World Peace Garden Camden

World Peace Garden Camden was created in 2014 on what used to be derelict open space on a steep slope above the north platform of Hampstead Heath overground station, adjacent to the Parliament Court block of flats. Archival maps since (and including) the 1840 OS map show that the area where the garden now stands did not have any construction on it for around the past 200 years. Local estate agent Jonathan Bergman who worked across the street decided to canvas support, raise money and persuade the local council to sell the land so that volunteers could clear the rubbish and establish a garden. The garden describes itself as a “charitable project to promote peace by challenging the usual way we look at the world in the form of an unusual garden containing inspiring messages”. It is part of the global World Peace Gardens network which aims to promote areas of peace and tranquility enabling contemplation.

The garden serves the residents of the wider South Hill Park Gardens and Parliament Hill who all pass it to leave the area, as well as users of Hampstead Heath station, shoppers in South End Road and the South End Green bus depot and routes. It receives in excess of 25,000 visits per year. Multiple trails have been constructed in the garden, which is extremely peaceful save for the frequent rumble of passing trains below. Many wind chimes have been hung on the trees. The garden seems to be highly popular among nearby residents, with people of all ages taking a stroll around. Plenty of amenities have been provided such as benches built around trees for visitors to relax, tree stumps to serve as seats, and a little roof made of bamboo reeds between trees where children play. Three small ponds and a wishing well have been constructed in the garden. The garden has a recreational space with tables and chairs where events like tea parties, puppetry shows and chess tournaments are held. Alongside this space is a 41m-long Peace Wall emphasising visitors’ visions for a better and more peaceful world in line with the garden's name, with laminated poems and handwritten cards being strung up as a gallery alongside glass tiles displaying images and messages chosen by donors to the garden.

The World Peace Garden is part of the strategic biodiversity corridor, the North London Line railway corridor. This corridor provides areas of green space that are valuable stepping stones for wildlife movement, extending eastwards from the tunnel at Hampstead Heath station into Islington and also southwards to Kentish Town and Camden Town. The garden contains several varieties of exotic trees (monkey puzzle, cedar of Lebanon, Bird of Paradise, magnolia, cypress, pinups, azaleas, rhododendrons, olive, bamboo and tree of Heaven) and garden shrubs (climbing roses, camelias, mahonia, pyracanthas). The garden also has a number of indigenous trees (sycamore, crab apple, cherry, bay, hawthorn, yew and holly) and fruiting trees.

The garden has been designated as a Local Green Space and a Grade 2 Borough Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, affirming its significance as both a community space and a habitat for biodiversity. In 2023, the garden was named by Conde Nast traveller as one of the 17 best secret gardens in London, among other gardens like Camley Street Nature Park (q.v.) in Kings Cross and the nearby Hill Garden and Pergola (q.v.) in Hampstead Heath. It also won the Time Out 'Love London Awards' 2016 for Local Culture in Hampstead, an award supported by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and the Mayor's Office.