25 Cannon Street: The Reflection Garden and the Roof Garden Opposite St Paul's

Have you ever seen the dome of St Paul's upside down, floating in a pool at your feet?

That is the trick of the Reflection Garden, a small public garden at the foot of 25 Cannon Street, across the road from the cathedral. On the roof of the same building is a private garden that opens to the public one day a year.

This is how to see both, and how not to confuse them with the roof garden at Cannon Street station.

What Is the Reflection Garden at 25 Cannon Street?

A public garden at street level, opposite St Paul's. It opened in July 2022 on the site of an old lawn edged with shrubs. There is no gate and no ticket.

The mature trees were kept, with new shrubs and low planting beneath them. There are bird boxes, bat boxes and insect hotels. The memorial to Admiral Arthur Phillip, the first governor of New South Wales, stands in the garden.

Who Designed the Reflection Garden?

The garden designer Tom Stuart-Smith, for Pembroke, the building's owner, working with the City of London Corporation. The water features are by Andrew Ewing.

Why Does the Pool Reflect St Paul's?

The centrepiece is a large oval pool, set so that its dark surface catches the sky and the cathedral's dome. On a still day the dome sits in the water. The pool also lets daylight down into the basement offices beneath it.

Go on a still, bright morning. Wind breaks the reflection, and on a grey day the dome melts into the sky.

Can You Visit the Rooftop Garden at 25 Cannon Street?

Only on one day a year. The roof garden is for the building's tenants. It covers about 5,400 square feet, with raised beds of perennials and grasses, box hedges and wild daisies, also designed with Tom Stuart-Smith.

The view is the reason to go. St Paul's fills the skyline across the road, and the roofs of the City spread out on every other side.

When Does the 25 Cannon Street Roof Garden Open to the Public?

During London Open Gardens, the June weekend when private gardens across the city open to ticket holders. In 2026 the roof opened on Saturday 6 June only, from 10am to 3.30pm. Visitors went up in groups of 20 to 30, so there were queues.

One London Open Gardens ticket covers every garden over the weekend. In 2026 it cost £26 for adults and £11 for under-18s, and under-12s went free. I have written a guide to London Open Gardens and how it works.

Is It the Same as the Cannon Street Station Roof Garden?

No, and people often mix them up. 25 Cannon Street is at the St Paul's end of Cannon Street, about 400 metres west of the station.

Cannon Street station has its own roof garden, the Cannon Bridge Roof Garden, on the office building over the platforms. It is private and hired out for events. A third garden, at 30 Cannon Street near Mansion House, also opened for London Open Gardens in 2026.

What Is 25 Cannon Street?

An office building, first designed by Jean Paul Carlhian with RHWL in a neo-classical style. The architects Buckley Gray Yeoman reworked it for Pembroke, finishing in July 2022, and the gardens came with that rework. The law firm Dechert is the main tenant.

What Else Is Near 25 Cannon Street?

St Paul's, of course. Next door, the roof terrace at One New Change is free and looks straight at the dome.

For more free views over the City, try the Sky Garden or the 50th-floor viewing platform at 8 Bishopsgate. Leadenhall Market is about twenty minutes' walk east. My guide to the best views of London has the rest.

Visiting 25 Cannon Street: Practical Notes

📍 Where: 25 Cannon Street, London EC4M 9AF, opposite St Paul's Cathedral.

⏰ Opening: The Reflection Garden is open access. The roof garden opens to the public only during London Open Gardens.

📅 Open days: Roof garden: one day in June. In 2026, Saturday 6 June, 10am to 3.30pm.

🎫 Admission: The Reflection Garden is free. The roof garden needs a London Open Gardens ticket, £26 for adults in 2026.

🚇 Getting there: St Paul's (Central line) is about four minutes' walk. Mansion House (District and Circle lines) is about five.

☕ Food: One New Change, next door, has cafés and restaurants.

⏳ How long: Ten minutes for the Reflection Garden. On the open day, allow for the queue.

📷 Best time: A still, sunny morning, for the dome in the pool.

🗺️ Nearby: St Paul's Cathedral, the One New Change roof terrace and the Millennium Bridge.

Have you caught the dome in the pool on a still day, or queued for the roof in June?

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