A couple of weeks ago I hopped on a train up to London and visited 5 landscapes around London. I tried to select a variety of scales, styles and purposes in order to experience a range of environments.
My first stop was a small public garden in Bonnington Square, just a 5 minute walk from Vauxhall station. Although situated near busy roads, this residential area is quiet and serene. The area itself is quite green with a lot of vegetation to balance out the housing and as you approach the garden there is a bustling cafe on the left. The garden is maintained by the local residents and they celebrated the landscape’s 20th birthday over the summer.
My first impressions of the garden was that it was not very large, but it felt safe and tranquil. The garden was full of textures, but mostly dominated by shades of green. On the day I visited, the sun was shining so the shadows of the vegetation also added another layer of pattern and atmosphere.
The garden is divided into three distinct spaces. As you enter the garden, the central space contains low, grassy vegetation, dotted with collections of rock and stone benches. This space is surrounded by taller vegetation on three sides, but overall has a sense of openness because of the low vegetation and the sunny aspect.
On the left, walls of vegetation and rope fencing lead through to a rectangular space with picnic tables and benches. The edges are lined with low wooden walls (possibly railway sleepers). The rope and wood materials used to create the space are unobtrusive and accent the textured style of the vegetation well. This space could be used in a multiple of ways, the benches face each other which encourages a sociable atmosphere. But there is reasonable distances between the tables and benches that would allow several individuals to use the space alone – for example, I observed one man working on his laptop.
At the opposite end of the garden is a swing, bordered by a soft, leafy wall of bamboo. There is also a small grassy space, with three slender Betula pendula.
Of all the gardens, this was the space that I felt most comfortable in. The small size and sense of enclosure make it feel like a private and special space. It’s absolutely delightful, so well done to those that manage the space, I would highly recommend visiting for a quiet and relaxing morning. For more information visit – http://www.bonningtonsquaregarden.org.uk/
c o m p o s i t i o n wonderland 