This weekend, discover the enchanting Cadogan Place Gardens, a hidden treasure in the heart of Chelsea that’s usually only accessible to the lucky residential key-holders and guests at neighbouring hotels. 

As part of London Open Gardens, the Gardens will open their gates to visitors on the weekend of 10 and 11 June, 2023, from 10am to 4pm, when you can explore the remarkable flora usually tucked away behind the gates of Sloane Street.

Cadogan Place South Garden is one of London’s most historic gardens and was originally known as the London Botanic Garden, incorporating a school and library. In 1777, the eponymous square surrounding the gardens was the first site to be developed by Henry Holland, architect to the Georgian aristocracy.

The black mulberry trees on the lawn are said to be around 300 years old and are thought perhaps to have been grown for the silk trade. Alas, they were the wrong variety of mulberry but are beautiful, nonetheless. 

On the east side, a walk running the length of the garden is in full bloom and, near the tennis courts, black bamboo and willows screen a calming water garden. And be sure to find the mature magnolia soulangeana under-planted with bluebells and hyacinths at the south end of the garden.

Head to the artisan food stores on Pavilion Road to pick up picnic essentials and enjoy an afternoon exploring the beauty of these special places. Tickets are £20 and include entry to all of central London’s private, secret and little-known gardens during the weekend*, or access to just the Cadogan Place Gardens can be purchased for £5 on the gate.

There will also be afternoon tea available, including scones with all the trimmings, sausage rolls, ice cream and soft drinks, plus there will be a pop-up stand from the LaLee.

The original 1806 layout of Cadogan Place North Garden by Humphry Repton may have vanished but the Garden’s history remains fascinating. During World War II, a portion of the garden was repurposed for a barrage balloon and the War Office took control, transforming it into a base for tanks, anti-aircraft guns, and troops. 

In the 1970s, the garden underwent a re-landscaping to accommodate an underground car park, technically making this a rooftop garden. The shallow soil in the garden creates a unique microclimate, acting as a bellwether for climate change across the estate. 

Be sure to take in the lawn with its central rose beds and the pergola with seating, which would make a perfect place for a marriage proposal, in our opinion.

And if you can’t make it this weekend, guests staying at Beaverbrook Town House, The Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel and The Carlton Tower, Jumeirah, have access to the gardens year-round. 

*Some exclusions apply. Please click here for more details.