Pokémon Pokopia is coming to real life with a free London garden

Touch grass, Pokémon-style

Pokémon Pokopia garden in Acton
(Image credit: Pokémon)

If you’ve been quietly losing hours to Pokémon Pokopia, there’s now a way to log off and still stay in that world. A real-life Pokémon garden has landed in London, and it’s completely free to visit.

Called Pokopia Gardens, the pop-up has taken over The Mount in Acton, first opening on the 31st of March and running through to the end of September. It’s open 24/7, costs nothing to enter, and sits just a short walk from Acton Town station, meaning you can swing by whenever, whether that’s a quick wander after work or a slightly more intentional weekend detour.

The whole thing is part of a wider push from The Pokémon Company, which is also rolling out similar gardens across Paris and Berlin. The idea is to take the core concept of Pokopia, rebuilding a soft, nature-filled world designed to bring Pokémon back into it, and recreate that feeling in real-world public spaces.

In practice, that means a curated mix of plants and greenery designed to mirror the game’s gentle, slightly dreamlike aesthetic. There are “living walls”, Pokémon-inspired terrariums, and little visual touches that make the space feel like it’s been lifted straight out of a Nintendo screen without going full theme park.

It’s not trying to be loud or overly interactive. Instead, it leans into the same slower, more relaxed rhythm that makes Pokopia work in the first place, somewhere between a garden, an art installation and a low-stakes spot to chill out

Pokémon Pokopia – Launch Trailer – Nintendo Switch 2 - YouTube Pokémon Pokopia – Launch Trailer – Nintendo Switch 2 - YouTube
Watch On

There’s a bit more going on if you’re playing Pokémon GO, too. The site includes themed Gyms and PokéStops, meaning you can spin for items, collect gifts and send them on while you’re wandering around. It’s a small detail, but it ties the physical space back into the wider Pokémon ecosystem in a way that actually makes sense.

Pokopia has quickly become a daily ritual for players, the kind of game you dip into for a bit of calm, and this feels like a natural extension of that. A way of turning a digital experience into something you can walk through.

While it’s easy to roll your eyes at branded pop-ups, this one’s at least doing something a bit different. No tickets, no queues, no pressure to buy anything, merely a free, open space that happens to be themed around one of the biggest franchises in the world.

If nothing else, it’s a solid excuse to get outside, slow down a bit, and pretend, even briefly, that your walk through Acton is part of a much nicer, more carefully designed world.

You can visit the Pokopia garden at The Mount, Acton, London W3 9NW


Shortlist Google Preferred Source



Skip the search — follow Shortlist on Google News to get our best lists, news, features and reviews at the top of your feeds!


Morgan Truder
Staff Writer

Morgan got his start in writing by talking about his passion for gaming. He worked for sites like VideoGamer and GGRecon, knocking out guides, writing news, and conducting interviews before a brief stint as RealSport101's Managing Editor. He then went on to freelance for Radio Times before joining Shortlist as a staff writer. Morgan is still passionate about gaming and keeping up with the latest trends, but he also loves exploring his other interests, including grimy bars, soppy films, and wavey garms. All of which will undoubtedly come up at some point over a pint.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.