Queen's Gardens (Croydon)

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Queen's Gardens

The Queen's Gardens are a small area of urban gardens in the centre of Croydon, South London. It is part of the Croydon Vision 2020 re-generation plan with Park Place. They are bordered by Croydon Town Hall, Taberner house, Park Lane and Katharine Street.

The gardens and its central fountain were opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1983. The area had previously consisted of the Town Hall gardens and the site of Croydon's police station and Croydon Central railway station. They now comprise areas of lawn with standard trees, a central fountain with benches, and a sunken garden area with formal flower beds and trees exploiting the former track bed and station wall complete with original railings on top. Situated just across from Croydon's register office, the gardens are popular for wedding photographs. A subway exits the park under Park Lane into an underground car park and across to the Fairfield Halls; the gardens are well-used as a path between Council offices and to the underpass.

As part of the Park Place development, there are proposals to radically alter the Queen's Gardens, with a more formal and modern planting style, an ice rink, space for performances and entrance into the Park Place shopping centre.

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The retaining wall in the cutting east of Central Croydon Station, now part of Queen's Gardens	Plaque on retaining wall commemorating the Station's history	The retaining wall viewed eastwards towards Fairfield Halls	Close-up of the retaining wall
The retaining wall viewed westwards towards the Town Hall