The London Borough of Camden is arguably the greenest of the Inner London boroughs. This is largely because it contains most of the extensive swathe of land that is Hampstead Heath. But there are also many smaller green spaces, like Primrose Hill. The Central London part of the borough, south of the Euston Road, is characterised by its elegant and historic squares, like Tavistock Square and Bedford Square, and the Regent's Canal (a 'Green Route') runs through the borough, around the top edge of Regent's Park, part of which is also in Camden. (Confusingly, while Highgate Cemetery is in Camden, Highgate Wood is in the neighbouring borough of Haringey.)
Apart from Camden Council, a variety of agencies are responsible for the upkeep of open space in the borough. For example, Hampstead Heath is mostly owned by the City of London Corporation, though the Kenwood House area of the Heath is maintained by English Heritage. Highgate Cemetery is managed by its own trust, Highgate Cemetery Ltd. The Phoenix Garden is managed by an independent charity.
Some open spaces of note:
- Bloomsbury Square
- Brunswick Square
- Camley Street Natural Park (small—0.8 hectares /2 acres) —but interesting nature reserve by the canal at King's Cross)
- Coram's Fields
- Gordon Square
- Hampstead Heath (681 acres (2.8 km²) in Camden, 110 acres (0.4 km²) in next-door Barnet)
- Highgate Cemetery
- Kilburn Grange Park
- Lincoln's Inn Fields (the largest public square in London)
- Phoenix Garden (the only community garden in Soho and Covent Garden)
- Primrose Hill
- Regent's Park (part of)
- Russell Square
- Talacre Gardens ( Home to the biggest gymnastics club in Britain)
- Tavistock Square
- St James' Gardens
- St Martin's Gardens
- St Pancras Old Church Gardens
- Waterlow Park
Famous quotes containing the words parks, open and/or spaces:
“Perhaps our own woods and fields,—in the best wooded towns, where we need not quarrel about the huckleberries,—with the primitive swamps scattered here and there in their midst, but not prevailing over them, are the perfection of parks and groves, gardens, arbors, paths, vistas, and landscapes. They are the natural consequence of what art and refinement we as a people have.... Or, I would rather say, such were our groves twenty years ago.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“A breeze discovered my open book
And began to flutter the leaves to look
For a poem there used to be on Spring.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“through the spaces of the dark
Midnight shakes the memory
As a madman shakes a dead geranium.”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)