The ‘race for space’ has been talked about to death, but there’s no getting around the fact that, now more than ever, access to the outdoors is a huge draw for homebuyers. With the Chelsea Flower Show and a bullish May heatwave reminding the country of our love — and need — for gardens and green space, buyers are placing an ever-increasing value on access to the great outdoors when it comes to buying a home. Indeed, new research from Savills shows that properties within 50 metres of a park or common command a 12.2 per cent price premium, while a large garden adds 20 per cent to a property’s value.

In another survey, the Evening Standard found that London homes with gardens were priced £64,000 higher on average than those without; the highest premium is paid in Kensington and Chelsea, where homes with gardens are £166,000 more expensive.

And it makes sense, right? What could be better than kicking back in your own little slice of nature – having drinks on the terrace, friends over for barbeques, or passing a Saturday afternoon planting and preening. It adds a whole other dimension to your home that many Londoners are simply unwilling to do without. From winter snowball fights to summer BBQs, to spring planting and autumn leaf crunching, there’s nothing quite like having your own outdoor space.

But when it comes to prime central London, such luxuries are often hard to come by. From St John’s Wood to Chelsea, Parsons Green to Notting Hill, Richmond to Islington, we’ve rounded up the best London homes with gardens for sale now – from garden flats to sprawling mansions.

Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, SW3

An outstanding Grade II-listed townhouse, situated on one of Chelsea’s most sought-after riverside streets, this exceptional Georgian gem dates back to 1760. Reimagined for contemporary family living, the charming eight-bedroom, six-bathroom mansion benefits from magnificent proportions, as well as a large private garden.

The main house offers six stunning double bedrooms served by a lift, while the self-contained mews, which is now seamlessly attached to the main property, offers two additional bedrooms and discreet independent living space, accessed directly from the garden or via a tucked-away passageway. Ceiling heights are voluminous throughout, while the beautiful principal reception rooms enjoy uninterrupted views across the River Thames towards Albert Bridge. The incredible house sits behind a gated front garden, further buffered by the Chelsea Embankment communal gardens.

Listed for £25m, visit sothebysrealty.co.uk

St Ann’s Villas, Notting Hill, W11

Part of the picturesque St Ann’s Villas, this impeccably restored house extends to an impressive 2,955 square feet and boasts a large private garden to the rear, which is rare for the area, and gives the house a great sense of openness and flow. Combining strong period character with a carefully considered renovation, the charming five-bedroom, four-bathroom home has been comprehensively refurbished in conjunction with a heritage consultant, with original features reinstated with taste and accuracy, while the interior sits comfortably within the prized heritage-rich architecture.

The raised ground floor is arranged around a bright bay-fronted reception room to the front and a generous dining room to the rear, while the principal bedroom can be found on the first floor and is served by a large bathroom and an adjoining room, currently used as a private dressing suite.

Listed for £5.35m, visit sothebysrealty.co.uk

Fellows Road, Belsize Park, NW3

Charming, quaint and stylish, this two-bedroom garden apartment, set over two floors, has a sizeable private garden as well as a share of the freehold. Beautifully renovated, it blends indoor and outdoor appeal, while also being located just moments from the sprawling green spaces of Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill. Light, spacious and open, the property benefits from a pared-back, neutral colour palette enhanced by an abundance of natural light from the Crittall-style doors and large windows throughout. The generous principal bedroom boasts double doors leading straight out onto the intimate but immaculate rear garden, with the upstairs floor also benefiting from a generous terraced balcony, overlooking the greenery below.

Listed for £2m, visit dexters.co.uk

Haldane Road, Fulham, SW6

A prettily presented three-bedroom house, this endearing property offers a great space, natural light, and a fantastic garden, ideally located in the heart of Fulham. The lower-ground floor has a contemporary open-plan kitchen and dining area, illuminated with natural light from double doors leading out to the garden, with further great reception space on the raised ground floor.

Roomy and spacious with great natural flow, the impressive home seamlessly blends the outside and inside, with a charming garden offering both space to run around and a shaded alcove ideal for entertaining. The three bedrooms are well-proportioned and comfortable, and complemented by a family bathroom and a separate WC. The fantastic property is located just a short stroll from Fulham Broadway tube station and West Brompton Overground Station.

Listed for £1.1m, visit marshandparsons.co.uk

Cedar Heights, Richmond, TW10

A seriously extraordinary detached home, this magnificent property combines majestic architectural scale with an intimate connection to nature, offering stunning uninterrupted views over Richmond Park from every level. Spanning an impressive 4,985 square feet, it has been thoughtfully designed for modern family living and is as practical as it is enchanting.

The vast entrance hall sets the tone before reaching the heart of the home: a spectacular 49ft combined family room, kitchen and dining space. Beautiful full height glazed doors open onto the stunning 65ft south facing garden, which fill the room with sunshine, while landscaped front gardens with off street parking just add to the countryside-style appeal.

Listed for £5.25m, visit knightfrank.com

Duncan Terrace, Islington, N1

An outstanding Grade II-listed early Victorian townhouse, this gorgeous home has been meticulously restored and reimagined by RIBA award-winning architect Michaelis Boyd, with interiors by renowned luxury residential designer Crawford Design. Blending Victorian heritage with contemporary craftsmanship, the house spans nearly 3,000 square feet across five floors, while the recently landscaped rear garden, by Emma Griffin Garden Design, has been imagined as a multi-zoned courtyard garden featuring a sunken dining area under a pergola, a higher seating area with a bespoke water feature, and integrated lighting and irrigation systems.

At the rear of the garden sits a pod designed and built by Pod Space to be used year-round as a studio or office. Add to that a private roof terrace, accessed via a custom retractable glass door, and there is further space for entertaining or relaxation — with panoramic views to boot.

Listed for £5m, visit knightfrank.co.uk

Stonehill Close, Richmond Park, SW4

Located in a quiet parkside close, moments from Richmond Park and Palewell Common, this perfectly proportioned 3,000 square foot property is set over four floors and boasts a stylish Scandinavian aesthetic, as well as a secluded west-facing garden with an outdoor kitchen and heaps of seating and entertaining space.

The wide entrance hall sets the barometer for the property, with the spacious west-facing semi-open-plan kitchen, living and dining room offering a brilliant space for entertaining, relaxing, and practical family living. With six beautiful double bedrooms and two full bathrooms, the incredible home also benefits from a gorgeous front garden, which has been planted to give a high degree of privacy, as well as that all-important off-street parking.

Listed for £2.925m, visit randallprice.net

Tregunter Road, Chelsea, SW10

This exquisite seven-bedroom home has been immaculately refurbished throughout and boasts a garden designed and landscaped by the award-winning Luciano Giubbille, a Gold Medal winner at Chelsea Flower Show, as well as a decked terrace accessed from both the library and the drawing room on the ground floor.

Set back from the street behind secure gates with off-street parking for two cars, this fantastic house is ideal for contemporary family life. As well as seven hotel-standard bedrooms and marble-clad bathrooms, the elegant property has an open-plan lower ground floor with an interconnecting family room, kitchen and breakfast room, an impressive 10 metre swimming pool, a cinema, and gym, all in the heart of the Boltons Conservation area.

Listed for £28m, visit struttandparker.com

Daisy Lane, Parsons Green, SW6

A truly gorgeous four-bedroom family home with an immaculately presented south-facing garden, the outside area of this property is flanked by mounted flower baskets and finished with a versatile studio, ideal for use as a home office, gym or guest bedroom. The spectacular Edwardian house has been recently transformed, including a loft extension, rear extension (alongside the aforementioned garden studio), offering an ideal turnkey home close to Parsons Green.

Flooded with natural light, the ground floor has a bright hallway leading to a generous double reception with herringbone flooring, a marble fireplace and underfloor heating, while sliding doors open onto a striking kitchen with imposing ceiling heights, a large island, quartz worktops, and bi-fold doors onto the garden. The first floor offers three bedrooms, including a rear bedroom with en suite and built-in wardrobes, with the top floor dedicated to the impressive principal suite, which enjoys two sets of south-facing Juliet balconies.

Listed for £2.6m, visit johndwood.co.uk

Flood Street, Chelsea, SW3

A stunning six-bedroom modern townhouse, this spacious and appealing family home boasts a show-stopping garden for central London: an elegantly landscaped, 30-foot west-facing lawn, which has been finished with a fireplace at the far end. In keeping with the seamless flow of the property, the meticulously fitted kitchen and dining room leads right into the outside area, making it ideal for parties and family get-togethers. Of the six impressive bedrooms, each has an en suite bath or shower room, as well as a slew of dressing rooms for the principal suite. A large study, second kitchen, utility room and off-street parking complete the handsome package.

Listed for £8.6m, visit johndwood.co.uk

Landmark Pinnacle, Canary Wharf

It’s not your usual rolling lawn, but this new high-rise development has its own dedicated 'urban forest bathing' space, designed by Farrer Huxley and Gillespies. A 75-storey residential tower located in a prime position at the western end of Canary Wharf, Landmark Pinnacle boasts an impressive panoramic sky garden on the 27th floor, with more than 3,500 plants. Curated by the former head horticulturalist at Kew Botanical Garden, this ground-breaking green sanctuary, with its sculptural landscaped play zone, provides residents with a 'forest bathing' space, or shinrin-yoku as it's known in Japan. With a choice of studio, two and three-bedroom apartments, all meticulously designed to the most stylish specifications, Landmark Pinnacle is paving the way for intelligent, greener solutions.

Studios from £625,000, landmarkpinnacle.com

Read more: London homes for sale with swimming pools