Free Roof Garden With Wisteria: The Garden at 120, EC3M

The Garden at 120 sits on the 15th floor of 120 Fenchurch Street and it's free. 85 Italian wisteria trees, 30-plus fruit trees, a 200ft water feature with koi, and 360-degree views across the City of London. No booking, no entry fee, no minimum spend.

What's up there

A proper landscaped roof garden, not a viewing deck. The wisteria peaks in May and June, draping purple over the pergola walkways. The water feature runs the length of the garden with benches alongside, room to actually sit and eat a sandwich, not just stand and take photos.

Views are open across the City to the east and south. The Walkie Talkie's Sky Garden sits next door, taller but harder to book. From The Garden at 120 you can see the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the Shard, and Canary Wharf on a clear day.

Address is 120 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 5BA.

How to claim it

1. Monument or Tower Hill tube. Both two-minute walks. Aldgate also works, five minutes. 2. Walk into 120 Fenchurch Street through the public entrance. Security might glance at you, no questions. 3. Take the public lift to floor 15. 4. Walk out into the garden. 5. Groups of 12 or more need to book ahead through the building's website. Solo or small groups, just walk up.

What's worth knowing

Summer hours (1 April-30 September): Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm. Winter hours (1 October-31 March): Mon-Fri 10am-6:30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm. Closed on Bank Holidays.

Weekday evenings 5-7pm are the busiest. Office workers come up after work. Quietest is weekday lunchtime, 1-2pm. The garden capacity caps at around 200 so on a sunny Friday evening it can hit limits.

Wisteria peak is mid-May to early June. If you go in July you'll still get green pergolas and fruit trees, but not the purple curtains.

The fruit trees actually fruit. Apples and pears drop in late summer, small ones, but real. There's no rule against picking what's already fallen.

FAQ

Is it really free? Yes, no entry fee, no minimum spend, no booking unless you're 12+ people.

Are dogs allowed? No, building rules.

What time should I go? Weekday lunchtime for empty, weekday after-work 5-7pm for the busy energy.

Quick facts

Address: 120 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 5BA Hours: Summer Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm. Closed Bank Holidays. Price: Free. No booking under 12 people. Closest tube: Monument or Tower Hill