The HammersmithLondon Roof Garden at the Lyric

The HammersmithLondon Roof Garden is on the first floor of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, overlooking Lyric Square. It is open to the general public and hopes to attract a wide range of users of all ages.

HammersmithLondon, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Groundwork London are behind this remarkable garden developed from a sketch on a paper napkin into a living, breathing oasis of subtle lighting, sustainable timber decking, low planters, seating, shrubs and trees. The garden also boasts a bespoke 6 metre high pergola canopy visible from Hammersmith tube station.

The planting has been completed with the support of the Groundwork Green Team; a project helping the long term unemployed learn horticultural skills and children from the local primary school. Residents from the near by Ashcroft Estate have agreed to become ‘Garden Guardians’ providing hands on to help keep it in tip-top condition. The roof garden has been paid for jointly by the theatre, local businesses through HammersmithLondon and Marks & Spencer.

The project is one of 64 green community facilities supported by M&S through the Greener Living Spaces programme, with the 1.85p profit raised from the 5p charge for plastic carrier bags. The life of the project was been captured on film and was shown in the Marks & Spencer store on King Street, Hammersmith via a large television presentation.

The contractors from Visible Changes Ltd have used more than 16 tonnes of topsoil, 15 tonnes of timber, 22,000 nails, 27,000 decking screws, 56 drill bits, 20kg of wood glue, 19 litres of Danish oil, 2 tonnes of sheet steel, 130 metres of steel wire, 12,000 timber plugs and planted 750 shrubs and 3 mature eucalyptus trees along with constructing and erecting the bespoke 6 metre high laminated timber canopy, all lifted onto the terrace from 25 feet below in the Lyric Square.

The HammersmithLondon Garden is used by Lyric audiences pre and post show; for special events and parties; as a public meeting point; a lunchtime picnic spot; a diversion and oasis from the daily hustle and bustle of Hammersmith.