lonely Planet reveals 50 of the world’s most amazing trees.
The Tree Atlas by Lonely Planet, $80 RRP. shop.lonelyplanet.com