London's best boroughs for leafy parks revealed - where does your area rank?

London's best boroughs for leafy parks revealed - where does your area rank?If you're wondering where to find the capital's very best green space, the answer lies east

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London is home to Europe's highest number of public parks, with more than 3,000 green spaces dotted across the city. In fact, almost half of the city (47%) is made up of green space.

In the summer especially, Londoners waste no time making the most of it. Parks are used by runners, dog walkers, picnickers and families spread out on blankets as children make a beeline for the playground.

Some of central London’s grandest parks were once Royal hunting grounds, where visitors can now stroll among ancient trees and spot deer roaming freely. Others, like Wimbledon Common, have been left wild and untamed, becoming a haven for wildlife.

And if you're wondering where to find the capital's very best green space, the answer lies in Hackney.

According to the charity Keep Britain Tidy, the borough has been named London's top destination for parks and green spaces in the 2026 Green Flag Awards.

It has successfully defended the title it also claimed in 2025.

People riding horses along Wimbledon Common in LondonPA Wire

The awards celebrate the UK's best parks, with independent judges assessing everything from cleanliness and safety to footpaths, facilities and signage.

This year, the borough was awarded 34 green flags, with Hackney’s most popular parks including Clissold Park, Daubney Fields and Well Street Common.

Councillor Jacob Cable, cabinet member for climate, clean air, energy and transport said: “Everyone deserves access to top-quality green spaces, close to home. That’s why we are so incredibly proud that 34 of our parks have been recognised as among the best in the country.

“This achievement is a credit to the hard work of Hackney’s parks team, alongside the many parks user groups, volunteers and partners whose care and dedication make our parks a haven for nature and residents alike.”

It’s no surprise that Westminster came second in the ranking, as it is home to some of London’s most iconic green spaces, including the royal trio of Hyde Park, St James’s Park and Green Park.

A man enjoys the sunshine near a wildflower border in Green Park Getty

But beyond these famous landmarks, the borough is also dotted with hidden gems, from leafy gardens to peaceful churchyards, such as Hanover Square just off Oxford Street and St Anne’s Churchyard in Soho.

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Adding to Westminster’s green credentials, Paddington Street Gardens in Marylebone was awarded Green Flag status in 2026.

In third came Southwark (30), which has some impressive green spaces, from West Dulwich’s Belair Park, set within the grounds of an elegant 18th-century mansion, to Bermondsey Square Gardens and Nunhead Cemetery.

Here’s a full list of the top boroughs for green spaces in London, according to Keep Britain Tidy.

Best London boroughs for parks in 2026

This is according to charity Keep Britain Tidy. London has 522 awarded sites including 37 Green Heritage awards and 47 Green Flag Community Awards.

1. Hackney (34)
2. Westminster (33)
3. Southwark (30)
4. Lambeth (29)
5. Hammersmith & Fulham (26)
6. Richmond upon Thames (25)
7. Ealing (23)
8. Hounslow (20)
9. Lewisham (18)
10. Havering (16)
11. Islington (15)
12. Wandsworth (15)
13. Tower Hamlets (14)
14. Greenwich (13)
15. Sutton (13)
16. Kensington & Chelsea (13)
17. Merton (11)
18. Haringey (10)
19. Harrow (10)
20. Bromley (9)
21. Redbridge (9)
22. Barking & Dagenham (7)
23. Croydon (6)
24. Brent (4)
25. Barnet (3)
26. Waltham Forest (3)
27. Kingston upon Thames (3)
28. Bexley (1)
29. Enfield (1)