It’s all a bit of a trek from Brighton so today I was taking things easy and had already watched the geese nibbling 
the daisies alongside the Thames and sipped fresh watermelon juice which came from a friendly riverside cafe.
It was my regular foray to the Poetry School when I saw the door open. At last a chance to see what had always seemed like a secret garden from the other side of the Palace clock! 
Apparently ‘The garden at Lambeth Palace’ has been a private garden since the 12th century – and it’s the oldest continuously cultivated garden in London.’ I had not known that it is open to the public once a month.
But now with only twenty minutes before my class…
It costs five pounds (for charity) to enter but even a flying visit seemed worth it – and it was! Here they have what would appear to be see the biggest and surely the oldest fig tree in the country.
Long tree-lined walks, a fountain, sculptures, a wonderful array of roses and deep blue irises. Just time to buy a tomato plant which I am promised will grow stripy tomatoes and then I have to rush to the class to wax lyrical hopefully, but I will be going back again very soon.
Monthly openings
Lambeth Palace Garden will be open on the first Friday of the month between March and October, from 12pm to 3pm. Admission is £5 and there will be teas and coffees available to purchase.
The garden is open from 4 March 2016 on the first Friday of each month until October 2016. Teas and plant sales too.
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