The garden squares that many residents now know and love had slightly more humble beginnings and have seen vast change over the years. From simple lawn and pathways, through to the vegetable growing during the war the garden square has now developed into a private area of beauty for those residents lucky enough to have privileged access.

The majority of garden squares are closed to the public and only accessed by residents living in the immediate vicinity of the garden square.

As such, many gardens are protected around the edges by railings / hedges and shrubbery to maintain their privacy.

Many have open vistas that allow glimmers of beauty to the passer by.

The garden squares and communal gardens that exist in London truly are one of the hidden gems of this wonderful city and provide a safe haven for children and relaxation throughout the year.

It is imperative that these havens are maintained to the highest of standards to ensure that both current and future generations benefit from their true potential and beauty.

It is reassuring to know that despite the high cost of land within the city, legislation now exists to protect these green spaces from development. Throughout the years many of the gardens have seen change – mostly one would hope for the better.

Most gardens contain a healthy mix of trees, lawn and planted beds of mature shrubs / perennials.

The balance of a garden is often difficult to maintain and requires a lot of work / planning.

As such a balancing act between the needs of nature and people is often required.

Day to day management is imperative as is the longer term vision and planning of strategies within the gardens.

As per previous generations have done for us with a reasonable degree of foresight, it is equally our responsibility to do so for our children and future generations to come.

Consideration to environmental and ecological factors such as wildlife, tree management, soil management and planting schemes are all crucial to the longer term sustainability of garden squares throughout London.

This longer term consideration will both preserve and improve the enjoyment of gardens in centuries to come.

In addition to the outlined introduction above, there are further huge databases of knowledge regarding garden squares and communal gardens throughout London.

Notable examples include archives by The London Parks and Garden Trust or The British History online resources.

Both of which will uncover a whole wealth of information and history on garden squares that has been painstakingly researched to give all information one could possibly require of historical events / figures throughout the centuries.

Here at One Two Tree we are familiar with quite a few of the garden squares and communal gardens within West London but are always interested to visit and learn more about both garden squares and communal gardens throughout London.

We would as such be delighted to hear from you if you have access to a communal garden that we could come to visit and to take a look around.

It is still an eye opener to discover the beauty that lies hidden behind the high walls / hedges throughout the city and always particularly nice to meet people with an equal passion for their garden.