Secret gardens that make London a green city

They are London's hidden gems - the gardens you may have walked past hundreds of times without noticing.

Now the creators of more than 50 of the capital's "green corners", from a Tube station flower bed to a prison courtyard, are being honoured with awards from the Conservation Foundation.

The awards are backed by TV botanist David Bellamy and actress Susan Hampshire and the 56 winners will be given gift vouchers and gardening tools at a ceremony in Covent Garden today.

Winners include the residents of Elnathan Mews, Maida Vale, who transformed their street with planters and window boxes, the inmates and staff at Wandsworth Prison, who created a green oasis in the hospital courtyard, and the Dorchester Hotel, the front garden of which was judged to provide relief from the traffic in Park Lane.

Others include Hackney Wick's Manor Gardens allotments, which have been removed since nominations closed to make way for the Olympic Games development, Choumert Square in Peckham and Southfields Tube station's colourful bed of mixed planting tended by staff in their spare time to brighten commuters' journeys.

David Shreeve of the Conservation Foundation said: "We came across some amazing gardens and found that largely there was one person behind them, driving the project. We wanted to give these people the recognition they deserve. I hope by handing out these awardswe can say thank you on behalf of the wildlife and plants flourishing because of these people. People were incredibly inventive, from using window boxes and hanging baskets in high-rise blocks to using discarded footwear as mini sculptures."

The award winners will be asked to collaborate on redesigning Covent Garden to include more greenery.

Mr Shreeve said: "We looked at Covent Garden and realised there wasn't very much garden there at all. We hope our winners can look at the area and give a fresh perspective on what can be done. Obviously we can't go and dig up the cobbles to make flower beds but we think that by using things such as planter pots, hanging baskets and other techniques we can make a real difference to the area."

PICK OF LONDON'S GREEN CORNERS AWARDS 2007

Special Mention

London W1
THE DORCHESTER
Elegant formal
front garden of the five star Park Lane hotel

London E2
HACKNEY CITY FARM
A large vegetable patch, mulberry tree, orchard and herb garden make this a place of plenty.

London SE1
THE LAVENDER FIELD
Passers by comment on the beauty and fragrance of the wasteland transformed by guerrilla gardeners.

London W10
BOOT GARDEN
Quirky front garden of a block of flats planted with alliums, ferns, petunias - and painted boots.

London SE1
IPSDEN BUILDINGS
Courtyard garden, hanging baskets and potted plants brighten communal areas on this Peabody Estate.

London SE11
ROOTS AND SHOOTS
Beautiful half acre wildlife garden with spectacular planting much loved by wildlife,
schoolchildren and the local community.

London SW17
A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
Accessible to patients in hospital beds and wheelchairs, this green corner of St
George's Hospital gives refuge from clinical spaces.

London SW18
HMP WANDSWORTH HOSPITAL EXERCISE YARD
A wasteland space in Wandsworth Prison has transformed for staff, patients and
visitors.

London W1
SOHO ROOF GARDEN
"A wild place in the sky" with climbers and pots planted with insects in mind - and an
African grey parrot.

London W6
THAMES BARGE
"Such an imaginative use of space. A green reprieve to my busy London life."

London W14
PALLISER ROAD WINDOWBOXES
Everyone can see these brightly planted window boxes in Barons Court. So far their owner has encouraged two neighbours to follow suit and is
working on the rest.

Brent
BRENT MARRIAGE GARDEN
The garden behind Brent Town Hall is used for many different ceremonies - and
for staff to relax.