Lambeth Green is our project to transform 5.3 acres of adjacent to the Garden Museum into a series of interconnected public green spaces. The new landscape has been designed by Dan Pearson Studio, one of the world’s leading garden design practices. Phase 1 was completed in 2023: a new healing and community garden in Old Paradise Gardens, just across the road. (Please have a look: it is open to all and beautiful).

Phase 2 could take place this winter: Transport for London are re-shaping the Lambeth Bridge junction and 300 square metres of what is now road and hard surfacing will become garden and trees.

Phase 3 will be the re-design of St Mary’s Gardens (the triangle of land next to the churchyard) to be a new garden with at the entrance a new single-storey pavilion, designed by Mary Duggan Architects. This will also be a new entrance to the Museum. The Museum itself is fully accessible to people with wheelchairs but the approach across public land is not.

Phase 4 may be several years away but it is to re-landscape the green areas on the banks of the Thames as a place for people to gather, and cross to the Museum.

The ward in which the Museum sits has the fewest trees of any ward in Lambeth, and the scheme includes planting more than 40 trees over the next three years. This will be inspired by John Tradescant’s arboretum in his garden in the 17th century – but this will be a public arboretum of rarities.

The building is necessary in order to maintain the new gardens. There will be a shed, a room for volunteers, and a training centre for apprentices.

Mary Duggan Architects won an open competition in partnership with the Architects’ Journal. Her design recycles old, demolished London buildings (architectural salvage), first crushing them before forming new terrazzo walls in a soft pink colour. These ornamental walls will wrap around the outer edge of Lambeth Green, with niches and apertures for plants and insects to inhabit – a modern take on the “crinkle crankle” wall.

No, Lambeth Council own the land. We will have a 25-year agreement to reflect the Museum’s fund-raising and investment of time and skill.

Planning permission for the garden and pavilion was granted by Lambeth councillors on 1 October 2024, following listed building consent being granted for the opening in the historic wall on 23 July 2024.

No. The site will continue to be open 24 hours a day, and everyone will be welcome. However, our consultation showed that what many of our neighbours would value is an intimate, secluded and quiet space.

Phases 2 and 3 will cost over £3 million, of which we have received £236,000 in donations so far.

The Swim appeal is urgent because we need £250,000 to (i) plant up the 300 sq m of new gardens and 15 trees opposite Lambeth Bridge this winter made available by TfL (ii) seed funding to progress the project as a whole to the level of detail at which we can approach Trusts and Foundations who can grant even bigger sums.

The garden which is currently St Mary’s Gardens, designed by Dan Pearson Studio, will be planted in a naturalistic style, showcasing hardy,  climate resilient perennials. There will be 11 new trees, including persimmons (diospyros kaki), pomegranate (punica granatum), and madrone (arbutus menziesii). Alongside the trees, there will be a range of 21 shrubs, such as strawberry trees (arbutus unedo), caspicas (Elaeagnus angustifolia), and caerulea (santolina rosmarinifolia). There will be 93 species of perennials planted within the garden; 50 sun tolerant, and 43 shade tolerant.

There is no horticultural training available in Lambeth, our Borough, although over 1,000 people turn 16 each year. We will provide 2 apprenticeships per year, in partnership with Capel Manor College, with the week divided between practical training in Lambeth Green and theory in the College classroom. In our ward more than 70% of homes do not have access to a private garden. These will be the gardeners of the future.