Plans have been approved for a new garden in Regent’s Park to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II. A former plant nursery will be transformed into a two-acre garden, with the opening slated for 2026, according to the Royal Parks charity, which oversees this central London park.
HTA Design LLP, the landscape architects behind the project, aim to create a space that harmonizes with the historic gardens nearby, drawing on similar design principles. Andrew Scattergood, the chief executive of The Royal Parks, described the garden as “a serene escape from the city’s hustle and bustle.”
The garden is set to enhance biodiversity significantly within the park. Key features include a circular pond designed to attract wildlife and a central walkway with an accessible platform extending over the pond. Additionally, a vibrant flower garden will display plant species that held significance for the late queen.
An old water tower on the site will be repurposed into an accessible viewing platform, offering panoramic views of the garden and its surroundings while providing habitats for birds, bats, and invertebrates.
The designers emphasized sustainable practices throughout the project. Materials from the site’s demolition, such as concrete, will be recycled, and steel from the old greenhouses will be reused in the new garden. Katharine Erne of HTA Design noted, “The design transforms a brownfield site into a stunning, biodiverse, and climate-resilient garden for the public to enjoy for many years to come.”
Author: Jonathan Thomas
Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.