Friday 27 January 2023

Green London: Bloomsbury Square Gardens in Winter


I sometimes hear pagans complain that London doesn't have green spaces. It simply isn't true, which is why I've decided to start a series of posts on my blog specifically about Green London. I thought I'd start with Bloomsbury Square Gardens. It's opposite Swedenborg House, which I visited earlier this week to see a brilliant esoteric exhibition about place and space. 

Although the exhibition was mostly about our perceptions of personal space and the built environment, it got me thinking about this idea that London has few green spaces or none. I suspect it's more to do with the way people think about big cities, and perhaps what people mostly look at, rather than what's actually there. I hope my posts will prompt people to look out for trees, flowers and grass as well as streets and buildings. Even on a cold January day, Bloomsbury Square Gardens had a display of winter blooms and benches where people could sit to unwind, rest and enjoy a little nature.

Bloomsbury Square dates back to the 17th century and was one of the earliest London squares, surrounded by posh houses. The gardens at the centre were first created in 1723 and redesigned at the start of the 19th century. There are other squares with gardens in the area including the larger park in Russell Square where London Pagan Pride often starts. 

As well as Swedenborg House, nearby places with appeal to anyone interested in esoteric London include the British Museum as well as pagan shops Treadwell's, The Atlantis Bookshop, Mysteries, Buddha on a Bicycle and The Astrology Shop. I blogged with the details about these shops and more a couple of years ago. The info in that post hasn't changed greatly. You can find out more about Bloomsbury Square Gardens on its own website, including details of events such as Big Garden Bird Watch, which is on today and over the weekend.

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