2012 Gardens - Welcome to the Official 2012 Gardens Website

The Gardens are a unique fusion of formal and informal plantings. Stretching almost a kilometre, the contemporary, perennial plantings combine and are interwoven with structural strips with wide-swathes of intermingled plants set out in a more naturalistic style. Bold blocks of repeating colours and textures provide a sense of continuity. The planting is highly structured, designed for dramatic, year-round effect. The plants themselves were carefully selected not only for their beauty but also for their durability and value in attracting bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and other species for increasing biodiversity.

Creating the 2012 Gardens was quite an undertaking. Rare seeds, cuttings and bulbs were tracked down from across the UK and abroad. These include hundreds of South African plants grown from a small collection in Ireland and seeds collected in South Africa; thousands of rare white chrysanthemums; as well as Asian lilies grown from clumps provided by specialists in the UK. Other rare plants include the compass plant, used by Native Americans to navigate the North American prairies, and Summer Beauty, an unusual flowering onion from Europe.

Downloads

First-hand perspectives on designing and planting these one-of-a-kind gardens:

	2012 Gardens Overview Putting the Gardens in Context, The design concept behind the 2012 Gardens
	2012 Gardens - Europe The Inspiration Behind the European Garden, Highlights of the European Garden, The Importance of Managing Natural Spaces
	2012 Gardens - North America Texture and transparency in the North American Garden, Highlights of the North American Garden, Augmenting biodiversity in the North American Garden
	2012 Gardens - Southern Hemisphere The drama of the Southern Hemisphere Garden, Additional highlights of the Southern Hemisphere Garden, The wild plant communities in the Southern Hemisphere Garden
	2012 Gardens - Asia The forms and textures of the Asian Garden, Highlights of the Asian Garden, The use of exotic species in the Asian Garden

The 2012 Gardens pay tribute to Britain's long history of exploration, trade and plant collecting and their impact on the great horticultural diversity and variety of British gardens. They are a living timeline celebrating the influences of British trade and commerce on the nation's rich gardening heritage adding a contemporary appreciation of the form and structure of diverse plant habitats from across the globe.

Divided into four climatic zones, each draws upon the ecological character of habitats found in the wild:

Europe

This Garden is based on a traditional hay meadow, but includes more robust species that flower for longer. From the 14th century onwards, the influx of plants from Europe that were already a key source for most garden plants from the classical civilisation increased with the growth of trade and exploration.

North America

Flowers in this Garden are found in North American prairies. Plant collecting from North America was at its height in the 1800s, and it is still the a key source for summer flower colour in British gardens today.

Southern Hemisphere

This Garden was inspired by the exotic species found in South Africa's Drakensberg range. Flora from South Africa are quite dramatic in colour and form, and the Drakensberg range is a prime example of this. With the warming of the climate, many South African plants are increasingly suitable for British gardens. Plants from South Africa were all the rage in the 19th century.

Asia

This Garden focuses on structure and foliage from the edges of Asian woodlands. Most of Asia was closed to trade and exploration until the 19th century, and when their ports opened for commerce, botanists found a long-established tradition of horticulture in many Asian cultures that outpaced much of what was being practiced in Europe.

Watch as the Gardens are transformed from a brownfield site into a rich mosaic of dramatic colour and texture. The Gardens are a celebration of culture and nature, supporting biodiversity in an urban setting.

The design of the 2012 Gardens reflects the character of plant communities found in the wild; the North American Garden is inspired by the prairie.
The structure and form of the 2012 Gardens uniquely contrasts formal strip planting with more open field-patterns of planting.
Ramps and pathways lead visitors through the Gardens, enveloping them in the planting schemes and providing different views and vistas.
Both the European and North American Gardens bring the spirit of native wildflower meadows in to the heart of east London.
This design sketch illustrates the ecological structure of plant communities with varying height and mass that support insects and other wildlife.
The 2012 Gardens took two years to construct, completely transforming a derelict industrial site into perennial gardens that stretch for nearly a kilometre.
Scientists designed soil types to support each planting community; a marker layer identifies reclaimed subsoil and newly-manufactured topsoil.
Plants for the 2012 Gardens were sourced from a variety of specialists across the UK and then propagated at a specialist nursery in southeast England.
The designers and contractors worked together closely, setting out the plants and tailoring the design to fit the detailed conditions of the site.
The North American Garden was established in the summer of 2011. In this image, the contrast between formal and informal planting areas begins to emerge.
The lawns in the 2012 Gardens utilise robust turf to support heavy use during the Games.
Strip planting is an important design element in the Gardens. This banding of crocus and daffodils echoes strips of flowering perennials on the upper terraces.

London 2012 Olympics Park Map and Directions to the 2012 Olympic Gardens

Download Map

You can find the 2012 Gardens between the Aquatics Centre and the Olympic Stadium, along the banks of the Waterworks River.

The gardens are accessible via:
the main concourse from the Aquatics Centre and the bridge from the Water Polo Arena to the north; and the Greenway Walk to the south.

Find out more transport information to the Park here: http://www.london2012.com/getting-to-the-games

Accessibility

The 2012 Gardens are wheelchair accessible. Find out more about the Park's accessibility here .

Please contact us with questions or comments.

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Explore the breadth and diversity of the 2012 Gardens. They are a vibrant testimony to the history of British exploration and trade and their lasting impact on the nation's gardening heritage. The Gardens are a living timeline of plant collecting, inspired by wild plant communities found across the globe.

Discover how biodiversity can flourish in cities, benefitting both the local community and nature.

Download the free app from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store!

Explore plant communities from four climate zones: Europe, North America, Southern Hemisphere, Asia.
Dig deeper for additional information, including access to articles and audio clips.
Email a digital postcard to friends.
Share the Garden with others using email, Facebook, or Twitter.
View a photo gallery of the Gardens as they took shape.

Download free from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store!

Credits

The 2012 Gardens application was commissioned by the Olympic Delivery Authority. Additional content has been supplied by the Royal Horticultural Society.