Today, Paddington is showcasing a new 70m2 green wall and sunken rain garden designed to reduce urban flooding in the key tourist area, as part of London’s ‘green revolution’. The development comes at a time when Paddington expects to see an increase of 15% more visitors thanks to the launch of the Paddington Trail coinciding with the new film.
Just around the corner from Paddington Station, London’s historic gateway which sees 61million passengers pass through it each year, the environmental installation will look over bustling Praed Street from the side of historic St Mary’s Hospital, a prominent site in the community, which has seen the discovery of penicillin and pioneered the use of robotic surgery. Plants will climb the walls of the hospital’s Winston Churchill building with the sunken rain garden alongside.
Standing 12m tall, the wall will be packed with six different seasonal plant species from blooming Geranium Rozanne and climbing jasmine to natural ivy. The plants have been specially chosen to ensure the wall is in bloom all year round and act as a welcoming home for the birds, butterflies and bees, to create a permanent vibrant focal point for the local area. Around the corner, the 24m2 sunken rain garden will gather water which over time will grow more greenery to form a striking feature for passers by.
