Hanover Gardens
Directions
On leaving the south side of St James's Gardens, turn left along Penzance Street. At the end, turn left into Princedale Road. At the end of this street, continue through the road closure into Hippodrome Place, named after the unsuccessful racecourse in this area. (A short way ahead is the entrance to Avondale Park, where there are some of the few public toilets in the area.) Turn right, up Hippodrome Place. At the top, turn right into Clarendon Road and take the second left into Lansdowne Walk. Hanover Gardens are in the second block on the left.Description
Hanover Gardens lies in the heart of the old Ladbroke Estate, below the crown of Notting Hill. Overlooked by buildings on two sides, the tall terraced houses designed by James Thomson date from 1842-3 along Ladbroke Grove to the east, and semi-detached villas of 1845 infill along Lansdowne Road to the west. The sloping garden is one of the earliest on the estate, with views to the spire of St John's Church of 1845 between shrub beds, scattered mature trees and clumps. The original path layout survives with a straight terraced path along the east side and a meandering path across the centre. The garden today has no formal beds, pretty gardening or straight lines, just a feel of the countryside in the middle of town with birdsong and church bells disturbing the calm. There are mature plane trees, occasional specimen trees such as a tulip tree, and copses of woodland planting.Further information on LGT Inventory
