Anyone who wants to escape the crowds of Kensington High Street can head for the tranquillity of Kensington Gardens, a Royal Park that was once the private property of Kensington Palace. On the northern edge of the park, close to Lancaster Gate and Hyde Park, the delightful Italian Gardens are a haven of peace that is often overlooked.

The water theme of the Italian Gardens presents a more formal layout than the rest of Kensington Gardens. Four basins feature Carrara marble rosettes, and the Tazza Fountain is a joy in white marble and Portland stone. Among several statues is one of Edward Jenner, scientist and developer of the smallpox vaccine, while five stone urns display a woman’s head, a swan’s breast, a ram’s head, an oval and a dolphin.

The Grade II-listed Italian Gardens are thought to have been a gift to Queen Victoria from Prince Albert. The prince was an enthusiastic gardener, and had already created a Renaissance-style garden at the royal family’s holiday home, Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. Around 1860, he repeated this layout in Kensington Gardens, where designer James Pennethorne incorporated many ideas from the Osborne House plot.

On the north side of the Italian Gardens stands the Pump House, with the royal couple’s initials on one wall, and where a steam engine once operated the fountains. On Saturday evenings, a stoker would keep the engines running to pump water into the Round Pond, making enough pressure to work the fountains on Sundays.

The Italian Gardens have been renovated and restored over the past few years, and aquatic plants have been re-introduced. The gardens now look as they did when the Victorians strolled along the paths, with information boards helping to bring the story to life.

It’s a relaxing way to take in a little history, enjoy the wild life attracted to this hidden gem, and take some memorable photographs. A cafÈ conveniently situated next to Queen Anne’s Alcove provides an opportunity to rest while taking advantage of stunning views, to a soothing soundtrack of running water – Kensington’s Italian Gardens are truly a sanctuary in a busy city, and a must for visitors to London!

Photo attribution: Iridescenti / CC BY-SA