Overview

Tower Bridge Court is a brand new office building development, located, as the name suggests, beside one of London’s most iconic landmarks. The building claims to be one of London’s first net zero workplaces, that actively enhances and improves its environment, designed with wellbeing at its core. Greenwood is pleased to have supplied plants for the development of the Tower Bridge Court’s rooftop gardens, which boasts stunning views, not only of the iconic bridge itself, but of the entire central London skyline.

Our Approach

The planting plan incorporated a variety of plants chosen for their aesthetic, sensory, and seasonal interest, ensuring year-round appeal. For height and structural interest, Betula pendula with its elegant, peeling bark and delicate foliage adds vertical contrast. Parrotia persica offers vibrant autumn colour, whilst Olea europaea brings a Mediterranean feel with its silvery evergreen leaves. Additionally, Pinus mugo provides year-round structure, and Magnolia stellata was also used, with its fragrant white flowers in early spring.

Ornamental grasses add movement and texture to the garden. Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’ brings evergreen, arching foliage with striking gold and green variegation. Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ features fine, silver-edged leaves and delicate plumes in late summer. Stipa tenuissima ‘Ponytails’ creates a soft, flowing effect, whilst Sesleria autumnalis features bright green foliage that turns golden in autumn.

For unique foliage, plants such as Choisya ternata provide glossy, aromatic leaves and occasional white flowers. Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Nanum’ is a compact shrub with small, dark green leaves that add a neat, evergreen presence. Stachys byzantina ‘Big Ears’ has soft, silvery foliage, with striking vertical stalks of flowers that appear in summer. Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae was used, which offers evergreen, deep green leaves and striking acid green flowers in spring.

Early spring colour is introduced through a selection of bulbs. Allium ‘Purple Rain’ provides striking purple flower heads in late spring. Narcissus ‘Thalia’ produces elegant, white, multi-headed blooms in mid-spring, whilst Tulip ‘Purple Flag’ adds a vibrant splash of purple in late spring.

A number of aromatic plants were chosen to provide a sensory element to the garden. Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’ was used in abundance, which releases a pleasant aroma when brushed against and offers delicate blue flowers. Sarcococca confusa provides highly fragrant winter flowers, adding year round visual appeal. Thymus vulgaris and Thymus x citriodorus ‘Silver Queen’  contribute aromatic foliage, enhancing the sensory experience of the garden.

The Result

Overall, the project was a success, with the final result looking every bit as visually striking as the landscape in which it is located. The stunning combination of ornamental grasses, herbaceous perennials, shrubs, and trees brought a range of unique foliage, movement, year-round colour, and structural interest to the garden.

The project was not without its challenges, including delivering plants in large quantities to an inner city project, getting them to the rooftop location, whilst taking care to ensure the plants are kept safe during transit. Solving the challenges of plant selection for an exposed, urban environment was not easy, but with careful consideration, the scheme has been designed to thrive in the long-term. Kyle Gray, Commercial Manager at Skidmores of Hertford Ltd, said “We’re extremely grateful to Greenwood for supplying such high quality plants and trees to the project. We’re looking forward to working with them again soon”.