Covent Garden London
The heart of London's West End
Seven Dials hanging gardens
An exciting new project to bring back the 'hanging gardens of Babylon' around Covent Garden's Seven Dials has been launched.
The Seven Dials Monument Charity has been awarded a grant of £1,000 from Groundwork Camden under the Green Values Local Agenda 21 Small Grant Scheme. The 'Plant Force initiative' is part of the Charity's on-going Renaissance Project in Seven Dials.
As most of the streets in the heart of the Seven Dials Conservation Area are too narrow for trees, the Charity is re-introducing the historical precedent of 'hanging gardens' in the form of window boxes above the shop fronts around the Seven Dials.
"In Monmouth Street we find one of the great ateliers from which the milk-shops, ginger-beer stalls, green groceries and pot-houses of the suburbs are supplied with signboards. Theatrical amateurs appear to abound; at least the ample store of tin daggers, blunt cutlasses, banners, halberds, battle-axes, &c., constantly exposed for sale at a cellar in Monmouth Street, indicate a steady demand. Nor is this all: in no part of the town do we find singing birds in greater profusion numbers, and variety, and as most of the houses being of an old fashion, have broad ledges of lead over the shop windows, these are frequently converted into hanging gardens, not so extensive as those of Babylon, but possibly yielding as much pleasure to their occupants." Knights London, 1842.
To encourage local participation in the scheme, the Seven Dials Monument Charity has the support of children attending the local St Clement Danes and St Joseph's primary schools. Local property owner Shaftesbury plc has matched the grant with £1,000 sponsorship money.
For details contact David Bieda or Barbara Field: Seven Dials Monument Charity on 0171 437 5512 or by email on 7d@sixty8.com
© Covent Garden Community Association, 12th February 2000
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