Green-fingered staff bring London’s Tube and rail stations and depots into full bloom

The winners of Transport for London’s (TfL) hotly contested staff gardening competition “In Bloom” recognises the variety of gardens that flourish on London’s transport network. With awards in a range of categories – from indoor gardens and hanging baskets to larger cultivated gardens – the In Bloom competition inspires gardeners from across TfL, with some even enlisting the help of customers.

Green-fingered staff from across the city innovatively used spaces across stations, depots and offices to develop gardens which provide beautiful scenery and fresh produce.

Northwick Park Underground station bagged this year’s ‘Gardens of The Future’ theme award, by planting adaptable, sustainable and edible plants which provides a model for maximising small green spaces across the transport network.

Upminster Depot won both the ‘Best in Show’ and ‘Best Newcomer’ Awards. Over a few months, the staff transformed a patch of disused space into a garden that incorporates a seating area, wildflower meadow and art on the portacabins and office walls.

The In Bloom competition was first started in 1910 by the District Railway. TfL and its enthusiastic staff, often working with local residents and businesses have kept this century-old tradition alive. This year saw more than 60 entries from across the city – West Croydon to Croxley and Upminster to West Ruislip.

Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: “Climate change is a very real threat to all of us, and this year’s In Bloom competition had sustainability firmly at its core.

“The winners of In Bloom truly harnessed this message, creating unique and beautiful gardens which will brighten Londoners’ journeys while reminding us of importance of looking after our planet and adapting to the effects of climate change.”

Emma Strain, TfL’s Customer Director, said: “London’s Tube and rail stations have been bursting with colour over the summer as our staff have been creating vibrant gardens for our In Bloom gardening competition. These not only brighten up local communities and customer’s journeys everyday they help to tackle climate change. The standard of the entries this year was tremendous, and we’d like to thank everyone involved for their efforts.”

Sue Buck, Art in Bloom award winner and Customer Service Supervisor at TfL, said: "The annual In Bloom competition is a wonderful way for staff to express themselves, and I have really enjoyed working with my colleagues to create these beautiful spaces across the transport network."

Winners in the other categories are as follows: 

• 'Hainault Train Crew Accommodation' (TCA) won the John Knight Award for Best Tubs, Hanging Baskets and Window Boxes. Their garden at the entrance to the office provided a warm welcome to train operators starting their shifts
• Morden Underground station secured the 'Fruits and Vegetables Award' and impressed the judges with the sheer variety of produce, including pineapple lemons and limes
• South Tottenham Overground station won in the 'Cultivated Gardens' (station) category. Their expansion of their garden on an otherwise blank embankment and work with local schools and pensioners created a blend of enhanced atmosphere and community engagement 
• Hammersmith Service Control Centre were triumphant in the 'Cultivated Gardens' (depot) category. Their garden’s continued growth and the opportunity for staff to get involved by sponsoring trees or borrowing from the tree library made their entry really stood out 
• London Underground office Abrams House in High Barnet came first in the 'Indoor Gardens' category. The staff used plants to liven up the train crew accommodation office, despite the lack of sunlight and rain. Their efforts turned the indoor space into a “plant hospital” where moribund blooms are revived 
• Sue Buck clinched the 'Art in Bloom Award' for her multimedia canvas depicting flowers of the future. She painted the future Piccadilly line train stock alongside depictions of flowers enhanced with found objects like rings and brooches
• Neasden Depot bagged the 'Best Seasoned Entry' with their newly installed irrigation system and well-laid gardens of gladioli 
• Ruislip Depot won the 'Environment Award'. The reuse and transformation of salvaged items such as lawn chairs into planters brought vibrance to the depot and created a welcoming workspace for colleagues
• Willesden Junction Underground station secured the 'Sandra Wilkes Community Award'. Their collaboration with community volunteers transformed transitional spaces between the trains and buses into a colourful garden filled with fruit trees, pollinating plants and wildflowers 

Almost a third of TfL's circa 6,000-acre estate is covered by green vegetation, with a wide variety of habitats, from woodlands to wetlands, that support more than 1,000 animal species and almost 700 plant species.

Motivated to protect and enhance the environment, TfL has various strategies to renew its assets with energy-efficient technologies and materials across the network – including the use of LED lighting and low-carbon materials. By 2030, TfL aims to source 100 per cent of its electricity from renewable energy.

With new benchmarks to track progress in habitat protection and connectivity, TfL has taken concrete steps to increase biodiversity across its properties. With a comprehensive biodiversity strategy and using available areas – such as wildflower habitats in roadside verges and street tree plantation drives – TfL continues to reinforce its commitment to a healthier and greener future for London.