Pergola and Hill Garden, Hampstead

The Pergola and Hill Garden is a hidden Edwardian garden on the edge of Hampstead Heath in north London, reached from North End Way near Inverforest House. It was created in the early twentieth century by the soap manufacturer Lord Leverhulme as a setting for entertaining guests at his Hampstead home, The Hill, with landscaping by Thomas Mawson. The pergola is a raised walkway about 800 feet long, made of stone columns and timber beams covered in wisteria, roses and clematis, with views over the gardens and the Heath. The adjoining Hill Garden is formal, with lawns, pools and shaded paths, and a pavilion at the far end with a view of the rolling landscape. The wisteria blooms heavily in May, which is the most photographed period, while roses and clematis follow in summer. The gardens fell into disrepair after the Second World War and were restored by the then London County Council and later opened to the public. They are now managed by the City of London Corporation as part of Hampstead Heath, and admission is free. The site is quiet compared with the Heath's main areas, and visitors are asked to keep voices low. A visit takes 30 to 60 minutes. The best photographs are taken from the middle of the pergola looking along the columns, and from the pavilion at the end. Crowds are small, though weekends in May can be busier, and weekday mornings are calm. The gardens usually close at dusk or earlier in winter, so checking opening times is advisable. Hampstead Underground station on the Northern line is about a 15-minute walk away.