LONDON

Welcome…Welcome to London in the lovely month of May. It is a fine time to visit, with thetrees in leaf and beginning to burst with blossom.So why not get out and about to experience the great outdoors? You may not beaware that London is one of the greenest big cities in the world, with beautifulparks and open spaces, large and small, across the capital.This month brings the perennial classic that is the Chelsea Flower Show (p. 16).It’s a dazzlingly colourful showcase of some of the most creative horticulturists andgarden designers working anywhere in the world.A little more off the beaten track, there is the Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice(p. 16). With a pageant of boats, music and quintessentially English morris dancers.Another English tradition is Punch And Judy, two characters who will feature at the May Fayre And PuppetFestival in Covent Garden (p. 29).Even the most ardent theatre-goer can enjoy their passion in the outdoors, with To Kill A Mockingbird at theOpen Air Theatre in Regent’s Park (p. 16) and King Lear at Shakespeare’s Globe on the South Bank (p. 16).Don’t forget you can get to a lot of places by bike – so do try using our Barclays Cycle Hire scheme – it’s agreat way to explore the capital (p. 100).Boris Johnson, Mayor of LondonMay 2013|LONDON PLANNER|visitlondon.com |3