The Garden Bridge

London is a constantly changing landscape, but one recent project that has caught the attention of the capital is the proposed Garden Bridge, which will span the Thames from Temple to the South Bank. The proposed 366m bridge was conceived by the actress Joanna Lumley, who few people know was one of our very first visitors, she loved her time aboard London RIB Voyages! The bridge Lumley dreamed of was designed by Thomas Heatherwick, working with Arup, on a commission from Transport for London. The unique aspect of the construction is the fact that the bridge will hold an expansive garden. Footpaths will weave through the garden, creating a new pedestrian route, which will be free and open to all between the hours of 6am-midnight. Plants on the bridge will be indigenous to the UK, northern Europe and other parts of the world. They have been chosen for their biodiversity, bringing wildlife and horticulture to the heart of London. The planting has been carefully designed to ensure that it will frame and enhance views of the iconic landmarks of London.   The Garden Bridge Trust was launched on 1 November 2013 to oversee the project. Lord Davies of Abersoch is the trust's chairman, and horticulturalist Dan Pearson has been engaged to arrange the planting.   The bridge is as yet not confirmed, but if the project does go ahead it will be open to the public within the next few years, so many daily commutes could be looking a lot more scenic soon! See the plans in full here.