Food & Health (botanical)

This magical and wild garden is a secret haven. Located in a place forgotten by everyone and dominated by industry in the early 1900's, the lands were then left derelict when the industries departed a century later. Being just off the banks of the Thames River, they were slowly reclaimed as marsh. About ten years ago the area started being redeveloped for condominiums (what else) and the Millennium Dome and happily a government agency bought the land in 1997. They set in place a massive regeneration project. This included restoration of parts of the riverbank and the creation of the Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park as a freshwater habitat.

The park has an inner lake and an outer lake. Newish apartments overlook the outer one, which is almost like a canal, and provide an urban contrast to the wild vegetation. There are all kinds of wildlife and specially designed bird hides allow visitors to watch the many different species, both local and visiting, without disturbing them. The vegetation includes wild flowers and plants and grasses native to marshy areas. There is ongoing management of the planting to ensure that the marshes do not become overgrown with invasive weeds and to maintain the plant and animal diversity. It is a good example of a successful government initiative to raise awareness of the environment in the midst of an urban landscape. :: Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park