Gardens on the Underground

Despite its name, only 45% of the Underground is below ground. This means lots of stations are out in the open, with plenty of air and sunshine for plants to flourish. From flower beds, vegetable patches, hanging baskets and even ‘tiny parks’ in disused ticket offices, there are gardens across the whole Underground network.

Throughout its history, station staff have been encouraged to enhance their stations with plants, flowers, fruit and vegetables. The District was the first railway company to formally encourage its staff to take pride in its stations and gardens by providing funds staff could use to buy seeds and plants. The District also established a competition around 1910 to judge the best displays. 

Judges, including Directors and railway officials, would inspect the gardens in the summer and the competition winners were then announced in the TOT (Train, Omnibus, Tram) staff magazines. These judges are inspecting a flower bed at Ealing Broadway in 1921.

The gardens were planted and maintained by station staff, with funds for seeds provided by the railway company. This photo shows Machinist Andrews waving to the camera whilst working in the garden at Ealing Common station in 1943. His garden won first prize the year this was taken! 

Today, more than 100 years since the first Gardens competition, green-fingered TfL staff continue to brighten up their stations in the annual Underground in Bloom competition. The 2019 competition received over 100 entries from Underground, Overground, DLR and coach stations.