Above - Roots and Shoots in Lambeth (Photograph: Nicola Browne)

London Parks & Gardens Trust has announced that the 2010 Open Garden Squares Weekend will take place on the weekend of 12 and 13 June.

Once again, OGS is working with The Conservation Foundation to collect tools for Tools Shed. Visitors will be asked to take any broken and unwanted tools to any of Capital Gardens six London garden centres.

The hotly anticipated diary date will be sponsored for the third year by Transport for London (TfL). Visitors will have the rare opportunity to peer behind the walls of London’s private community gardens and squares. Ranging from the historically memorable to the small and quirky; from the contemporary and eco-friendly to renowned roof gardens, cemeteries and working allotments.

Gardens from many areas of London will be participating for the first time. These include:

• Carnegie Library (Herne Hill, South London) – a wildlife-friendly garden at the rear of an Arts-and-Crafts listed building. Open on the Saturday, there will be refreshments, garden trails and children's activities.

• Zander Court Club House (Bethnal Green) – an informal gated garden attached to community centre, looked after by the residents. Open on the Sunday, there will be refreshments and a plant sale (see illustration above)

• Hillview near Kings Cross – a Victorian housing estate that has been transformed into a delightful green haven. Tea and cakes will be offered during the weekend.

• Kilmorey Mausoleum Wildlife Garden (Richmond-upon-Thames) – a wildlife garden surrounding the Egyptian-style mausoleum. Open on the Saturday afternoon, they will be serving Eco teas and hosting a recycling demonstration.

• Windrush Square (Brixton) - a new, public open space in the heart of Lambeth. They will be celebrating urban gardening and agriculture in the area.

• British Medical Association Council Garden near Euston – an elegant town garden designed by Lutyens, there will be guided talks as well as refreshments and produce for sale on the Saturday.

• Emanuel School Grounds (Wandsworth) - 12 acres of gardens and grounds not normally open to the public.

• John Betts House (Hammersmith) – an award-winning communal garden for residents of almshouses. Refreshments and plant will be for sale on the Saturday.

• Lavender Pond and Nature Park across the river from Canary Wharf - one of the oldest urban nature reserves in the country, created on the site of an old timber pond (see illustration on next page).

Roots and Shoots (Lambeth) – a vocational training centre for young people with a famous half-acre wildlife garden. Open on the Sunday, they will be selling refreshments and plants as well as hosting children's activities and storytelling (see illustration).

• October Gallery (Bloomsbury) – a garden courtyard with fruit trees, shrubs and flowers.

• St Lawrence's Church in Canons Park – a Grade I listed church with a baroque interior, world-famous composer Handel is said to have played the organ here. Close to other attractions in Canons Park involved in the weekend, including the 18th-century house (now North London Collegiate School) and the walled George V Memorial Garden

Also open over the weekend will be many of the much loved and popular gardens such as the Middle and Inner Temple; Park Square and Park Crescent; Branch Hill Allotments; Culpeper Community Garden; St Mary’s Secret Garden; The Community Garden at the Tate Modern; Bonnington Square; Eaton Square; MaRoCoCo Garden at Rococo Chocolates; Kensington Roof Gardens; Arundel and Elgin in Notting Hill; St Michael’s Convent and, by appointment, HMP Wormwood Scrubs.

GETTING AROUND OVER THE WEEKEND
Open Gardens Squares Weekend is encouraging visitors to cycle and walk between the gardens. On the Sunday, there will be the popular guided bike ride starting in Covent Garden and throughout the weekend, TfL will be hosting guided walks. For those who want to discover the gardens independently, suggestions of the best routes over the weekend can be found by visiting TfL’s journey planner www.tfl.gov.uk/walkingjourneyplanner. Two podcasts and self-guided bike rides can be downloaded from www.londongardenstrust.org/guides, while www.opensquares.org provides all the latest news and updates.

TICKET DETAILS
One ticket allows entry to all venues over the entire weekend. Ticket prices will be £7.50 in advance and £9 if bought during the weekend.

Tickets can be ordered from 8 February and the closing date for advance bookings is Monday 7 June 2010.

• From the Ticket hotline on 020 8347 3230 (Mon – Fri 9.00am – 6.00pm)
• Online from www.capitalgardens.co.uk
• By post send a stamped addressed envelope to Capital Gardens,
1 Townsend Yard, Highgate Village, London, N6 5JF. Cheques should be made payable to Capital Gardens Ltd. For each ticket booked in advance, Capital Gardens will give a £5 discount voucher to spend at any Capital Gardens garden centre.
• In person from the Britain and London Visitor Centre on 1 Lower Regent Street, SW1Y 4XT, (where there will be the opportunity to win a Fortnum & Mason picnic hamper) and from all Capital Garden Centres.
• During the weekend tickets are available from the Britain and London Visitor Centre and selected participating gardens.
Lots more information, plus the OGSW Blog, can be found at www.opensquares.org