Send flowers to Barking, Essex

Barking is situated just less than nine miles east of Charing Cross in London and originated as an ancient parish in Essex where the major employment came from fishing and agriculture. Today it is a popular suburban area of east London and has excellent transport connections, being within easy reach of the M25, M11 and the A406 North Circular Road as well as the A118 and A13. Barking Station is easily accessible from the main line terminals in London and the bus services are also very good.

Shoppers will enjoy the selection of independent stores and famous High Street shops in the Vicarage Field Shopping Centre where the emphasis is on value for money. For a different experience visit the Town Centre Market which is held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Here you will find a multicultural mix of traders selling a wide variety of goods. There are various other shops in the area and flower delivery in Barking can be arranged with no difficulty.

There are many activities and events on offer at Barking Park which is the borough's oldest park and opened in 1898. Boats can be hired on the park's 910 metre long lake and there are three pond dipping platforms at its eastern end. Other attractions of the park include the splash park and natural play area for children. More mature visitors will appreciate the ornamental shrubberies and wild flower meadows where you can see the local wildlife.

Eastbury Manor House is open to the public and both the house and the walled garden can be explored. This is a National Trust property and costumed guides will tell you all about the special history of the house.

Barking Abbey Ruins at the Broadway are situated in Abbey Green, an area of parkland where a classical concert with fireworks is held each May. The ruins themselves are mostly hidden now, but visitors can see the layout from walls erected in the last century for this purpose.