A new secret garden is coming to London this summer packed with three bars, chef residencies, and live music
Swapping the underground for undergrowth
London isn’t exactly known for being an oasis – in fact, it’s sort of the opposite, with words like "buzzy" and "metropolitan" attributed towards it, which roughly translates as “will increase your blood pressure as much as an episode of The Bear.” Even going to relax in your local green space usually means being lapped by super-fast gel-sucking runners who make your leisurely stroll / sunbathe feel like a slap in the face to your healthy working muscles. Luckily, a brand new experience is heading for the big city to help bring a little bit of calm and fun.
The Lost Oasis is a new garden experience from Cornwall’s stunning The Lost Gardens of Heligan and sustainable garden designers Blue Forest. The idea is to bring a little escape to the city, with a lush garden filled with food, drink, entertainment, and sport. From Wednesday 10th June until Sunday 30th August, the pop-up will take over St Martin in the Fields in Trafalgar Square, bringing a slice of English countryside calm to central London.
Labelled as an immersive urban sanctuary, leading landscapers from across the UK will transform the concrete heart of the capital into a lush, sprawling haven of greenery, complete with high-end food, entertainment and more.
Lost Oasis is set to be a multisensory fusion of culture, flavour and energy, using timber structures woven with vibrant plants to create a tropical escape. Well, tropical-ish. Although we suppose anything with a hint of colour and nature that’s not a weed or mould in the city feels downright exotic.
The food is just as ambitious as the greenery, with some proper top chefs taking on mini residencies that will get foodies and hungry punters alike excited. The rotating line-up includes: Nathan Outlaw, Simon Stallard, Jordan Bailey, Emily Scott, Adam Handling MBE and Sally Abé, each presenting their own menus across the summer.
There will be three bars at the centre of the pop-up, because no relaxation is truly complete without a little refresher. At the heart of the oasis is The Mud Maid Bar, which has been made as part of the gardens, inspired by a signature artwork piece from the original Lost Gardens in Cornwall. Further into the exhibition, there is the Cornish Orchard Cider Tree, where guests can pour their own pint directly from a sculptural cider tree. Stuff of dreams. Finally, tucked beneath the Treehouse, there will be The Whispering Bar, with a very talked-about rosé being served up – bet you can’t guess which…
The sporting events being shown are your usual lineup – The World Cup, FIFA, F1 Grand Prix, and Wimbledon. There will be a special event or the Formula 1 British Grand Prix where local favourites Sofar Sounds will be soundtracking the night, although probably not during the actual races, unless they’re seriously au fait with the Mario score.
Basically, if you want to enjoy a pint in the summer sunshine without traffic whizzing (okay, beeping and stop-starting) its way past you, this might be a perfect central escape.
It will be open throughout June and July, seven days a week from 4pm-11pm, and longer on weekends. You will need a ticket to take part in any public events, with tickets costing £10, but this does include a redeemable drink voucher. Head to the website to find out more information, including getting tickets.
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