Find the best cherry blossom spots in London before the petals fall, from a secret Mayfair garden to the pink blossom tunnel in Greenwich Park.
Cherry blossom season is one of the most beautiful times of year in London, but it’s also one of the shortest. Most trees are in bloom for just two to three weeks, usually between late March and late April, and a single windy day can bring the petals down early.
If you want to catch them at their best, it’s good to know where to look. Here are the best spots across the city to see the blossoms with the family.
When is cherry blossom season in London?
The timing shifts a little each year depending on the weather: a mild winter brings the blossoms earlier, a cold one pushes them into April or even early May. As a rule, late March to mid-April is your best window.
This spring things are moving quickly. Some spots, including Aldgate Square, were already showing colour in early March. If you’re planning a blossom walk, try to get the timing right.
Central London
Birdcage Walk, St James’s Park
There aren’t many cherry trees in St James’s Park, but the ones it has are in a pretty special spot. Walk to the Buckingham Palace end of the lake, face toward Horse Guards, and you’ll find a cherry tree leaning over the water with Whitehall behind it.
These trees tend to be among the first in the city to flower, so go early in the season.
Nearest Tube: St James’s Park or Green Park.
Mount Street Gardens, Mayfair
A small, quiet garden tucked into the middle of Mayfair, and one of the best-kept blossom secrets in central London.
The cherry trees here are full and generous, more so than you’d expect from a garden this size. And there are plenty of benches if you want to sit down with a coffee and enjoy them.
Nearest Tube: Green Park or Bond Street.
North London
Chester Road + The Avenue Gardens, Regent’s Park
This is one of the most impressive blossom walks in London. The Sunset Boulevard cherry trees along Chester Road form a tunnel of white and pink when they’re in bloom, tall and striking, especially on a bright day.
For more, head into the park to the south end of the Avenue Gardens, where a cluster of pink trees arch over the path near the Broad Walk. Good for a longer spring walk.
Nearest Tube: Regent’s Park or Baker Street.
Swiss Cottage Open Space
Easy to walk past without noticing. There’s a neat row of cherry trees along the path outside Hampstead Theatre that’s worth a quick detour in spring. A calm local spot with none of the weekend crowds you’ll find at the bigger parks. Nearest Tube: Swiss Cottage.
Cranley Gardens, Muswell Hill
A mile-long street lined exclusively with cherry trees, with views across London from the top of the hill.
When it’s in full bloom, it’s one of the great street blossom walks in the city. Combine with a wander around Muswell Hill and a stop for lunch or coffee.
Nearest station: Alexandra Palace, or bus from Highgate.
Cecile Park, Crouch End
Despite the name, Cecile Park is a street, and in spring it’s lined with cherry trees from end to end. The canopy when they’re in full bloom is lovely. A good excuse to explore Crouch End if you haven’t been, with plenty of independent cafes nearby.
Nearest station: Hornsey or Crouch Hill.
West London
Kew Gardens, Richmond
If you want the most concentrated blossom display in London, Kew is hard to beat. Start behind the Palm House, where multiple varieties of cherry tree line the path, then follow the route as it becomes Cherry Walk, a straight path running toward the Temperate House with deeper pink blossom on both sides. The Pagoda is visible at the end if you frame the shot right.
It’s worth knowing that entry isn’t free: tickets are £16–£24 for adults and £9 for children, though concessions are available. Book ahead during peak bloom weeks as it gets busy. Nearest station: Kew Gardens.
Kyoto Garden, Holland Park
The Kyoto Garden was built in 1991 to mark the Japan Festival in London, and in spring the pale pink cherry trees around the koi pond and waterfall are at their best.
Free to enter and easy to combine with a wider walk through Holland Park.
Nearest Tube: Holland Park or High Street Kensington.
Stanley Crescent, Notting Hill
At the corner of Kensington Park Gardens and Stanley Crescent, a small garden fills with cherry blossom in spring, framed by the grand houses behind.
One of Notting Hill’s better-known blossom spots, and much quieter than the Portobello Road stretch.
Nearest Tube: Notting Hill Gate or Ladbroke Grove.
Spring Tree Walk, Battersea Park
Battersea Park tends to get overlooked in favour of the Royal Parks nearby, but Spring Tree Walk is one of the nicest blossom strolls in the city. The trees line the riverside paths with the Battersea Power Station chimneys behind them.
The park also has a children’s zoo, a boating lake and a café, so there’s plenty to keep kids busy beyond the blossom.
Nearest station: Battersea Power Station or Queenstown Road.
Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith
A friendly local park with a good spread of cherry trees and a pathway that comes into its own in late March and April.
There’s a paddling pool and a café on site, which makes it an easy family morning out.
Nearest Tube: Ravenscourt Park.
Lancaster Gate, Kensington Gardens
Enter Kensington Gardens at Lancaster Gate in spring and you walk straight into cherry blossom.
From there it’s worth heading down toward the Albert Memorial, where there are more trees at the southern end of the gardens. A natural add-on to a Hyde Park visit.
Nearest Tube: Lancaster Gate.
Staveley Road, Chiswick
A quiet Chiswick street lined with around 99 Kanzan cherry trees, leading to the entrance of Chiswick Park. One of west London’s best spring walks, and easy to combine with a coffee stop on Chiswick High Road.
Nearest Tube: Gunnersbury or Stamford Brook.
East London
Vallance Road, Whitechapel
Not somewhere you’d expect to find a blossom walk, but that’s what makes it worth knowing about.
A tightly packed row of cherry trees sits on a small grassy bank at the junction with Wodeham Gardens, a genuine surprise in an otherwise ordinary stretch of east London. A few minutes’ walk from Whitechapel station.
Nearest Tube: Whitechapel.
The London Blossom Garden, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
This one is a little different from the others on this list. The London Blossom Garden was planted in 2021 as a memorial to those who died during the Covid-19 pandemic, with 33 blossom trees, one for each London borough plus the City.
It’s a peaceful, thoughtful space, and a beautiful one. Worth visiting with kids old enough to understand the story behind it. The Timber Lodge Cafe is nearby. Nearest station: Stratford or Hackney Wick.
Aldgate Square
One of the first spots in the city to bloom each year. The square next to St Botolph without Aldgate church is lined on both sides with cherry trees, and the more sheltered eastern side was already showing colour in early March this year. A handy stop if you’re passing through the City with kids.
Nearest Tube: Aldgate.
South London
Greenwich Park, toward Ranger’s House
The most well-known cherry blossom spot in London, and it earns the reputation. Walk up the hill past the Royal Observatory, follow Blackheath Avenue, and take the footpath toward Ranger’s House.
The trees lean into each other to form a pink tunnel overhead that’s worth getting there early for. It gets very busy at weekends.
Nearest station: Greenwich or Maze Hill.
Peckham Rye Park
A good, unhurried option for south London families. Peckham Rye Park has a solid scattering of cherry trees and lots of open space for kids to run around once you’ve done the blossom walk. Less busy than the bigger parks, which is part of the appeal.
Nearest station: Peckham Rye.
Horniman Museum + Gardens, Forest Hill
The Horniman’s gardens are worth a visit at any time of year, and spring adds cherry trees dotted across the grounds with good views out across the city from the upper terraces.
Entry to the museum and gardens is free, with some exhibitions charging separately. Combine the blossom walk with the aquarium and natural history collection inside.
Nearest station: Forest Hill.
Tower Bridge Road, off Tanner Street
A stretch of wide pavement lined with cherry trees, just south of the railway at the junction with Tanner Street. Not a destination in itself, but a nice bonus if you’re already heading to Borough Market or walking along the riverside.
Nearest Tube: London Bridge.
Tips for enjoying blossom season
Go on a dry, bright day if you can, the trees look their best in sunshine and petals come down fast in wind and rain. For the busiest spots like Greenwich Park and Regent’s Park, a weekday morning is much more enjoyable than a weekend afternoon.
If you want to combine blossom-spotting with a proper day out, the Horniman Museum, Battersea Park and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park all have plenty to keep kids busy beyond the trees.