Landscape & Urban Design Issue 15 2015 | Page 111

London In Bloom Judges Visit Waterloo Waterloo Quarter Business Improvement In November 2014 Waterloo Quarter Local Styles House residents Karen and District (BID), also known as commissioned local landscape Barbara said: “The planters are a great WeAreWaterloo, has entered the London consultants (uncommon) to increase addition to the area and the urban weeds in Bloom campaign for the first time. green infrastructure in the Waterloo area. look amazing. We would like to see more of Waterloo’s entry celebrates a number of During the first community planting event the planters appearing around Waterloo.” greening initiatives including the recent five tonnes of soil, 60 recycled fruit juice area-wide planting scheme which has barrels and hundreds of buddelia, daisy, increased green infrastructure in the area, honeysuckle and ivy plants were used to the transformation of abandoned land into create attractive and robust planters. Since the Oasis Farm Waterloo and the Leake then there has been another planting Street Pocket Park, which was due to be event and there are now 100 planters on completed in August. the streets of Waterloo. The London in Bloom campaign is the Speaking about the London in Bloom plants chosen stand a greater degree largest horticultural campaign in London, campaign Maris Puks, Operations Manager of heat, shade, lack of water and urban involving thousands of communities each at WeAreWaterloo, said: “We are very pollution than other species. Some of the year. The campaign recognises lasting excited to be part of London in Bloom plants are climbers so will eventually green improvements to local environments for and to demonstrate our commitment to whole facades to achieve a green-wall the benefit of those that live, work and visit improving the green infrastructure and effect. there, today and in the future. public realm in Waterloo. We want to The London in Bloom judges, Mark Wasilewski and Victoria Newton, visited Waterloo on Tuesday 7 July to judge the BID on their horticultural/gardening and environmental management/conservation achievements. The BID will find out if it has won an award at the annual London in make the area greener and more biodiverse – creating a more environmentally sustainable and pleasant place to live and work, and it’s great that so many Waterloo businesses and residents have got behind us with support for the Waterloo in Bloom campaign.” The new planters provide a ‘next generation’ replacement for the hanging basket display and are a more environmentally sustainable solution to greening the area. The planters can be adapted to be watered from down-pipes from neighbouring buildings, and the The area-wide planting initiative is just one of opportunities for greening the area identified by a green infrastructure audit undertaken by WeAreWaterloo, and funded by the Mayor of London’s Greening the BID’s programme in 2012. www.wearewaterloo.co.uk Bloom Awards ceremony on 15 September. Landscape & Urban Design Issue 15 111