59 Charming Spots for Magnolias & Cherry Blossoms in London (2023)

Is pink your favorite color? Do you love flowering trees? Does the sight of blossoms in the beginning of Spring make your heart sing? London is the city for you! Every spring between mid-March and early May, parts of London erupt in a riot of colors – mostly pink, but also white, purple, and almost-red. This is when you can see magnolias and cherry blossoms in London.

Spring is my favorite season in London, because after a long grey and oft-rainy winter, the city transforms into a rainbow; in addition to cherry blossoms and magnolias in London, you can also see daffodils, tulips, wisteria, and many more flowers and plants in bloom.

So if you’re planning a trip to London in the spring and heart set on seeing magnolias and/or cherry blossoms in bloom, there are certainly plenty of options. Read on to discover some of my favorites and where to find them.

This post was originally published in Jaunary 2022, and was updated in March 2023 for the spring season.

Magnolias & Cherry Blossoms Across London

As you’ll see in this post, there are lots of great places to see magnolias and cherry blossoms in London; most are located in West London, but you can find some in other parts of the city too. I wanted to share a map so you could get a sense of just how many spots there are – and this certainly isn’t an exhaustive list.

If you want to print this map, here’s what to do: click on the [ ] symbol in the upper right corner. Zoom in our out as much as you want on the map. Then click on the ⋮ symbol next to the magnifying glass in the left menu. Click print; you can choose the format for your printable map of magnolias and cherry blossoms in London.

Okay, let’s dive into the list – get your camera ready, as these places will be in bloom before you know it!

Alexandra Palace

Located in North London, Alexandra Palace is famous for providing stunning views across London. The Victorian building sits among 196 acres of parkland. While it might not have the biggest collection of cherry blossoms in London, the ones it has are gorgeous and conjure up picture-perfect images with the backdrop of the city and manicured lawns. As a heads up, the Alexandra Palace cherry trees blossom relatively early during the first week of April.

Alexandra Palace is in the London Borough of Haringey, and the closest train station is the Alexandra Palace Station. 

Chelsea

No matter the season, the lovely borough of Chelsea is a feast of color, with its lines of charming houses bursting in pastel and rainbow hues. Yet, when spring arrives in the city, the splendid neighborhood adds another dash of color to its landscape. Magenta cherry trees, purple wisteria, and pink magnolias come to life, signaling warmer and longer days are just around the corner. The stunning contrast of colors the houses and trees create has made Chelsea one of the top neighborhoods for viewing spring blooms in London. 

Just stroll down the neighborhood, and you’ll find cherry blossoms or magnolias on every corner.  However, to save you some time, here are the best spot to see those cherry and magnolias in full bloom:

• Bramerton Street
• Dovehouse Street
• Gilston Road
• Glebe Place
• Harcourt Terrace
• Mallord Street
• Redcliffe Road
• Ropers Gardens
• Sloane Square
• St. Leonard’s Terrace
• The Boltons
• The Little Boltons

Greenwich Park

Greenwich Park is arguably the spot to see cherry blossoms in London. Inside the park is Blackheath Avenue, a lovely road leading to Ranger’s House with stunning cherry blossoms on each side. The avenue is a favorite of influencers and bloggers chasing the perfect shot of the pink-petaled flowers. So, expect lots of people here. The park also has a magnificent rose garden and a flower garden overflowing with Victorian-style flower beds. 

Holland Park

Holland Park is only 54 acres, yet it has one of the biggest concentrations of cherry blossoms in London simply because it houses the Kyoto Garden inside. Designed by Japanese garden designer Shoji Nakahara, the Kyoto Garden was a gift from Japan to commemorate the long friendship between Japan and Great Britain. The garden follows a traditional Japanese style, with koi ponds, cascades, and the unmistakably Japanese sakura tree. While not as abundant as cherry blossoms, Holland Park also has jacarandas and white magnolias. 

The Kyoto Garden is free, but if you’d like to explore the park, here are other areas where you’ll find cherry blossoms in Holland Park: 

• Addison Avenue
• Holland Park Avenue
• Kyoto Garden
• Oakwood Court
• Portland Road

Herne Hill

Herne Hill doesn’t have great appeal for tourists or locals. However, that changes from March to early April, when people flock over the suburb to witness beautiful sights of spring blossoms. The tiny suburb located in Lambeth has an impressive array of trees, including the Yoshino cherry trees. The perk of visiting Herne Hill is that it isn’t as crowded as other places to see cherry blossoms and magnolias in London. Winterbrook Road and Stradella Road are the best places to spot the pretty trees.

You’ll find the Herne Hill Station, which is a few sets away from Winterbrook Road, and the blooms when it comes to transportation. 

Kensington

Kensington is an extremely wooded area of London, so it makes sense you’ll spot some of the beautiful spring flowers in London here. From mid-February until March, Kensington becomes a swarm of pink and white trees that bring joy to the neighborhood’s residential homes.  Besides the blossoming trees decorating the upscale streets, Kensington is also home to many green areas, where you can see all kinds of flowers and trees come back to life after a long winter. Some bloggers argue that South Kensington is home to one of London’s most famous cherry blossom trees, right outside South Kensington tube station. 

So you don’t miss any picture-perfect spots, here are the best places for viewing pink blossoms in Kensington:

• Albert Place
• Argyll Road
• Blithfield Street
• Campden Hill Road
• Chesson Road
• Earls Court Gardens
• Eldon Road
• Exhibition Street
• Hornton Street
• Hyde Park
• Kensington Gardens
• Kensington High Street
• Launceston Place
• Phillimore Gardens
• Scarsdale Villas
• St. Albans Grove
• Stanford Road
• Upper Phillimore Gardens
• Victoria Road

Kew Gardens

Kew Garden is London’s biggest botanical garden. Not only does it have exotic plants from all over the world, it has its own cherry blossom section with species from Japan and South East Asia. The section has some of the most beautiful cherry trees and magnolias in London.

First, head to the rose garden behind the famous Palm House. You’ll find the “Cherry Walk” here, with lovely cherry blossom trees lining the path. Kew Gardens also has beautiful yellow Magnolias as part of its collections. They’re grouped depending on the species; the Magnolia ‘Galaxy’, Magnolia denudata, and Magnolia ‘Star Wars’ are just a few types you’ll find here. 

Kew Garden is in Richmond, and the closest station is the Kew Gardens Rail Station.

Mount Street Gardens (Mayfair)

Mount Street Gardens is a safe bet for those who want to ensure they don’t have to fight against crowds to get a decent shot of the pink trees. This tiny garden sits right in the heart of Mayfair and serves as a tranquil refuge for locals during lunchtime. You’ll find most trees and flowers in front of the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Besides magnolias and cherry blossoms, the garden has many “exotic” trees due to its sheltered condition (it’s warmer than average climate), such as the London Plane tree, Australian silver wattles, and the Canary Island Date Palm. 

Notting Hill

As if it were possible, Notting Hill becomes even more beautiful and charming during spring, when the colorful streets are teeming with the prettiest wisterias, cherry blossoms, and magnolias in London. The pastel hues of the petals invade the colorful fronts, creating some stunning spring visuals. Notting Hill magnolias and cherry blossoms are some of the first to bloom in the year. However, the floral magic doesn’t end by April. Come summer, the purple flowers of the wisteria take the spotlight and charm everyone with their flowering performance.

Since Notting Hill is highly popular, there’s a high chance you won’t be the only one trying to capture them, so here’s a complete list with all the Notting Hill areas that the pastel flowers invade: 

• Colville Gardens
• Denbigh Road
• Elgin Crescent
• Farm Place
• Hillgate Street
• Kensington Park Gardens
• Lancaster Road
• Lansdowne Road
• Pembridge Square
• Portobello Road
• Stanley Crescent
• Sunderland Terrace
• Westbourne Grove

Ravenscourt Park

Located in Hammersmith, Ravenscourt Park is another London park where the pink flowers come out and play. While it doesn’t have many cherry blossoms, the park compensates for it with its lovely magnolia trees. The park is home to over 600 trees, but you’ll find the magnolias along the side of the Bowling Green and outside the park’s café. The magnolias at Ravenscourt Park are Grandiflora, which means dark green leaves and large white flowers.

Ravenscourt Park is within Zone 2, and you can take the Piccadilly line to drop you at Ravenscourt Park Underground Station.

Regent’s Park

One of London’s royal parks, Regent’s Park is famous for its stunning floral display– Queen Mary’s Rose Garden is London’s most extensive collection of roses (approximately 12,000 roses). You can also find white and pink cherry blossoms scattered around the park’s 410 acres; in the Avenue Gardens, close to the Broad Walk, you’ll find a lovely display of spring bulbs and cherry blossoms. If you’re up for a challenge, climb up the hill to find a lovely magnolia tree sitting in the middle of the lush green lawns. 

Located in Marylebone, you can take the Bakerloo line to take you to Regent’s Park tube station. 

Richmond Riverside Park

Richmond Riverside Park is one of Londoners’ top spots to unwind on a sunny afternoon. The park overlooks the River Thames and is close to trendy pubs and eateries. The riverfront park bursts with color in early spring, thanks to the magnolias and cherry blossoms that flank the river.  While it might not be among your first options, I guarantee a stroll down Richmond Riverside Park will give you some of the best spring images.

St. James’s Park

St James’s Park doesn’t have many cherry blossom trees or magnolias. However, the park is a good option if you don’t want to deviate from your itinerary as it is in central London and is a must-stop for all travelers. You’ll find a few white and pink blooms spread near the lake. Although not sakura trees, there’s a lovely crabapple tree near Buckingham Palace. 

St. James’s Park Station is the nearest tube station to the park, and you can take District and Circle lines depending on where you are.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Just when you thought St Paul’s Cathedral couldn’t be more beautiful, you see it has two spectacular sakura trees framing its entrance. If you can, take your time to photograph the sakura trees with the cathedral’s dome rising at the back. While there aren’t many other trees or a wide diversity of them, St Paul’s Churchyard on the south side of the building has a nice collection of ginkgo, maple, lime, ash, mulberry, and eucalyptus.  

St Paul’s Cathedral is on the Central Line, and St Paul’s Station is the nearest tube station, which is only four minutes away from the cathedral. 

Vallance Road (Whitechapel)

Vallance Road is an unassuming street running between Bethnal Green and Whitechapel. However, it is one of the unknown places where you’ll find beautiful cherry blossoms in London. There’s a congregation of the Japanese tree opposite the junction with Durward Street. By the way, very few people know of the rows of cherry blossoms in Vallance Road. So you can take as many photographs as you like. 

The nearest stations are Whitechapel Station, which is three minutes away from Vallance Road,  and Aldgate East Tube Station, which is nine minutes away.

Have any questions about these spots to see cherry blossoms or magnolias in London? Let me know in the comments, or join my London Travel Tips Facebook community.