Secret gardens beat the usual London rush. This private day threads together hidden green spaces near busy landmarks, with guided plant stories and a real British pause for high tea. I especially like how the route balances quiet church gardens with two major garden institutions, and how you get inside places most people walk past without noticing. One thing to consider: it’s a moderate walking day, and garden opening times can affect how quickly you reach the biggest payoff stops.

If you want the comfort of going one-on-one (or just a small private group), this tour is built for that pace. You meet at St Martin-in-the-Fields, then bounce between neighborhoods by classic black cab instead of spending your time stalled in traffic. I also like that you’re not just “looking”—you’re learning, especially at the Chelsea Physic Garden.

Key points to know before you go

• Meet at St Martin-in-the-Fields (Trafalgar Square area) for a smooth start and easy orientation
• Black cab transport between garden clusters saves your feet for walking the garden paths
• Chelsea Physic Garden focuses on medicinal plants in a way that feels practical, not just decorative
• Lincoln’s Inn Fields + John Soane Museum adds statuary and antiques alongside garden pockets
• London Garden Museum at Lambeth Palace includes a knot garden dating to the 1600s
• High tea is included at the end of the garden stops, so you’re not hunting food on your own

Starting at St Martin-in-the-Fields: your London garden compass

Your day begins at the front steps of St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, on the east side of Trafalgar Square. That location is handy: you get a central starting point, but the tour quickly moves you away from the main tourist lanes and into small, calmer green pockets.

This is also a smart structure for garden lovers. You’re not zigzagging across the city without breaks—you’re grouping stops by area, and then linking those areas with black cab rides. The result is less time planning and more time actually wandering.

One practical tip: wear shoes you can walk in for a few hours. The “moderate fitness” note matters here, because the charm of these gardens comes from moving between them on foot, then reconnecting by cab.

Covent Garden’s Actors’ Church garden and a rose corner near the square

After you start around St Martin-in-the-Fields, the route heads toward the Covent Garden area. One early highlight is the Actor’s Church garden at Covent Garden, a tucked-in feeling space right near a place that’s usually loud and crowded.

From there, you’ll also have a rose garden moment tied to the Covent Garden church area—one of those small details that makes London feel livable again. These are the kinds of gardens I love on this type of tour: not the giant, ticket-grab ones, but the ones that give you a breath of scent and color inside the city.

The tradeoff is time. Tiny gardens can be quick to appreciate, so your guide’s pacing matters. If you’re the kind of person who likes to linger, look for a moment to ask what to notice—flowers, wall textures, seasonal structure—so the stop gives you something more than a quick photo.

Lincoln’s Inn Fields: London’s big city square with garden pockets

Next comes Lincoln’s Inn Fields, described as London’s largest city square. This is where the tour switches from “secret garden hunting” to “secret garden spotting,” because the area’s scale lets you feel the contrast between legal-institution buildings and green breathing space.

You’ll be moving through the square toward the John Soane Museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The museum is included for a reason: it brings the eye back indoors, with antiques and even garden statuary that connects the idea of collecting with the outdoor garden world.

Even if you’re not a museum superfan, this stop is useful. It gives you context for why British historic gardens often come with a strong decorative and symbolic streak—things weren’t only grown, they were arranged, admired, and displayed.

A specific detail I like here: you walk through a bamboo garden as part of the route toward Temple Gardens. That’s a nice change of texture—bamboo has a different look than the typical hedge-and-flower view, and it helps reset your senses between stops.

Temple Gardens and the Inns of Court side-doors you’ll actually remember

From Lincoln’s Inn Fields, you continue toward Temple Gardens, hidden among the Inns of Court. These are the kinds of green spaces that make London feel layered: formal buildings, then suddenly a garden feel that’s quieter and more private.

This is also where the tour’s “secret” identity really shows. Temple Gardens are not about being famous—they’re about being placed well, protected by the surrounding institution buildings, and ready for you to slow down.

One drawback to keep in mind: you’ll cover a fair bit on foot here, and because it’s a private walking tour, you can’t just stroll at your own speed whenever you want. If you like to rest often, plan for it by taking a short pause after each cab ride—those transitions give you natural reset moments.

London Garden Museum at Lambeth Palace: knot garden and a thoughtful museum stop

Then you’ll drive toward the Embankment and cross the River Thames to reach the London Garden Museum at Lambeth Palace. That cab crossing is not only practical; it gives you a city-scale view of how far these garden pockets are from the core tourist grid.

At the London Garden Museum, you get excellent displays and a knot garden from the 1600s. A knot garden is one of those garden forms that rewards time: it’s geometric, it’s designed, and it connects you to the way older garden-makers thought about order and beauty.

You’ll also have access to a café at the museum where you can refresh with tea or coffee. Even though high tea is included later, this café break is valuable because it helps you avoid the “we’re tired before the best stop” problem.

I like this mid-tour museum stop because it anchors the day. The morning gives you small-to-medium hidden gardens, then you get a more interpretive experience that explains what you’re seeing and why it’s historically important.

Chelsea Physic Garden: medicinal plants and the apothecary story

The heart of the tour is Chelsea Physic Garden, established in 1673 and known for apothecary plants and trees. This is where you’ll learn about plants with real-world medicinal uses—an angle that turns garden viewing into something more like a living science story.

You’ll tour the garden with one of their own gardener guides. That matters, because the best garden explanations aren’t general facts—they’re the kind of detail that comes from caring for the place day to day. You’ll get the “how it’s used, why it grows here, what it was valued for” type of perspective.

Also note the atmosphere and setting. Chelsea Physic Garden feels like a green pause in a busy part of London, and the tour includes time in surrounding grounds, including the sunken garden in the palace grounds. A sunken garden tends to feel cooler and more sheltered, and it’s a nice visual payoff after a day of moving between courtyards and buildings.

If you’re sensitive to walking distances, this is the moment to pace yourself. The Physic Garden stop is the biggest payoff, so don’t burn your energy too early in the day.

High tea at Chelsea Physic Garden: included and worth budgeting for

After the garden time, you’ll enjoy a traditional English High Tea at Chelsea Physic Garden. The fact that it’s included is a real value point, because tea service in London adds up fast once you’re moving between neighborhoods.

What I like about this placement is timing. You finish your walking-heavy day with a sit-down meal instead of stretching the day further. It also keeps the experience cohesive: the tea isn’t an optional extra you scramble for; it’s part of the setting and part of the garden day.

One small caution: additional tea/coffee and snacks are not included. If you know you’ll want extra bites or refills beyond the set high tea, budget for that in advance.

Private tour pricing and what you’re really paying for

The tour is listed at $526 per person for this private experience. There’s also a pricing note that shows £325 per person for a couple, with a reduced per-person rate when you add more people. If you’re comparing it to group tours, that difference is usually the point: this is a route built around a guide, admissions, and transport, not just a shared walking itinerary.

So where does the value come from?

• Black cab transport is included, which is a big deal in London.
• All admission fees are included, so you don’t get hit with extra entry charges mid-day.
• High tea is included, meaning the day ends with something tangible instead of just more walking.

At the same time, private tours demand flexibility. If you hate walking or you’re prone to fatigue, you may feel the cost more sharply because there’s less opportunity to opt out of parts of the route.

Also watch the schedule window. The tour runs daily except Saturdays during London’s garden season, from April 1 to September 30. That matters if you’re planning outside those months.

How to match this tour to your travel style

This is the kind of day you’ll love if you:

• enjoy plant-focused stories, especially when they connect to how people used plants over time
• like smaller, less obvious garden spaces near major landmarks
• want a guided day instead of trying to self-route multiple garden sites

It’s less ideal if you:

• want a low-walking day with lots of long stops
• rely on midday exactness and don’t like any built-in variability from garden opening times

One pacing reality to keep in mind: the best garden moments can depend on when specific spaces are open. The tour’s flow is designed to cover multiple gardens in one day, but if your style is ultra-schedule-driven, I’d plan mentally for a few minutes of waiting at openings. The payoff tends to be worth it.

Should you book Secret Gardens of London Private Tour?

I’d book this if you’re a garden lover who wants more than famous sights. The combination of Chelsea Physic Garden’s medicinal plant focus, the London Garden Museum’s 1600s knot garden, and the quiet context of Lincoln’s Inn Fields and Temple Gardens makes this feel like a curated day for people who care about how gardens work, not just how they look.

I wouldn’t book it if you’re expecting a light stroll with minimal walking. This is a walking day with scheduled stops and cabs between them, and you’ll want comfortable shoes and patience for timing.

If you fit the sweet spot—curious about plants, happy to walk, and excited by gardens inside London’s built-up fabric—this private tour is a strong way to see London with your eyes turned toward green.

FAQ

What is the duration of the Secret Gardens of London Private Tour?

It’s listed as a 1-day experience. Check availability to see starting times.

Where do I meet the guide?

You meet at the front steps of St Martin in the Fields Church, on the east side of Trafalgar Square.

Is this tour private?

Yes. It’s a private group experience with a live English guide.

What’s included in the price?

Transportation by black cab, informative guide, all admission fees, and English high tea are included.

What about meals or extra drinks?

Additional tea/coffee and snacks are not included beyond what’s part of the high tea.

When does the tour run?

It runs daily except Saturdays during London’s garden season from April 1 to September 30.

Is there a fitness requirement?

The guided walking tour requires moderate fitness.

Are children welcome?

Children 5 and under are free.

Experience Provider

Greenwich Royal Tours

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