00:00Are these the best secret gardens in London?
00:03We ranked our favourites, including rooftop views of the capital's most iconic landmarks
00:07and a gem nestled on London's narrowest street.
00:10One weekend a year, London Open Gardens sees more than 120 green spaces, usually closed
00:16or hidden to the public, open their gates for all to see, with the proceeds going back
00:20into protecting them.
00:23This fairly new rooftop garden in the heart of London provides incredible views of both
00:28St Paul's and the city skyline, forming part of the city's Biodiversity Green Corridor.
00:34You can wind down the narrow, plant-lined boardwalks, or take a seat and relax opposite the iconic
00:39cathedral.
00:42This community garden can be found at the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe, on top of a huge railway
00:47shaft built for the Thames Tunnel, which in 1843 became the first tunnel in the world to
00:53be built under a river.
00:54The shaft is of such historic importance, even the soot that lines the inside is grade
01:002 listed.
01:01It initially opened as a cocktail garden.
01:03In fact, lots of the herbs and plants still growing here are used in mixing drinks, and
01:08you can hear the Windrush line rumbling along beneath it.
01:12Another incredible rooftop view, sitting next to the base of Battersea Power Station's giant
01:17white chimneys, this green space sees nature and ingenuity smashed together.
01:22One of London's largest residential roof gardens, it's a hotbed of bees and butterflies in an
01:28area you probably least expect it.
01:30The 100-metre-tall chimneys make a breathtaking backdrop for the green space in front.
01:36And finally, behind these charming walls nestled on London's narrowest streets, there's this
01:42gem, a 100-year-old elongated private garden featuring a Japanese-inspired water feature
01:48and climbers scaling up the huge walls.
01:50This enchanting plot is bursting with colour, providing a fairytale escape from the bustling
01:55London streets outside.
01:57It's even appeared in Gillian Tyndall's book, The House by the Thames.
02:01These are our top picks, but which one of these is your favourite?
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