NEW details about and images of London’s planned Garden Bridge have been released.
As the renowned horticulturist and flora designer for the project Dan Pearson has previously explained to Gizmag, the bridge will be a green public space crossing the River Thames. That’s if it comes to fruition.
The Garden Bridge concept was conceived back in 1998 by British actor Joanna Lumley, but only began being developed as a feasible project in 2013. It has received a great deal of varied criticism, including suggestions that it’s too expensive, that it will block views of St Paul’s Cathedral and that it will be closed overnight. Such is the opposition to the Garden Bridge that it is currently the subject of a judicial review.
Nonetheless, the Garden Bridge Trust, which is overseeing the project, is pushing on with its planning and delivery. It argues that the bridge will be a unique public park and destination that will link cultural areas on the North and South Banks, create new quicker and safer pedestrian routes, and that it will showcase UK design, engineering and landscaping talent — among other things.
Assuming the project goes ahead, the bridge will link the South Bank of the Thames to Temple tube station and beyond into Covent Garden. The newly-released images show what five differently landscaped areas across 2500 square metres of planting space will look like. There will be 270 trees; 2000 shrubs, hedging plants and climbers; more than 22,000 perennials, ferns and grasses; and 64,000 bulbs.
Judicial reviews aside, construction of the Garden Bridge is due to begin in early 2016 and it is expected to be opened in 2018. It will be free to visit.
