The Limehouse Cut south of Bow Common Road has been brightened up with attractive and colourful vegetation. Gabion baskets were fitted and planted by the Canal and River Trust in February along over 100 metres of canal wall just south of Bow Common Road. These are already full of a wide range of flourishing native waterside plants, providing habitat for birds and other wildlife, and transforming a previously dull bare wall.
The photo above shows only about half of the section which has been enhanced. The close-up left shows flowering Purple Loosestrife alongside Great Willowherb, sedges, Yellow Iris and Amphibious Bistort in just a small section of the baskets. It is hoped that this treatment can be repeated elsewhere on the Limehouse Cut and other canals in Tower Hamlets, to make them more attractive places for people and wildlife alike.
On a smaller scale, floating rafts of mixed native vegetation have recently been installed in the Limehouse Basin (see photo below). This is a result of the planning applications for additional moorings in the marina, to provide improved habitats for water birds, in line with Tower Hamlets planning policies which seek biodiversity enhancements from all developments.
All photos by John Archer
