The royals are known for their resplendent gardens. From Buckingham Palace to Sandringham Estate, they include beautiful plane trees named after Queen Victoria, relaxing pools of water, buzzing beehives and sweeping lawns perfect for lazy picnics.
To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Crown Pavilions has revealed the five secrets to giving your garden a royal makeover in time for summer — and there’s something for everyone to steal.
“While most of us will never step foot on the grounds of Buckingham Palace, Balmoral Castle or Highgrove House, there’s no reason we can’t take inspiration from these stunning gardens to create our own pristine outdoor spaces,” the team say.
Take a look at their advice below…
1. Grow the Queen’s favourite flower
Lily of the Valley, the Queen’s favourite flower, is a permanent feature of the floral displays at Buckingham Palace. Providing a sweetly scented fragrance during the summer months, it was used on the Queen’s Coronation Bouquet and even as a bridal favourite in both Queen Victoria and Kate Middleton’s wedding bouquet.
Planning on growing it in your garden? “Lily of the Valley struggles to grow in the colder months, so it’s best to plant them during the spring, around March,” Crown Pavilions say. “These flowers also thrive in the shade but can do well in the sun, providing they have sufficient water, so make sure to position them well.”
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2. Choose a pavilion
Providing shelter and bringing life to your garden, pavilions are the ultimate outdoor luxury focal point. Loved by royals, pavilions have been used throughout history to host parties and entertain esteemed guests. In fact, the Queen serves 27,000 cups of tea at each of her garden parties to approximately 8,000 guests.
Not every garden is blessed with enough space for a pavilion, but there are lots of different sizes to host a variety of requirements. “Adding a pavilion can provide a more modern feel or maintain a traditional theme, making it the perfect place to unwind, host guests, and have your very own garden party,” add Crown Pavilion.
3. Water features
Water features provide soothing sights and sounds. As simple as a small reflective pool of water, we’re not surprised outdoor spaces such as Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are littered with them.
If you’re looking to add one to your garden, some of the water features to consider include solar fountains (a more eco-friendly addition) and floating water fountains — a beautiful way to recreate the fountains featured in the Serpentine. You’ll have a royal-approved space in no time…
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4. Topiary
“Topiary refers to ‘the art or practice of clipping shrubs or trees into ornamental shapes.’ As an extremely versatile gardening technique, topiary allows you to design your garden in a variety of ways and create your own piece of living architecture,” say Crown Pavilion.
“To incorporate this whimsical display in your own garden, first choose plants with finely textured, small leaves, such as berberis, hebe, yew and lavender. From there, take inspiration from gardens you’ve seen, deciding on what design would best suit your own outdoor space. To make your life easier, consider hiring an expert gardener to make your vision come to life.”
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5. Grow delphiniums
Delphinium is a perennial with many fans. Famed for its rich royal colours, this beautiful bloom has been grown in the UK for centuries — and is loved by the Prince of Wales. If you’re looking to grow your own, plant your delphiniums in a spot with heavy sunlight that is shielded from the wind (they are tall and may topple over).
Crown Pavilion add: “Fortunately, these flowers can be planted at any time of year, but spring or autumn is best as the soil will be warm and moist.”
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