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Kensington Gardens Review

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Kensington Gardens

Address: Kensington, London | Map It
www.royalparks.gov.uk

Category: Parks
Location: Notting Hill and Bayswater

Write a review | Avg. member rating: 4.4/5

Fodor's Review:

More formal than neighboring Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens was first laid out as palace grounds for William III.He was attracted to the location for its clean air and tranquility, and subsequently commissioned Sir Christopher Wren for the splendid Kensington Palace. To the north of the palace complex is the early-20th century Sunken Garden. Nearby is George Frampton's beloved 1912 Peter Pan, a bronze of the boy who lived on an island in the Serpentine and never grew up, and whose creator, J.M. Barrie, lived at 100 Bayswater Road, not 500 yards from here. The Round Pond is a magnet for model-boat enthusiasts and duck feeders. The fabulous Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground has specially designed structures and areas on the theme of Barrie's Neverland. Just outside its bounds is Ivor Innes's Elfin Oak, the remains of a tree carved with scores of tiny woodland creatures. One of the park's most striking monuments is the Albert Memorial,a Victorian high-gothic celebration of Prince Albert. Nearby, the Serpentine Gallery has not been afraid of courting controversy with its temporary exhibitions of challenging contemporary works.

Open: Daily 6 am-dusk
Tube: Kensington High Street, Lancaster Gate, Queensway, South Kensington

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Member Reviews and Ratings

Reviewed by bachslunch from US on 4/2/08
Blends right into Hyde Park, and has some must-sees such as the Italian Garden (fountains and flowers) and the strikingly ornate Albert Memorial. Pleasant, wide-open park with a small waterfowl pool.