Magnolia is the first of the gorgeous trees and plants that people start to go crazy for. Their delicate petals and bright colours announce the beginning of Spring in a vibrant and cheerful burst. They tend to begin showing in mid March but as I’m sure you can imagine, it depends on the weather and temperature in the previous months when they come out and how long the season lasts. If you’re reading this article then it’s likely you’re on a hunt for the blossoms in London or planning your trip and route in the city.
I’ve split this post into six, mainly made up of different areas of the city and I’ll go into a bit more detail on the locations within each area. Please note, I have not given any specific addresses because for some of these beautiful maggies, they are people’s homes so it’s important to be respectful if you’re planning to take photos of the blooms. Under no circumstances should you be going up anyone’s paths, opening any gates or the like. Enjoy the gorgeous magnolias and the hopefully spring weather warming you up a little bit ☀️
1. St James’s Church, Mayfair
This list is generally written from north to south after this first spot! I’ve included St James’s Church in Mayfair as a location in its own right because there aren’t many other magnolia trees to look our for around central London and also because it’s a public building on a very busy main street. I wasn’t looking for this place, I just happened to come across it whilst walking up Piccadilly to meet a friend elsewhere in the city but it was very hard not to miss. This magnolia is in the courtyard of the church, which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren (of St Paul’s Cathedral fame) in the 17th century.
2. Notting Hill
Notting Hill is a famously vibrant and busy area of London and is well worth a visit on any trip to the city. It’s always a colourful place to meander through and in the Spring months, with magnolia, blossom and wisteria coming out, there are even more pops of colour to photograph.
There are three streets in particular here where I found some lovely magnolias. Sunderland Terrace has lines of fuschia petals which were in beautiful full bloom. Westbourne Grove’s magnolia trees are a similar shade of hot pink but I was unlucky that they’d already started to fall and lose the impact of their full bloom. Finally, head down towards the pastel townhouses of Hillgate Street and Hillgate Place for magnolias against a colourful backdrop.
Notting Hill
3. Kensington
Continue down from Notting Hill and you’ll hit Kensington. The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea stretches from the bottom of Notting Hill all the way down to the River Thames and takes in many streets, cafes, restaurants and steps! I’ve split it into three sections to make it more manageable when planning your route and so that you can choose just one section if that’s all you have time for during your magnolia hunting.
Edwardes Square is an absolute dream and I think was probably my favourite magnolia location to capture. Don’t forget to look around some of the other streets nearby by because there are quite a few huge magnolias with lots of flowers. Kensington High Street itself has some magnolias to spot and then there are some more down Victoria Road and around the streets there.
Kensington
4. Brompton
Continue south from Kensington and you’ll come to the area around Earls Court. I struggled with exactly what the name of this area is but essentially this cluster of streets around The Boltons are further west than South Kensington and further south than Kensington and I felt they deserved a section to themselves.
The Boltons is one of the most beautiful locations in London and it’s not a surprise that some of these luxurious homes also have beautiful trees. Walk around the double crescent to spot the magnolias here and then head along towards The Little Boltons and Harcourt Terrace to see some more.
5. South Kensington
Next, we head over to South Kensington which is full of stunning homes and blooms to go alongside them. Two streets in particular in SK have glorious magnolias, these are Neville Terrace and Launceston Place.
Launceston Place can be combined with Victoria Road and Albert Place in Kensington whilst Neville Terrace is at the top of your route into the magnolias of Chelsea.
6. Chelsea
We finish up this guide in Chelsea. As you meander your way to the river, you’ll come across plenty more blooming magnolias to marvel at. Bramerton Street has a stunner and on the same day I was admiring it, I also found a charming blossom just around the corner so do keep your eyes open for early blossoms as well.
Down at St Leonard’s Terrace, you’ll discover a number of trees in the surrounding streets but the most beautiful has to be the one that’s outside Bram Stoker’s blue plaque house.
Food Tour
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Cat x