London Underground staff have been battling it out to grow the best fruit, vegetables and flowers at stations across the Tube system.
As part of this year’s annual Underground in Bloom competition employees have been tending corn on the cob at Northolt, runner beans at Greenford and strawberries at Hampstead – with all this green-fingered work done in their own time.
Entries for the fruit and veg category – which was launched last year as part of the Mayor’s Capital Growth programme to encourage organisations and communities to grow their own produce – have doubled this summer.
Beetroot, carrots, tomatoes, broad beans, cucumbers, chillies, peanuts and mint are just some of the mouth-watering treats that staff have been nurturing at stations.
As well as cultivating edible produce staff have been adding colour to stations with a variety of flowers and plants for customers to enjoy.
Beautiful blooms have sprung up on platforms at Croxley, near the station exit at North Acton and in a car park at Perivale transforming these busy urban environments into lush oases.
The categories, which include hanging baskets, tubs and best overall garden are currently being judged, with the awards evening taking place on 7 September at City Hall.
Judges will give extra points to ‘greener’ gardens that use water wisely or recycle.
For example some stations, such as Hampstead, have a wormery bin which provides rich environmentally-friendly liquid fertilizer to help plants grow, while North Acton has used old wooden train sleepers to create flower beds.
Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, said:
“I want to bring the best of the village into the city and a well-tended local station is a quintessential feature of this vision.
“It is fantastic that these talented London Underground staff have created these horticultural delights bursting with flowers, fruit and veg and all done by volunteering in their spare time.
“I’d like to congratulate everybody who has worked hard to transform these stations, adding a splash of colour to the daily commute of passengers. They are a credit to this city and their efforts will help ensure London is looking amazing when we welcome the world in 2012.”
Over 70 stations, depots and service control rooms have entered the competition.
