Posted 1 hour ago
Mon 02 Feb, 2026 09:02 AM
Last week, I watched a peregrine falcon perched on the Tate Modern's chimney, surveying the Thames below. Tourists snapped photos of the river, completely unaware that one of the world's fastest birds was hunting above their heads. The falcon, sleek and deadly, had traded cliff faces for skyscrapers and was thriving.
London is supposedly a concrete jungle. But if you know where to look, this city reveals something remarkable: it's teeming with wildlife that has no business being here.
🌿 The Hidden Garden Above the City
Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf
Walk through Canary Wharf on a weekday morning, and you're surrounded by suited bankers, glass towers and the relentless hum of commerce. Look up, though, and you might notice something peculiar: a latticed roof structure that seems out of place among the steel and concrete.
What makes it special is the 310-meter-long garden sitting directly above the Elizabeth Line station, which is one of London's largest rooftop gardens. It sits on the Prime Meridian, the eastern half features Asian plants (bamboo, Japanese maple), and the western half showcases plants from the Americas (tree ferns, sweet gum).
How to visit:
- Location: Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf.
- Nearest stations: Canary Wharf (Elizabeth Line, Jubilee Line, DLR).
- Opening hours: Open daily, typically 7 am - 9 pm (summer) and 7 am - 7 pm (winter).
- Entry: Free
🐟 The River That Came Back From the Dead
In 1957, the Thames was declared biologically dead, too polluted, too toxic, too thoroughly destroyed by industrial enthusiasm and untreated sewage. For decades, nothing lived in significant stretches of the river.
Today, there has beena remarkable recovery. Over 125 species of fish now live in the Thames. Seals venture as far upstream as Richmond. Seahorses were discovered living near Greenwich (mostly juveniles, believed to be permanent residents). Salmon are occasionally spotted migrating upstream. Now it is considered one of the cleanest metropolitan rivers in the world
Where to spot wildlife:
- Richmond Lock & Weir
- Greenwich Peninsula
- Thames Path
🦅 The Fastest Animals in London
Peregrine falcons now nest on some of London's most iconic buildings. In level flight, they reach 40-50 mph. In a hunting dive, they've been recorded at over 200 mph, making them one of the fastest animals on Earth.
The comeback story is inspiring. They were considered extinct in London by the late 20th century, but recovered after the DDT pesticide was banned in the 1980s. There are around 40 breeding pairs now in the capital
Where to see them: Tate Modern ⭐ (best viewing spot)
- Location: Bankside
- Nearest station: Southwark (Jubilee Line).
- Special feature: RSPB sets up telescopes and offers guided viewing with volunteers who explain falcon behaviour
These are some viewing tips for the best experience: go in the early morning or late afternoon for hunting activity, bring binoculars, look for diving behaviour and listen for alarm calls from pigeons.
🏛️ A Garden Born From Bombs
If you're near the Tower of London and want to see nature reclaiming the city in the most dramatic way possible, walk six minutes to St Dunstan in the East. You'll find the ruins of a medieval church, bombed in the Blitz, transformed into one of London's most enchanting public gardens.
It is rich in history: originally built around 1100, survived the Great Fire of London in 1666, was gutted by German bombs in 1941 and was transformed into a public garden in 1967 (opened 1971). Now there are gothic windows draped in vines, trees growing through the roofless nave, a fountain where the altar once stood, and medieval stonework surrounded by modern skyscrapers (Walkie-Talkie and Shard visible).
How to visit:
- Location: St Dunstan's Hill
- Nearest stations: Monument (Circle/District), Tower Hill (Circle/District)
- Opening hours: Open daily during daylight hours
- Entry: Free
There's something profound about realising that nature doesn't need our permission. It finds a way. Peregrine falcons hunt from skyscrapers because skyscrapers function as very tall cliffs. Seahorses colonise the Thames because the water's finally clean enough. Tropical plants thrive in rooftop gardens because Victorian technology meets 21st-century architecture.
Next time you're rushing through Canary Wharf, look up at that strange latticed structure. Take the escalator to Level 3. Walk between hemispheres. Then step back outside and listen for the parakeets screaming past the office windows, watch for the falcon circling above the Gherkin, and remember that the Thames flowing beneath your feet is full of seahorses.
You'll find that London is considerably wilder than you thought.
