Kensington hanging gardens are not related to the Royal Park of Kensington gardens", although within reach. It is unique to London takes place 6 thousand square meters at a height of thirty meters on the roof of the former Department store.

The Department store Derry and Toms was built in 1933 by George Bernard project. The building should pay attention – not very typical for the UK art Deco emphasize elegant friezes of wrought iron (sculptor Walter Gilbert) and reliefs "Work and technology" from the Portland stone (the work of Charles Mabee Jr.). And on the roof of the house there are amazing gardens designed by famous landscape designer the first half of the twentieth century by Ralph Hancock. Planted a garden on the roof of Rockefeller center in new York was impressed by Trevor Bowen, Vice President of the company, owning built Department store. They say that the hanging garden was a childhood dream of Bowen. He invited Hancock to bring this dream to life in Central London.

Hancock thought through everything carefully. First on the roof put a thick layer of bitumen mastic for waterproofing, then broken bricks and gravel to provide drainage. On top lay meter layer of soil, and planted the plants. Water came from artesian wells Department store.

The gardens were opened in 1938. So far they have remained practically unchanged. The first inspection took money (they all went to charity), but now, although ownership remains private, the gardens enjoy free. Need to log in with Derry street (door to the left of the pointer Kensington street, 99"), the lift – and here they are, the gardens. Go in smoothly, if there is not a private event.

Why speak in the plural – "the garden"? Because three of them: Spanish, garden in the style of Tudor and English woodland. Hancock shared the roof on three completely different areas. Spanish strikes directly: Moorish style reminiscent of the gardens of the Alhambra. Fountains, typical long and narrow pool, twining vines, palm trees, cypresses, gallery with twisted columns, walls decorated by Spanish houses. Visitors have to remind myself that they are in London.

Tudor garden looks more mysterious and less formally: brick arches, openings, passages in hidden corners, blooming Wisteria, roses, lilies and lavender. Aroma there is awesome.

In a forest garden grow more than a hundred species of trees, and in spring bloom, thousands of daffodils, crocuses, anemones, Muscari. Flowing a stream with live fish in the pond ducks. If the visitor thinks that four pink flamingos is a decorative figurines, he was mistaken. Flamingos live, their names are bill, Ben, Splosh and PECs, and they are the proud owners of the hanging gardens of Kensington.