Spring in London: No Place I’d Rather Be

What happens when one of your favourite blogger pals is in town, the sun’s out and spring is strutting its stuff like it’s a Top Model finalist?

You grab your cameras, go in search of cherry blossoms, partake in a photo frenzy and then drink cocktails. Obviously.

Monica was staying in South Kensington on a blogging assignment, so our first stop was Kensington Gardens – a sprawling green space next to Hyde Park that’s bursting with flowers, bright green trees and those delicate pink blossoms we all enjoy for a few weeks of the year.

We started by admiring the Albert Memorial, which stands at an entrance to the park, overlooking Royal Albert Hall. Commissioned by Queen Victoria after the death of her husband Albert in 1861, the Gothic Revival style memorial is dramatic and ornate, with intricate details dripped in gold.

I just bought a new 50mm lens for my camera, and I struggled to get shots of the whole memorial, but I liked focusing on the details, like this cool elephant.

From there we ventured further into the park to find a good photo location.

One of the best things about London is its abundance of green spaces. Here in Kensington Gardens you can find a little slice of nature to enjoy alone, and in peace. The further into the park you go, the more remote it becomes until sometimes it’s hard to believe you’re in one of the world’s biggest and busiest cities.

Spring in London equals cherry blossom season, which is the most stunning time to visit London. For just a few weeks, usually in April, trees all around the city burst into a pastel-coloured flurry of soft pink blossoms. Even a grumbling Londoner like myself can’t help but stop and stare!

Click on this image to shop my look:

We then found our way to the Round Pond that stands in front of Kensington Palace and negotiated with the geese to pose for just a few more snaps.

Photo shoot complete, we rewarded ourselves by walking a short distance in the sunshine to The Roof Gardens for a photogenic drink. Because, as bloggers, drinks simply must not be plain.

The Roof Gardens is a great spot for an afternoon drink in the sunshine, as it has sweeping views across London. I’ve eaten at the restaurant before, but wasn’t too impressed (it was overpriced and the service was average, although it may have improved in recent years).

The best thing about this venue is the gardens themselves, which you can stroll through after your drink, admiring the regal flamingos (until they face plant in front of you – that actually happened!) and pinching yourself to believe you’re not in some exotic European destination.

After we’d laughed at the clumsy flamingo (which, to be fair, styled out the fall quite well) and taken more photos in the sunshine it was time to go – past gorgeous Kensington doors and back into the hustle and bustle of London.

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