As the weather finally starts to get warmer, the many green spaces across Canada Water are coming to life.

One such space enjoying its first springtime is Dock Office Gardens. We’ve put this in place in the area to the rear of the Dock Offices, which houses British Land’s Canada Water project hub along with the Bodytonic physiotherapy clinic and the headquarters of charity the Tree Council. Planted with more than 90 species including ferns, flowers and shrubs, Dock Office Gardens offers a green retreat from the busyness of city living.

In keeping with the distinctive Grade II-listed Dock Office building, Dock Office Gardens was designed with inspiration from the pioneering Victorian botanists who sparked a craze for fern-collecting in 19th-century England. The gardens contain no less than 14 varieties of fern from around the world. Other species include the umbrella plant, the rice paper plant, and cast-iron plant. As they mature, these plants’ giant leaves will help create a lush, tropical fee in the warmer months. Woodland species have been selected to thrive under the shade of existing mature trees, while unusual flowering plants will add colour throughout the year.  A pond with water lilies, edged with waterside plants such as the black iris, forms a focal point.

The space is open to all to enjoy as an oasis of calm and a place to connect with nature. It complements the nearby Canada Dock, where we’ve created a mosaic of wetland habitats traversed by Rafter Walk. Opening soon, a Discovery Pond will offer the chance to observe the dock’s aquatic life up close. New eating spots set to open their doors in the coming months will open out onto the gardens, with Sushi Revolution offering al fresco dining amid the greenery.

With the new Canada Water Leisure Centre opening its doors nearby later this spring, Dock Office Gardens will make a perfect spot to sit and relax after a workout.

Read more about the inspiration for Dock Office Gardens here.