Despite a chilly breeze blowing in from the North Sea, we enjoyed a fascinating visit to the newly refurbished Finsbury Circus Gardens, just ahead of their formal reopening.
The visit was led by Jake Tibbetts, the City Gardens Manager for the City of London. We began with an insightful introduction from Jonathan Matheson of The Gardeners Company, who provided a historical overview of the Circus, its evolving architecture, and its varied roles in the City over the past 200 years. Jonathan added a personal touch with a charming story of beginning his own City career at Finsbury Circus many years ago.
Jessica Beattie from Realm, the landscape architects responsible for the refurbishment, then guided us through the Gardens. She explained the thoughtful planting design, which supports biodiversity through its varied species selection. The plants were chosen not only for their adaptability to sunlight, shade, and soil moisture but also for their seasonal colour palette—ranging from yellows to blues, mauves, and deep reds—interspersed with evergreens and grasses.
Around the central oval lawn, the grass has been allowed to grow longer and is underplanted with bulbs. New trees, selected for their suitability in a changing climate, provide mid-level screening between flower beds and the towering canopies of the historic London plane trees. The level of detail throughout the Gardens is impressive, with new paving and large slab benches crafted from local Kentish ragstone—the same material used to build the original Roman London Wall.
Jake also shared engaging insights into the management of public gardens and their essential role in urban life. PLT’s Konstantinos, along with students from St Mary’s University, highlighted the importance of nesting sites for wildlife and even managed to catch sight of a buff-tailed bee! Bat houses are scheduled to be installed later in the year.
We concluded the visit with a much-needed warm-up at Gail’s in Liverpool Street Station, enjoying tea and cookies. It was a stimulating and informative outing, and we are grateful to everyone who contributed to the day. The Gardens will be officially reopened in June, once the final touches by the builders are completed.
Anthony Bickmore
May 7th 2025
