These massive private gardens are open to the public the first Friday of the month from April to September. Lambeth Palace has been the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury since 1197 and is home to one of the oldest gardens in England. Come see its abundance of lavender beds against a fairytale backdrop of medieval turrets and stone battlements.

Kew is filled with all manner of gardens: rose gardens, Japanese gardens, grass gardens. However, their most impressive hortological exhibit has to be the Great Broad Walk Borders, apparently 'the longest herbaceous borders in the country' which lead visitors down a trail of colour and scents for 320 metres.

It’s quite an experience entering the ornate gates of this regal garden and being confronted with sweeping vistas of colour. Queen Mary’s Gardens boasts London's largest collection of roses – approximately 12,000 in 85 different varieties. With plenty of benches dotted around you can spend the whole day reading and lounging amongst these fecund flowerbeds.

Hyde Park also stakes its claim on the English rose garden and channels novelistic romance with charming pergolas and fountains dotted around. Look out for the curvilinear flower beds which are shaped to look like musical notes.

Holland Park is a horticultural haven known for showcasing international garden styles – most famous is their Kyoto Garden, which invites visitors to find their zen amongst tiered waterfalls and koi carp. For luscious blooms however, head to the park's Dutch Garden where tulips and yellow irises sprout jubilantly from their beds to greet the warmer months. See them in their full glory in mid April.

From bluebells and marigolds to their famous pink azaleas, Richmond Park's Isabella Plantation will offer a cornucopia of floral delights throughout the seasons. But for true botanical treasures, head to Chiswick House's Kenwood Garden to see the world's rarest varieties of camellias which bloom in pink and white.