Англійська мова. "London Parks"

It is the smallest of capital’s eight Royal Parks. It has a triangle shape and it is situated next to Buckingham Palace. Originally the park was opened as a hunting ground by Charles II. Only in 1826 this park became available to public.

Nowadays this park attracts hundreds of people every day who come there to have picnics on grass, to lounge on alluring deсkchairs or to walk around, delighting the atmosphere and nature.

It is also one of the Royal Parks but it is considered to be one of the largest ones and certainly the most famous. This park used to be a hunting area as well. Henry VIII appropriated this land from monks of Westminster Abbey for hunting deer. Even when it was open to the public, the park was visitied exclusively by the upper class.

Now the park is a place of great interest not only bacause of its beauty but also of the oldest boat lake,

It is fittingly surrounded by three royal palaces. Covering 23 hectares (58 acres) it has a large central lake that hosts a noisy colony of pelicans (see them fed around 2.30 p.m. each day). The park is also home to Horse Guards Parade and the Mall - the setting for countless ceremonial parades - and the trendy Inn The Park cafe.

Every year thousands of locals and tourists visit this area (111 hectares, 270 acres). Kensington Palace, the Italian Gardens, the Albert Memorial, the Peter Pan Statue and the Serpantine Galleries are all located here. Boasting formal avenues of majestic trees and gorgeous flower beds, the gardens are also home to the popular Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground.

Officially, this green space spans 166 hectares (410 acres) and was designed at the turn of the nineteenth century by famous British architect John Nash. It includes stunning rose gardens and has the largest outdoor sports area in London, with facilities for football, softball, rugby and cricket. There park is home to many wild bird species, and there is also an al fresco theatre.

It is the oldest of the Royal Parks, offering beautiful views over the River Thames and Canary Wharf on a clear day. Be sure to keep an eye out for the small herds of deer that live here. This is the perfect place to take a break between visiting park's other attractions, boasting three cafes, a bandstand and a children's playground.

A stone's throw from the celebrated royal palace at Hampton Court, this park is the second largest of the Royal Parks. Not as famous as London's other parks, the grassland, woodland and meandering rivers here nevertheless hide a fascinating history. A settlement for over 4,000 years, a number of interesting items have been found in the park - archaeologists recently unearthed a Bronze Age burial mound and barrow, the contents of which are now on display in the British Museum.

Today this park is a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors, take some exercise, and, weather permitting, watch the sun dip below the horizon. The park's most notable feature is Chestnut Avenue, a mile long thoroughfare designed by Sir Christopher Wren and flanked by rows of magnificent horse chestnut trees that end at the Diana Fountain.

Covering around 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) and only 30 minutes from central London, this is true English countryside. It is the largest of the capital's royal parks and is home to large wild herds of Red and Fallow deer. The park also boasts some great cycle lanes, riding stables and two golf courses. The views from the top of Richmond Hill are so great they are actually protected by an act of Parliament.

Wherever you chose to wander - via the ponds and Deer Park or around the numerous lodges - be sure to explore the magnificent Isabella Plantation. Heavily wooded and wholly organic, this heavenly garden bursts with azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias.

It is one of North London's greatest and most well-known open spaces, as well as one of the first, being created in the Victorian era. The petition for the park was started in 1841 with the objective of improving conditions for the poor people of Finsbury. This park is now a well-kept, frequently-used London park, equipped with a running track, tennis courts, a skate park, a baseball field and an art gallery. It is also used as a venue for music concerts.

It was opened to the public in 1888 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. It is Acton's largest open space and contains many features that make it stand out from other parks, including the 'Twilight Tree', a fantastic playground, a children's centre, tennis courts, a pond, a basketball court and, most recently, a miniature golf course.

Green roofs have come on a bit since the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Once viewed as quirky, one-off projects by those with tree hugging tendencies, green roofs are now transforming the London skyline as residents and businesses take an elevated approach to improving the capital's biodiversity, liveability and ability to handle the vagaries of climate change.

Today all kinds of elaborate and exciting green spaces - together with complimentary fauna - are starting to appear on buildings. Way up above the capital's bustling streets, rooftops old and new are now morphing into vibrant flower, fruit and vegetable gardens.

They contain the largest collection of tree species and hot-house plants. Princess Augusta, mother og George III (1738-1820), began the Gardens.