London's new oasis of calm.

It's been a wonderfully relaxed summer here at Tideway Village. The combination of the Riverlight pocket park and Tideway Village gardens has provided a peaceful green haven that is now a real feature of the London south bank. Flowers, grass, trees and boats have combined to produce one of those unexpected peaceful corners that London still provides, appreciated by both humans and ducks.

Tideway Village has extended this green space down to water level, with the gardens on the boats backed up by an automatic self watering system. This conjunction of land with water continues with our floating island of water plants that also acts as a refuge for water fowl. The island had a pair of nesting swans this summer who hatched seven chicks. Ducklings were also raised on the island.

Houseboat residents noticed a huge interest in the dock from the passing public, to respond to this we have now placed plaques with a brief history about each boat on our quayside gates. These and the boats are now much photographed.

The public response to this new open space has been very enthusiastic; summarised by the wonderful overheard remark, from someone on the quayside next to the new Nine Elms Tavern, "How clever of St James to put the boats here it makes it so much more attractive".