Duchess Sophie gives rare interview to TV legend | Royal | News
The Duchess of Edinburgh has revealed that her garden at this year’s Royal Windsor Flower Show was her “garden in a box” from her childhood, in a new interview with Alan Titchmarsh. The prestigious annual gardening event takes place on June 6 this year. Duchess Sophie co-designed and built the central garden feature with Alan Williams of Landform Consultants. The Garden of Purposeful Plants aims to highlight the importance of healthy soil and understanding of how food is grown and will reflect the Duchess’ love of gardening and passion for encouraging people to grow plants with a purpose.
Speaking to Sir Alan in a video uploaded to the event’s Instagram page, Sophie said of her garden: “Gardens can look beautiful, but I’m also interested in looking at what can come from a garden, plants that are good for pollinators and how much you can incorporate into your garden to give you something you can use in your kitchen.”
She is then seen looking at plans of the garden, filled with fruit trees and shrubs and adorned with aromatic herbs, wildflowers and perennial vegetables.
There are also borders and beehives of self-seeding perennial plants that offer food and shelter to other beneficial insects, birds and other wildlife.
It features a central point, a table made from a fallen tree, that will provide a space for community, family and friends to gather, share knowledge and exchange seeds and plants while enjoying a communal picnic.
Sir Alan told Sophie and Mr Williams: “You’ve put together the most mouth-watering display of plants, everything from trees that will be big to statement pieces.”
Sophie later added: “This is my garden, me in a box where a child comes to life.”
Following the show in June, plants and garden features will be transformed into schools as the new Nature Studies Program is piloted, funded by proceeds from the Royal Windsor Flower Show.
