The Willow Bower

A year in the life of a little willow house growing in Victoria Tower Gardens by the River Thames.

Carefully woven willow bower about to burst into life, February 21st, 2024

In February 2024 a neat structure appeared at the southern end of Victoria Tower Gardens. With its three toadstool seats it was clearly designed for small people. And they enjoyed it. But they weren’t the only ones, older people took time to sit there too. Respecting their privacy, the images below avoid the identification of anyone and concentrate on the changes to the willow bower itself.

Willow buds beginning to open on the Horseferry children’s playground bower, March 9, 2024
Willow shoots with cherry blossom beyond, March 22, 2024
Precious view across the gardens to Victoria Tower, April 29, 2024
Family time, May 11, 2024
River views from a prime site, June 19, 2024
Summer heat, July 22, 2024
Time of reflection, August 14, 2024
River view, September 6, 2024
As leaves fall the bower takes on a sad aspect, October 7, 2024
Autumn leaves, November 20, 2024

End notes
Managed by The Royal Parks Charity, Victoria Tower Gardens, a Grade II listed park, was created in two stages. “The Government acquired the northern part of the gardens in 1867 to reduce the fire risk to the Palace of Westminster.”* Until then the site was crowded with industrial workshops, factories, wharves, and houses, all in close proximity.

In 1913, “the gardens were redesigned to give the park a more natural look with paths and a central shrubbery.” “In 1956, the shrubbery and trees standing in the lawns were removed, opening up the view, particularly of the Houses of Parliament.”* And it is this view that is now “severely threatened by the proposed construction of a UK national Holocaust Memorial and affiliated Learning Centre, which would dominate the whole southern half of the gardens.”**

The hope of spring

The hope of spring as vigorous growth is on its way to re-covering the bower, May 6, 2025

Sources and further information
Victoria Tower Gardens
*The history of Victoria Tower Gardens: ‘Westminster’s Secret Garden Space.’
Article ‘In Praise of Victoria Tower Gardens’.
**Europa Nostra designates Victoria Tower Gardens as one of Europe’s 7 Most Endangered Sites, March 2025.

All images ©Patricia Stoughton

Meditations on wind-etched water…

Ever-changing patterns of wind on water, reflecting the complexity of swirling air above…

Rough and smooth I
Rough and smooth II
Rough and smooth III
Rough and smooth IV
Rough and smooth V
Rough and smooth VI

Patterns etched by wind strength and direction against tidal flow…

Pattern I
Pattern II
Pattern III
Pattern IV
Pattern V
Pattern VI
Pattern VII
Pattern VIII

Notes
Thanks to The Natural Navigator and The Psychojographer (@psychojography on twitter-X), for heightening my awareness of water…

Images are of Lambeth Reach from Victoria Tower Gardens, 2025. ©Patricia Stoughton