Chelsea Flower Show garden to ‘inspire curiosity’ gets royal seal of approval
King Charles met with Sir David Beckham, Alan Titchmarsh and Frances Tophill.
The design for a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show to encourage people’s curiosity towards gardening and nature has been given a royal seal of approval.
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The King was joined at his Highgrove residence in Gloucestershire by Sir David Beckham, Alan Titchmarsh and garden designer Frances Tophill to put the finishing touches on the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and King’s Foundation Curious Garden, which will feature at the world-famous show.
The display has been designed by Ms Tophill and is being championed by Charles, King’s Foundation ambassador Sir David and leading horticulturalist and TV gardener Titchmarsh – an RHS and King’s Foundation ambassador – who have all had input into the garden’s design.
At the meeting at Highgrove, it was agreed that the garden will feature a beehive, inspired by the King and Sir David’s enthusiasm for beekeeping and producing honey.
The beehive will go in the garden, which will be free of man-made materials, alongside previously-announced features including an oak building that represents a “museum of curiosities”, and seven raised beds in a nod to Sir David’s famous number 7 shirt in the Manchester United and England teams.
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The garden will also feature delphiniums, one of the King’s favourite flowers, and roses named after the three champions.
In video footage, Sir David is heard chatting to the King about the “very special” Sir David Beckham rose, which his teenage daughter Harper had named after him for his 50th birthday.
The King asks about the bloom as they sit around a table to discuss the designs, saying: “What colour is that?”
Sir David tells him: “White. My daughter actually, it was a gift from her for my 50th birthday last year….
Charles responds, “Ah fantastic”, with Sir David adding: “She organised that… She chose it, so very special.”
When the King asks, “Does it smell?”, Sir David quips: “It smells amazing, amazing. Not as good as yours”, prompting chuckles from Charles.
The King’s Rose is a pink and white striped English shrub rose with a subtle fresh red apple and rosewater fragrance, while the one named after Titchmarsh is pink.
The presenter tells the monarch, prompting more laughter, that it’s “pink with a sort of peony-shaped flower, but apparently I have a slightly weak neck, but if you prune me hard, I’m quite… It’s true, actually, yeah, really.”
There could even be a gnome or two in the garden – as the RHS lifts its Chelsea show ban on the ornamental figures for only the second time in history – celebrating a tradition at Highgrove where a gnome is often to be found in the stumpery.
Gnomes decorated by celebrities will be on display at this year’s Chelsea, and will be auctioned off to raise funds for the RHS’s campaign for school gardening.
Sir David said afterwards it was “fun” to be working on the curious garden and he was “excited” for people to see it at Chelsea.
“Both The King’s Foundation and the RHS do such great work in protecting and promoting green spaces across the UK,” he said.
“I want to help encourage a new generation to appreciate the benefits of nature and get involved in gardening.
“It’s been fun to be a part of creating the Curious Garden and I’m excited for people to see it at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.”
Titchmarsh said: “Curiosity is really the beginning of any gardening journey – and certainly that’s how I began my career – so I hope this work inspires a new generation of gardeners to explore their talents through the incredible training and work experience schemes available via the RHS and The King’s Foundation.”
Garden trainees and apprentices from both RHS Wisley gardens and Highgrove Gardens have been involved in the project and will help with constructing the garden onsite at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, and the King heard from trainees about their involvement as part of the meeting.
Ms Tophill said she “can’t wait” to share the curious garden.
“As my first Chelsea garden for the RHS, I am thrilled to be working on such a special design.
“It has been inspiring to spend time at Highgrove and learn more about His Majesty’s approach to gardening and how he incorporates his Harmony philosophy into all of the work that takes place there – which we have brought to the designs for the garden,” she said.