South Kensington Roof Garden

Kensington roof garden london s oldest and best roof garden still known to many as derry and toms roof garden recalling the name of the department store which commissioned the garden.
South kensington roof garden. Let us tell you a secret tucked away in the back streets of leafy kensington you ll forget that you re still in central london. Virgin announced in january that it was closing the. The landscape artist in charge of the project was ralph hancock a prominent garden landscaper of the time. The views and atmosphere at the roof garden are first class.
The garden covers 1 5 acres and are 100ft above street level. History of kensington roof gardens. The roof garden in kensington reflects the same design elements as the garden of the nations in new york but on a much smaller scale. The gardens were founded in 1936 3 years after the construction of the department store and completed in 1938.
The attention to detail including heaters and big soft blankets on the roof to wrap yourselves in during the uk s cold period are first class looking directly at st paul s with a cocktail in your hand in dec on the. Kensington roof gardens formerly known as derry and toms roof gardens and later the roof gardens is a private roof garden covering 6 000 square metres 65 000 sq ft on top of the former derry toms building on kensington high street in central london. The roof gardens has now closed virgin limited edition occupied the roof gardens as a tenant from 1981 2018. Kensington roof gardens currently on hiatus though open occasionally for events is the kensington roof gardens one of london s original and most enchanting examples of sky gardening.
Once known as derry and toms roof gardens the gardens started out as a passion project atop of a former department store of the same name derry and toms. Kensington roof gardens one of london s best known party venues is set to reopen as a world class restaurant or members club by early 2020.