31 May 2012 Last updated at 00:33 ET

South Bank Gardens to open for Queen's Diamond Jubilee

The gardens were originally built to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977

The Jubilee Gardens on London's South Bank are set to open in time for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee weekend.

The £5m project has seen new flowerbeds and grass turf planted and granite paths and a play area built. Previously it was a flat piece of grass.

The gardens were first created in 1977 to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee.

London mayor Boris Johnson said: "The reinvigoration of this stretch of grassland into a welcoming oasis for visitors and Londoners is superb."

He added: "It not only makes this part of the capital an even more pleasant place to work and live but also more attractive to business looking to locate in the capital."

The gardens will be officially reopened later.

The project was funded with contributions from Shell and the EDF Energy London Eye, secured under planning agreements with Lambeth Council, as well as £1.5m from Transport for London and contributions from several charitable trusts.

It has also been announced that responsibility for the gardens has been transferred from the Arts Council to the Jubilee Gardens Trust, a registered charity of representatives from neighbouring landowners, local businesses and community organisations.