Urban Oases: London’s finest garden squares

With thousands of acres of parks, commons and woodland, London is ranked as the greenest city in Europe. And homebuyers will pay a handsome sum to live close to its green spaces. The average premium for houses within 100 metres of a park or communal garden in the city centre is 15%, according to Savills research, but this figure rises exponentially for proximity to prime central London’s most desirable squares. In Mayfair, houses overlooking Grosvenor Square’s gardens command a premium of 584% over properties lacking that verdant view. 

Nothing says “urban oasis” like an elegant Georgian or Victorian garden square. These protected green spaces – some open to the public, others exclusively for the use of the square’s residents – are peaceful, often hidden sanctuaries in the heart of the city. Whether in Belgravia or Bayswater, Notting Hill or Islington, they are also invariably home to the area’s most desirable houses – which are in short supply, as many of the buildings around these squares have been converted into apartments. 

“Parents love the idea of their children playing with others in a garden square, and Notting Hill is one of the most prestigious places to live for this,” says Pete Bevan, co-head of prime central London for Savills. “Relatively few houses back onto squares, but those that do are bucolic and amazing. On streets such as Elgin Crescent and Lansdowne Road, the houses are architecturally grand and they are close to leading prep and day schools.” 

Besides having Hyde Park on its doorstep, Bayswater also provides a sanctuary with its garden squares. “Bayswater has traditionally been the more affordable area of W2,” says Daniel Martin of Savills Notting Hill. Garden squares here include Cleveland Square, near Paddington station, as well as Prince’s Square and Leinster Square, where the residents are more likely to describe their patch as “Notting Hill”. “It’s debatable where you draw the line,” says Martin.

American buyers, in particular, are gravitating to Bayswater from large houses in Notting Hill, Kensington and Holland Park, according to Charles Leigh, sales director at The Whiteley, the landmark Edwardian store on Queensway that has been redeveloped with 139 luxury apartments and the first Six Senses hotel and wellness spa in the UK.

The garden squares of Belgravia foster a sense of community, says Richard Dalton, residential director of Savills Sloane Street. “Eaton Square, Chester Square, they’re places of tranquillity,” he says. “Being outside, in nature, encourages a sense of wellbeing. Residents go out to the gardens to get some fresh air and they meet their neighbours – probably for the first time ever. It’s a global community.” 

Having a visual connection to the square is important, too. “There are large lateral flats across two or three buildings in Belgravia,” says Dalton.

“Here, you can enjoy views of the garden square from the reception rooms and the principal bedrooms. The retail offer on Elizabeth Street is important, too: it all adds to that sense of place. It’s a wonderful environment.”

The value of having access to green spaces cannot be overstated. Those who want large family houses within a vibrant community head to Islington, where pockets of desirable greenery include Canonbury Square and Highbury Fields. “It’s usually people in finance or law who buy £5 million-plus houses in Canonbury’s premier addresses, such as Alwyne Place and Alwyne Road,” says Sarah Curtis of Savills Islington. “For big family houses, they like streets close to Highbury Fields. On Highbury Place, we recently sold three houses for between £6 million and £8 million.”

As spring blooms, the prospect of enjoying time outdoors in a garden square becomes even more appealing – something many residents can look forward to. 

Additional reporting by Mia Aimaro Ogden