Cover of the 1984 edn. of the London Landscape Guide - see online edition.

Commentary on London Landscape Planning

London has had an important role in the development of modern landscape architecture. As the first city of the industrial age it was the place which first aimed for a balance between the competing demands of architecture and landscape. It was also the first European capital to risk large-scale expansion outside its defensive walls. This led to the creation of a park system and, in 1943-4 to one of the most ambitious landscape plans ever conceived for a capital city. In London the unique city, Steen Eiler Rasmussen identified the intimate combination of architecture with landscape as the unique feature of this great city.

History and comment on London landscape architecture

London Landscape Planning. The landscape profession has been preparing plans for London since the early nineteenth century.

Commentary on aspects of London Landscape Planning

• Greenway planning. The shift from passive to active use of public open space requires an emphasis on greenway planning in London.
• London squares. Few of the new office squares have been planned as well as the old residential squares.
• Cycle planning in London. There is a need for landscape architects to be involved in their planning and design.
• London's riverside has seen much good landscape planning and unimaginative landscape architecture
• Public parks and Heritage Lottery Funding. Parks need re-planning; restoration is rarely enough.
• Housing landscape architecture - terrace housing with gardens is the London tradition

Commentary on major landscape architcture projects in London

• Canary Wharf - comment on the landscape architecture. There are good and bad things to be said about the landscape architecture of Canary Wharf.
• Mile End Park commentary. The park is an object lesson in how not to set about the landscape architecture of a new park.
• London Olympics 2012 . Our aim is to review the landscape architecture as it develops from 2005 to 2012.
• Oxford Street. It should be re-planned and re-designed as an urban shopping landscape.

London visits for landscape architects

LONDON LANDSCAPE GUIDE. A visitor's guide to sites of landscape architecture interest in London.

London's riverside landscape architecture. A recommended walk for landscape architects to see and consider London's riverside landscape.

1927 London Guide Book. The1927 guidebook allows insights into how London appeared to its visitors in the early twentieth century.

Landscape Institute - for landscape architecture in London and South East LASE

Official website for London and South-East Branch of the Landscape Institute LASE

Landscape Institute UK - history and comment

Landscape architecture & garden design education

Universtity of Greenwich landscape architecture and garden design courses. The London Landscape Guide contains a number of sites designed former students from the University of Greenwich.

Kenwood House has the character of a park by Lancelot Brown, though it was not his work.

Hampstead Garden Suburb, planned by Raymond Unwin, is the prototype for all garden cities.

The South Bank landscape was the site of the Festival of Britain

The Hill was designed by Thomas Mawson, first president of the Landscape Institute