When I was researching my book, Tree Hunting, I visited hundreds of parks across Britain and Ireland looking for interesting trees. I can confirm that our parks are full of great trees. But I was also struck by how fascinating parks are. Each green space is quite different from every other green space and each is an urban wonderland.
The particularities of place, aspect, size, planting, history and use of parks ensures that no two are the same and that each adds something unique to its wider environment. Parks are a particularly key aspect of London, and they are, I think, an under-appreciated part of how the city feels and functions.
Since the beginning of 2026, I have been visiting London’s parks. It has been a fascinating journey. I have visited all the big, well-known places like Richmond, Hyde and Greenwich Park, but I have also been to smaller, lesser-known places like Myatt’s Fields Park, Arnos Park and Roundwood Park. My explorations have come together in a map, the Great Parks of London Map, to be published by Blue Crow Media imminently. It is a double-sided map featuring 53 Royal Parks, historic commons, formal gardens and other green spaces that fit into the broad description of ‘park’.
If you’d like to order a signed copy, I am taking pre-orders which will ship as soon as the maps come back from the printer in June 2026.
‘This double-sided map presents London’s most remarkable parks. Featuring the Royal Parks, historic commons, formal gardens and open spaces, it charts the rich history and varied landscapes of the capital. The map includes texts and photographs by Paul Wood, uathor of our Great Trees of London Map.’
Blue Crow Media