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