St. Mary's Gardens
St. Mary's Gardens is a small but attractive open space in Waterloo, well served by public transport and within easy travelling distance of Westminster, Albert Embankment and the South Bank. It is next to Lambeth Palace, as well as the Garden Museum, Archbishop's Park and St. Thomas's Hospital, and provides residents and visitors alike with a safe and attractive place to meet, sit and relax.
St. Mary's Gardens has recently been transformed by a partnership of residents, local volunteers, businesses and Lambeth Council into a bright and welcoming space which respects the local heritage but provides a careful balance between the needs of people and nature.
- Address: Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1
- Tube: Lambeth North (Bakerloo Line), 0.5 miles (0.8 km), Waterloo (Bakerloo, Jubilee and Northern Lines), 0.8 miles (1.0 km)
- Rail: Waterloo or Vauxhall (South West Trains), 0.8 miles (1.0 km)
- Buses: C10, 3, 77, 344, (from Brixton, Canada Water, Clapham, Clapham Junction, Stockwell, Shoreditch, Waterloo and Westminster).
See a location map of St. Mary's Gardens
Facilities
- Flower gardens
- Educational gardening 'pods'
- Ornamental fountain and seating area
Opening times
St. Mary's Gardens is open at all times.
An area rich in history
St. Mary's Gardens is situated on a site that has served for over 500 years as a vital and busy 'gateway' to both Lambeth and Westminster across the River Thames. Up until 140 years ago the nearby Lambeth Bridge didn’t exist, and a horse ferry carried people to and from Westminster; much of the heavily built up area around the gardens were still fields, marshland and orchards that imposed an impressive patchwork pattern on the landscape.
St. Mary's Gardens lies on what used to be the road leading up to the first Lambeth Bridge, which was opened in 1862. When this was replaced in 1932 by a newer bridge on a different alignment, the old roadway was converted into a formal garden.
St. Mary's Gardens is next to Lambeth Palace, the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is also close to Archbishop's Park, a popular public open space created in 1901 on land that was once part of the grounds of Lambeth Palace.
The gardens were named after the adjacent Church of St. Mary the Virgin at Lambeth, which was once the parish church for North Lambeth, now home to the The Garden Museum. This was founded in 1977 as the world’s first museum dedicated to the history or gardens and gardening, and they now manage the old church grounds to demonstrate traditional and modern gardening practices.
St. Mary’s Gardens has been restored through a partnership of Lambeth Council, the Friends of Archbishop’s Park, the Garden Museum and Lambeth Palace, as well as local schools, businesses and community groups, with funding and support provided by Big Lottery Fund’s “Breathing Places” award scheme, the Ironmonger’s Company, Biffa Award, O2 Community Awards, Ringway Jacobs, Veolia ES UK and Lambeth Council.
Walking through the gardens will reveal a brand new contemporary mixed border planting scheme, designed by SPC Designs, as well as areas for wildlife and community gardening. The scheme has also created space for gardening activities for children and local people led by the Garden Museum. There have been sunflowers and edible flowers - and there will be more projects to come. If you would like to get involved email the Museum on info@gardenmuseum.org
Help us look after St. Mary’s Gardens
St. Mary’s Gardens is managed by Lambeth Parks and Greenspaces and patrolled by the Lambeth Park Rangers. It also comes under the area patrolled by the Bishop’s Safer Neighbourhoods Team of the Lambeth Borough Police, who work in close partnership with the council, Park Rangers and the community to ensure the site and area are safe and welcoming for everybody, residents and visitors alike.
Please remember that whilst St. Mary’s Gardens welcomes responsible dog owners, it contains areas managed as formal gardens, as well as areas used for wildlife gardening and growing food plants. Therefore, please keep dogs under close control or on a lead whilst in the Gardens, and pick up and safely dispose of any waste or other litter when you leave.
For more information on St. Mary’s Gardens and how to help us keep it clean, green and safe, please contact us on 020 7926 9000 or email parks@lambeth.gov.uk
Friends of Archbishop’s Park
The Friends of Archbishop’s Park have been actively involved in the transformation of St. Mary’s Gardens, and represent those living around and using both the gardens and nearby Archbishop’s Park. To join the Friends of Archbishop's Park or to find out more about their work visit their website.
How to get to St. Mary's Gardens
Address: Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1
Tube: Lambeth North (Bakerloo Line), 0.5 miles (0.8 km), Waterloo (Bakerloo, Jubilee and Northern Lines), 0.8 miles (1.0 km)
Rail: Waterloo or Vauxhall (South West Trains), 0.8 miles (1.0 km)
Buses: C10, 3, 77, 344, (from Brixton, Canada Water, Clapham, Clapham Junction, Stockwell, Shoreditch, Waterloo and Westminster).
See a location map of St. Mary's Gardens
Further information