Most People Don’t Know That London Is One Of The Greenest Cities In The World, And Here Are My 23 Photos To Prove It
I am a landscape photographer based in London and the current UK Landscape Photographer of the Year. I love traveling to spectacular places and photographing big mountainscapes or endless dark skies. But I have always lived in big cities.
Throughout the years, I have learned to appreciate green urban spaces. When I moved to London, it was no exception. Most people don't know that London is one of the greenest cities in the world. Almost 40% of the city is public green spaces! Most London parks are free, well-maintained, and have excellent access to facilities.
London is a famous tourist destination, but most tourists don't realize that spring is one of the best times to visit the capital. London is home to a versatile collection of flowers from all over the globe. Here are some of the best places in London to capture the best spring blooms.
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Parakeets are most active during the morning so aim for sunrise. Use a large focal length and the wide aperture to create a Bokeh effect. This will result in a blurry background and a dreamy look.
If you want parakeets to land all over you, go to Kensington Gardens, by the Peter Pan statue. They'll land right on your arm.
There were no feral ringnecks by Peter Pan last time I went to Hyde Park! I must go back with seebs for the birbs
Load More Replies...I didn't know that there were these green parakeets all over London, so I read a little about them. There is a nice article in The Guardian. I guess there are numerous urban legends about how they ended up in London, including one that says Jimi Hendrix released two of them in the 1960s, but they have been spotted there since the late 19th century.
They're not just in London, they've already out pay the M25 in some areas
Load More Replies...I'm sure you are correct in your assessment of London. On the other hand, having been overseas for work than I can remember without my notes and records, I'm having trouble aligning myself with condition, overall. Just my opinion. No offense o t
Almost half of the world's population of bluebells grows in the UK. It's no surprise that they are pretty popular in London and England. Chalet Wood has to be the place to go for Londoners. Be careful; native bluebells are fragile. Avoid picking or walking on them.
They are under threat sadly. Invasive introduced species out compete them, and some people dig up entire populations in woods to sell at boot sales and markets. Both these situations are due to ignorance
Love these wild flowers/ or were wild until they became a source of money
Cheery blossoms can be pretty delicious! Green parakeets are frequently spotted in different London parks feeding on the buds during the early hours of the day.
I had no idea England has wild parakeets. I thought they were strictly tropical birds.
They're not technically native, but rather classed as "feral". They came over as pets in the late 1800's and ended up flourishing in the city. It's quite sweet. You ask any Londoner and they've always got a daft story - Jimi Hendrix released a cage full of them and that's what started it, or they escaped from Henry VIII... It's one of the little quirks of the city and its people.
Load More Replies...Those parrots also live in Cologne/NW Germany and in some other countries, probably some escaped from their cages in the 1980s or were abandoned. But they live there well and are all healthy.
Daffodils can also be photographed with the Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben. You'll find them on the opposite side of the River Thames. Use the focus stacking technique to get the flowers and the tower in focus by taking and blending multiple photos with different focus distances.
This implies a different geography/city layout than what is present. I find this photo a bit surreal for that reason.
Yes, it's super cool! OP Mentioned that they blended different photos to get that view, I really want to learn how to do that
Load More Replies...The most famous cherry blossoms trees in London are probably the ones in Greenwich Park. Walking around the Ranger's House, you'll find a stunning path with pink sakura.
Red telephone booths are one of Britain's cultural icons. There are several red boxes around London; a few have sakura trees nearby.
Bit of info for you here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_telephone_box
Load More Replies...Oh look, an old thelephone cell, they´re more exposited objects now, I once read, they do not work anymore, but you can still find a dry place in them when it´s raining.
Not all cherry blossoms are pink. For the white sakura lovers, head to London Eye. You will be pleasantly surprised!
My mom Irene (+ 01/14/21 from Corona) & my brother Hansi spent a weekend in London in the 1990s. Of course they visited the Tower Bridge, saw Big Ben, the Picadilly Circus and other tourist attractions, and they visited Harrod´s and bought some souvenirs from there.
Wisteria pergolas are a delight to watch and photograph. You can find these hidden gems inside a few parks around town; Peckham Rye Park is one of the most popular.
Every May, the #wisteriahysteria hashtag takes over social media. Wisteria sets Londoners off in a frenzy. Cascades of purple and blue can be seen in different residential areas such as South Kensington, Notting Hill, and Chelsea. Be respectful and avoid disturbing residents and locals.
Last but not least, you have to pay a visit to Kew Gardens during spring. The Royal Botanic Gardens have more than 15,000 species of plants. If you are looking for a particular flower, I'll bet you'll find it there!
Greenwich Park's cherry blossoms path also has black garden benches that you can use for your compositions.
If you are a fan of sakura avenues, add Battersea Park to your list. You will encounter a beautiful wooden gazebo at the end of Cherry Tree Avenue.
Unfortunately, when my beloved mom and my brother were in London in the 1990s, it was autumn, he´s a hobby photographer and would´ve loved to photograph some cherry blossoms and flowers there either... But it was more grey in grey and halfways foggy then.
Isabella Plantation is an explosion of colors during late April/early May. This area of Richmond Park is a labyrinth of azaleas and rhododendrons where you can get easily and happily lost.
You may well get lost as Richmond Park is about 10 square kilometres in size. Not the biggest city park in the world but big enough considering how tightly packed London is!
Load More Replies...Magnolia trees are a sight to behold! If you head to Notting Hill, you'll find many of them. The colorful houses near the Portobelo Market offer a fun background for your photos
I love all types of magnolia trees but my favorite are the very large ones with the large creamy white flowers.
You may laugh, I´m not a big fan of perfume or eau de toilette, but I love it when it has magnolia scent.
Load More Replies...These colourful houses remind me of the "Miami Vice" series somehow, or in Havanna/Cuba they also have such colourful house facades, beautiful. You wouldn´t think that this pic´s been taken in London.
Tulips are among the most colorful spring flowers. You can photograph perfectly designed tulip beds inside the appropriately called Holland Park.
I love the black tulips that begin about 3 rows back into the red/orange tulips. The black are gorgeous and really stand out in this bed.
Those are Forget-me-nots. They reseed themselves and thrive most anywhere.
Load More Replies...I knew that not only the Dutch love tulips, but did you know that they originally came from Asia??? True, the Dutch had some colonies in Indonesia and other Asian countries and brought some tulip bulbs to the Netherlands, then they started growing them and selling them all around the world.
The Garden Avenue in Reagent's Park is picture-perfect with its Victorian design and elegant fountains. During springtime, you can walk underneath arches of pink cherry blossoms.
Used to work 5 mins from Regents Park and sometimes conducted staff meetings there! Definitely improves morale!
Tower Bridge is one of London's favorite landmarks. The trees surrounding the bridge can offer great photo opportunities when in bloom.
My brother made a poster out of one of his photos from the Tower Bridge that he´d taken there when our beloved mom (+ 01/14/21 from Corona at the retirement home) and he´d visited London in the 1990s. He´s a hobby photographer.
Use the streams as leading lines and the S-curves from the bushes to improve your compositions.
You can also find tulips in the gardens surrounding the iconic St. Paul's Cathedral. Place your camera close to the ground to get a low perspective. This angle allows you to get the cathedral and tulips in the same frame.
Spring in London usually starts with yellow carpets of daffodils. You can enjoy this spectacular display of colour in St. James's Park and Green Park. The first one offers views of the London Eye.
Nothing says spring like cherry blossoms, and London has plenty of them! Some of the first trees to bloom are located inside St. James's Park. Photograph them immediately before sunset or after sunrise during the golden hour for the best light.
Look up and play with different vantage points. Magnolias look great against a blue sky, so take advantage of clear or partly cloudy days.
Notting Hill is one of the most popular locations during springtime. In addition to magnolias, you can also find cherry blossoms all over the neighborhood.
You are a really brilliant photographer and your photographs are amazingly beautiful. Thank you for sharing them with us and for all the wonderful hints and tips on how to achieve such stunning results. I will try them myself. I doubt I will ever be anywhere near as good as you, but I can try 😊
You have a stunning collection of photos here. It's looks like a truly glorious place to experience. Thanks for sharing your work with us. Your photos truly show how much you enjoy it.
Thank you so much for taking us Pandas to a virtual trip through London, since I am a #Disabled longtime #LupusSurvivor on #SocialSecurity I won´t ever get there for real, but these pics made me feel a bit as if I was there. (I sent Mara Leite this comment on Twitter, along with the post URL)
You are a really brilliant photographer and your photographs are amazingly beautiful. Thank you for sharing them with us and for all the wonderful hints and tips on how to achieve such stunning results. I will try them myself. I doubt I will ever be anywhere near as good as you, but I can try 😊
You have a stunning collection of photos here. It's looks like a truly glorious place to experience. Thanks for sharing your work with us. Your photos truly show how much you enjoy it.
Thank you so much for taking us Pandas to a virtual trip through London, since I am a #Disabled longtime #LupusSurvivor on #SocialSecurity I won´t ever get there for real, but these pics made me feel a bit as if I was there. (I sent Mara Leite this comment on Twitter, along with the post URL)
