Last Sunday I gave myself the morning off writing projects and decided to visit Bonnington Square on the recommendation of my friend Lucy (about 30 mins walk away from our flat). Of course, for many years I had heard about this place of tropical wonder hidden in Vauxhall, somehow involving garden designer Dan Pearson (which I now know about).
Having explored the area for much of my time in London and with the exotic wonders on the other side around Andy’s tropical nursery I had unbelievably passed it by, wrongly assuming it would be a few houses surrounded by Cordylines and tree ferns.
On reading a proof copy of Alice Vincent’s upcoming Rootbound however I discovered more of this place. You’d think that alone would nudge me to go but no, it was actually the book’s overall exploration of all London parks that reminded me of my love of London’s streets when the gardeners come to town.
Somehow I had lost that special feeling and now I am grateful to have found it again, resurrecting my From The Streets blog series. On entering the tube on a misty day I was worried I was visiting at the wrong time of year, not that I would mind as I find parks and gardens in winter enjoyable anyway. As I was soon to discover, I was actually visiting a very special place indeed at the most perfect time of all…
