Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf is a free-to-visit, leafy oasis hidden on the rooftop of the Canary Wharf station on the Elizabeth Line. Canary Wharf is home to our corporate sector and is an urban mass of concrete and glass. So the thought of spending half an hour looking at Croassrail Place Canary Wharf, looking at tropical greenery and with great views out over West India Quay dock is appealing.
The History of Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf
At least our town planners thought we would enjoy a calm green space. In 2008, they hired notable architects Foster + Partners to design this indoor park brimming with unusual and exotic plants. And tucked away amongst the foliage is a performing arts space.
Foster + Partners is a luxury casting indeed for such a project. They are the firm responsible for other iconic architectural masterpieces, including the neo-futuristic central courtyard of the British Museum and the landmark Gherkin building in the heart of London’s financial district.
You’ll notice Foster + Partners’ trademark triangles in the Crossrail Place garden roof design.
Shaped like a ship and laden with exotic plant species
The Crossrail Place Roof Garden building reflects Canary Wharf’s maritime history and the outstanding waterside views.
5 Reasons to Visit the Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf
If you are expecting anything on the scale of the Victorian greenhouses in Kew Gardens, you are going to be disappointed. You could probably walk around the whole garden and study the plants in less than 20 minutes. Therefore, it doesn’t merit a full day’s visit and is best combined with other activities. Consider visiting after a trip to the nearby London Museum Docklands.
Here are some ideas for enjoying the Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf
- Bring a picnic lunch with you and eat it sitting on one of the many benches in the garden.
- Grab a coffee from a ground-floor coffee shop and enjoy it in tropical leafy splendour.
- Make it a meeting point for a blind date. Walk around and admire the plants. If the date goes well, you can always suggest a drink in the restaurant at the back of the garden.
- Bring a book to read and use it as an opportunity to decompress
The Planting Plan for Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf
You may think that Foster + Partners has overthought the planting plan!
The Crossrail Place Roof Garden in Canary Wharf lies directly north of Greenwich on the Prime Meridian. Therefore, they have divided the plant species into varieties that grow in the western and eastern hemispheres.
In the Western Hemisphere section (the Americas, New Zealand, and Australia), you’ll find plants like:
- Soft tree fern
- Golden tree fern
- New Zealand fern
- Sweet gum
- Strawberry tree
In the Eastern Hemisphere (Europe, Africa, Asia and Russia), you’ll find plants such as:
- Northern Japanese maple
- Black bamboo
- Northern Japanese magnolia
- Veitch bamboo
The Crossrail Gardens website has more information on the plants and the planting plan.
If you are enjoying this piece on Crossrail Place Roof Garden, check out our post on Kew Gardens in Winter and Richmond Park.
Dr Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward and the Invention of the Terrarium
If you think that the garden is similar in design to a terrarium, you are entirely correct.
Nathaniel Ward was a botanist who invented a sealed glass container, which was used for transporting plants from overseas to Europe. The survival of many of the species found in this garden is due to his invention of the Wardian Case, as it was known.
Find the Story Dispenser Near the Restaurant
With relaxation in mind, there is a story dispenser situated near the restaurant. You decide whether you want to read for one, three or five minutes, and the machine dispenses a ticker tape printout of a story.
Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf in a Nutshell
- Great views over the Canary Wharf docks and buildings
- Sublime Foster Partners’ architecture
- Exotic plant species
- A place to meet friends or relax
Practical Information About Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf
How to find it
Come out of the station at Canary Wharf’s Elizabeth Line and take the entrance behind you. You will see a cartoonish multi coloured wall with an escalator and lift to the roof garden.
Do you need tickets?
No tickets are required for the garden, just arrive and enjoy.
Is the garden free to visit?
Yes, there is nothing to pay.
What are the garden’s opening hours?
The garden is open from 9 am to 9 pm. You can check on the Crossrail Place Roof Garden website.
How big is the garden?
You can walk around the gardens in about 15-20 minutes. It’s long enough to enjoy a coffee or a chat with a friend.
