Rooftop Terrace and Kelmscott House Highlights of Open Garden Festival

---

A rare opportunity to visit two of Hammersmith's hidden spaces

The rooftop terrace at 245 Hammersmith Road. Picture: Jordan Gaughan

June 1, 2026

For one weekend each June, Londoners are invited behind the gates, through the courtyards and up onto the rooftops of more than a hundred gardens normally closed to the public. London Open Gardens, returning on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June, is one of the city’s most quietly magical festivals — a celebration of urban horticulture, community growing and the unexpected pockets of green that flourish between railway lines, rooftops and riverbanks.

This year, the Hammersmith area offers some of the most distinctive stops on the map, from a soaring tenth-floor terrace with panoramic views to the riverside garden where William Morris found daily inspiration. Both spaces open only rarely, making them standout destinations for west London visitors planning their weekend itinerary.

The rooftop garden at 245 Hammersmith Road is one of the festival’s modern showpieces — a venue that first joined London Open Gardens in 2023 and has quickly become a favourite. Suspended high above the bustle of Hammersmith Broadway, the space feels unexpectedly serene, with long views across west London and a layout designed for lingering.

The building’s management team has created a warm, domestic atmosphere: picnic tables, deep corner sofas and soft-furnished booths give the terrace the feel of a communal living room in the sky. Planting is overseen in partnership with the Hammersmith Community Gardens Association, whose volunteers keep the beds bright with seasonal flowers and aromatic herbs. The terrace is also home to a bespoke “245”-shaped insect hotel, commissioned from the charity Bees & Refugees, which adds a playful ecological flourish.

Visitors are welcome to bring picnics making this one of the most relaxed and sociable stops on the Hammersmith trail on Saturday 9:00am–5:00pm and Sunday 10:00am–5:00pm.

One of the festival’s most atmospheric openings is the garden of Kelmscott House, the final home of William Morris. Morris lived here for the last 18 years of his life, writing that “the garden is most beautiful… The situation is certainly the prettiest in London.”

Kelmscott House garden. Picture: Colin Wing

The garden is small but richly evocative. Many of the plants echo the motifs that appear in Morris’s textiles and wallpapers, while the shaded lower garden — a cool, fern-filled hollow — thrives in its own microclimate. The lower floors of the house now serve as the headquarters of the William Morris Society, whose museum is normally open only on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. During London Open Gardens, however, visitors gain access to the main garden, which opens just once a year.

Refreshments will be available, and the museum’s historic printing press will be in action, offering demonstrations that connect Morris’s artistic legacy to the garden he loved. Kelmscott House garden opens Sunday only, 10:00am–4:00pm.

Several other local gems join the weekend programme:

• Emery Walker’s House in Hammersmith Terrace, with its Arts and Crafts riverside garden.
• Sycamore House, a community-minded garden with a welcoming atmosphere.
• John Betts House, whose residents’ garden offers a peaceful retreat in the heart of W12.

Together, these spaces form a compact west London cluster ideal for a half-day wander.

Across London, more than 100 gardens will open their gates, from the locked squares of Notting Hill and Kensington to the historic courtyards of the City, including Charterhouse and Middle Temple. New participants join each year, while returning favourites include rooftop gardens such as 25 Cannon Street and Eversheds, both offering striking views over the capital.

The festival is designed for all ages — under-12s go free — and all proceeds support the work of London Parks and Gardens, with a share going to participating community gardens. Ticket holders can also book guided walks, behind-the-scenes talks and cycle tours for an additional £5 each.

Visitors are free to design their own route, choosing from the full list of participating gardens. Each location sets its own opening hours, so planning ahead is essential. A free online map and a garden-selector tool will help match visitors to the spaces that suit their interests, whether historical, contemporary, experimental or community-led.

On arrival, simply show your ticket to one of the festival’s volunteers, who are always ready with tips on nearby gardens worth exploring.

Tickets for London Open Gardens (6–7 June) are available via Eventbrite.

Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site.