Image: The South Bank site has been transformed

London's Jubilee Gardens are reopening today (31 May) ahead of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations this weekend, following the completion of a £5m transformation.

The South Bank gardens were first created in order to mark the Silver Jubilee in 1977, with Netherlands-based landscape architects West 8 behind the design of the site's makeover.

Frost Landscape Construction has delivered the scheme, which has seen the transformation of a flat patch of grass into a lush green landscape to complement the South Bank's offer.

A long lease to the site has now been taken on by Jubilee Gardens Trust - a partnership of adjoining landowners, local businesses and community organisations.

Funding for the scheme was provided by Shell and the EDF Energy London Eye through planning agreements with Lambeth Council, while the mayor of London invested £1.5m.

Lambeth Council leader Steve Reed said: "With the eyes of the world on London in 2012 it's fantastic that the place has been transformed from what was previously a fairly uninspiring park, into a tremendous new public space that will be visited by millions."

Details: www.jubileegardens.org.uk