Londoners can find these ‘tiny parks’ dotted around Tube stations

Londoners can find these ‘tiny parks’ dotted around Tube stations thumbnail

With severe Tube delays, rush hour queues and general chaos, the London commute can be taxing, to say the least. 

But if commuters do have a moment to pause, they’ll find an excuse to stop and, quite literally, smell the roses. 

Dotted around several underground stations, passengers can find ‘tiny parks’ – miniature green spaces aimed to provide a glimpse of peace amongst the hustle and bustle. 

The little gardens occupy former ticket offices and boast lush green plants that have been compared to ‘mini jungles’. 

Though these parks aren’t new, they’re easy to miss if you’re not looking. But where exactly can you find them?

What are London’s tiny parks? 

The Tiny Parks have been around since 2016 and were designed by the Edible Bus Stop. 

The spatial design studio was asked by TfL’s Design and Communities team to transform former ticket office windows across the tube network. 

With most of London’s tube ticket offices having been closed, sold or rented, these mini gardens add a touch of greenery to a space that would have otherwise been unused. 

The small displays sit behind glass windows just before the ticket barriers and are filled with tropical, low-maintenance plants that were chosen to combat air pollution and lift commuters’ moods. 

Though they’re easy to miss, especially during the chaos of the morning commute, the stations are signposted with blue signs reading ‘Tiny Parks’ above them. 

Where are the tiny parks?

There are nine tiny parks across the London Underground network, which all appear at stations named after green spaces. 

There are two at St James’ Park, one at Belsize Park and three at Wood Green and Kilburn Park. 

The stations feature different displays, with the staff members who look after them declared ‘Tiny Park Rangers’. At Wood Green station, for example, a staff member decorates the gardens according to the seasons, with festive touches like Christmas decorations. 

One TikToker, @george_in_london, recently explored the ‘mini terrariums’ to see what they had on offer. In a video posted to his 44,000 followers, he ventured to three small park locations – Wood Green, St James’ Park, and Kilburn Park. 

At Wood Green, located on the Piccadilly Line, he revealed small butterflies among the greenery, while at St James’ Park, on the Circle and District lines, he showed a small toy dinosaur inside of one and succulents in the other. 

He described Kilburn’s tiny park stations as ‘the best’ of the three he visited –  claiming the ticket offices were ‘very grand’ and comparing the inside to ‘mini jungles’. 

Why are there tiny parks across London?

In addition to repurposing disused spaces, the mini parks are designed as green and engaging spaces to brighten passenger’s journeys. 

Most of the plants on display are ‘recognisable’, which Edible Bus Stop hopes would inspire people to buy their own plants. 

Its website explains: ‘Most urban dwellers spend 80% of their time indoors. The introduction of plants and biophilia that comes with this can have a significant positive impact on those who live, work and play in that space.

‘It seems that even a glimpse of these little gardens can bring smiles to faces. Something to surprise and delight in a most unusual setting.’

Many commuters seem to appreciate the small spaces. George’s video scored thousands of likes and hundreds of comments – with many Londoners unaware of their existence. 

One user @aunt973 said: ‘Oh my gosh. I had no idea they existed. I will make sure to visit them.’ Another asked: ‘How have I never seen this at Wood Green station?’ 

While one user added: ‘How have I never noticed these? Such a creative way to brighten up the empty little space.’

Others described the spaces as ‘beautiful’ and ‘nostalgic’. While one user, @dark40203, claimed: ‘London is full of surprises.’

The small parks didn’t manage to lift everyone’s spirits, however. One user wrote: ‘I’d prefer staff in the ticket office to be fair.’

Another @simonjamesburton said: ‘I was fully expecting to see some kind of kids playground with a slide and some swings.’

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