I think very few people would remember Crossrail Place Roof Garden if asked to list the parks in London, and that's a shame. It is a relatively new addition to London's parks and, as the name implies, is located at the top of the new Crossrail station in Canary Wharf.
Unlike other London sights, which tend to be crowded at all times, Crossrail Place Roof Garden was quiet when we visited over an August weekend. It's not just the garden, the whole area of Canary Wharf, lively and full of bank employees during the week, is empty over the weekends.
The garden is split into two thematic sections, East and West, with a selection of different plants in each:
Crossrail Place Roof Garden is compact in size, it's not like a park where you can need half an hour or more to cross it. A couple of minutes and you have walked the whole length of it. The small size is more than made up for by the concentration of lush vegetation, which is separated by paths. There are several nooks with benches where you can spend some time with a book.
Even if you don't care much for plants and trees, it's worth coming to Crossrail Place Roof Garden for the architecture. The station building is modern and even futuristic in its design and fits well within the glass and steel style of Canary Wharf. The roof is a brilliant construction, opening up to views of the surrounding skyscrapers.
And here is what the Crossrail station looks like from the outside:
If you are looking to visit something off the beaten track in London, I would definitely recommend adding Crossrail Place Roof garden to your list.
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