Continuing a tradition that began in 1910 with the District Railway, Transport for London (TfL) has announced the winners of its 2026 ‘In Bloom’ competition.

Each year, TfL staff members take part in the annual competition where a small piece of land is tended to by staff in a bid to be crowned In Bloom champions for one of the eleven awards on offer. These gardens can range in size from small troughs and window boxes in offices and depots to large floral displays at stations and river piers.

The theme for this year’s entries was ‘International Year of the Volunteer ‘, which not only encouraged staff to build their own gardens but to volunteer themselves and teach classes and workshops on the topic of gardening.

The winners of the 11 awards are as follows

• ‘Art in Bloom’ Individual Award – Susan O’Connor
• ‘Best Newcomer’ Award – Park Lane Depot, Marble Arch
• ‘Best Seasoned’ Award – Barking Train Crew Accommodation
• ‘Cultivated Gardens’ Depot Award – Hammersmith Grove Road Service Control Centre
• ‘Cultivated Gardens’ Station Award – South Tottenham Station
• ‘Dennis Sanger Best in Show’ Award – Hammersmith Grove Road Service Control Centre
• ‘Environment’ Award – Joint first, between Acton Town station and Ruslip Depot
• ‘Fruit & Vegetables’ Awards – Morden Station
• ‘Indoor Gardens’ Award – Edgeware Road station
• ‘John Knight’ Award – Tower Millennium Pier
• ‘Sandra Wilkes Community’ Award – Barbican station
• ‘Volunteer’ Award – Joint first, between High Barnet Train Crew Accommodation and Kensington Olympia station

Highlights saw Hammersmith Grove Road Service Control Centre take Best in Show, where staff joined forces with the local community to create a tiny forest with a water feature and vegetables, which rapidly expanded and entered the ground floor of the Control Centre itself.

The ‘Volunteer’ Award could not be split between High Barnet Train Crew Accommodation and Kensington Olympia station. Staff at High Barnet held bake sales and pizza nights to encourage volunteers to get into gardening while offering a bite to eat. Kensington Olympia station staff built a unique planter on the theme of volunteering before planting it out, adding depth to the planter.

Acton and Ruslip both came joint first for their use of upcycling old items for use in their gardens.

These awards are another highlight in a significant year in TfL’s drive to reach Net Zero. Almost 40% of TfL’s 8,000+ buses are now fully electric, making the capital’s bus network the largest and greenest fleet of buses in the whole of Western Europe. TfL has also supported the growth of wildflowers on over 1,220 hectares of land owned and managed by TfL, which has supported a range of habitats and boasts up to 2,600 animal and 1,400 plant species. Sustainable drainage installations and designated water catchment areas have helped prepare the capital against the effects of climate change.

“TfL’s ‘In Bloom’ competition is a fantastic example of how we can bring nature to even the smallest spaces. From flower gardens to fruit and veg, it’s brilliant to see TfL staff turning stations and transport offices into little pockets of greenery for everyone to enjoy.

“The Mayor and I want to congratulate the winners, and thank everyone who took part, for their efforts to help build a better, greener London for everyone.”

Mete Coban, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy,

“We are delighted to see that our ‘In Bloom’ competition continues to garner so much enthusiasm from colleagues and customers across the transport network. The competition is a great way to celebrate those who create green spaces at their stations, depots, and offices, while also recognising the environmental and mental health impact these spaces have. We’ve had an excellent variety of entries this year and I would like to thank everyone who takes the time to plant and sustain gardens.”

Ann Gavaghan, Customer Experience Manager at TfL,