The Kensington Flamingos

Walking through busy Kensington one thing most people would not expect to find is a group of Flamingos living in the area, but they are there if you know where to look. The Flamingos live in the Kensington Roof Gardens, which can be found via Derry Street (just off of Kensington High street). The roof gardens sit atop the former Derry and Toms department store building on Kensington High Street, and are accessible via an entrance on Derry Street (marked 99 Kensington High Street). The roof gardens are extensive, covering 1.5 acres and until recently were reported to be the largest roof gardens in Europe. Visiting the roof gardens on a sunny English day is a bizarre, rewarding and (most importantly) free experience, and one can easily imagine themselves as being somewhere in the Mediterranean as opposed to being in the centre of busy London!

Pictures, London (May 2012).