We've all got our preferences when it comes to creating a garden we love. There's some flowers with scents that bring back certain memories, trees and shrubs which work beautifully when paired together and certain ornaments or structures which we love to make a feature of. With every like, however, there will inevitably be the occasional dislike, and often for no reason other than personal taste.
When it came to co-designing her first garden for the Royal Windsor Flower Show, there were some things Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh just loved and knew she'd want to include. However, there was one thing she wasn't so keen on.
'She didn't want any strong yellows in the garden because she's not a fan,' says Alan Williams of Landform Consulting, who is co-designing the Plants for Purpose Garden alongside The Duchess. 'So we've balanced the yellows out in the prairie land areas.'
There were plenty of other things, however that she was keen to have. 'She really wanted to get some beautiful acers into the garden,' says Alan. 'I knew that she would love a potting shed where we can show off seed swaps and all of that. And as soon as she saw it, she absolutely fell in love with it, and she was like, "This is what I would really love at home".'
Alan says he snuck the concept onto the initial mood board he presented to The Duchess at their initial meeting, and it has now ended up being a favourite feature in the design for both of them. 'That's the bit I'm most excited about because it's turning what she really wants into reality.'
Working with Sophie on the project has been 'magical' and 'amazing', according to Alan, who adds that ‘The Duchess has just been so involved in the process from start to finish.’ Rather than just presenting her a concept to sign off, Alan says Sophie has been completely hands on during the decision making. 'We’ve changed materials and we’ve chosen them together and we’ve talked it all through to make sure that she’s happy with them.’
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The pair explored Creepers Plant Nursery to choose their trees, shrubs and flowers, but conducted most of their meetings over tea and biscuits at royal residence at Bagshot Park - an experience which Alan says was more than a little surreal. 'It’s always bizarre and weird, isn’t it? When you get to go and meet at one of the royal households, and sit there and have a cup of coffee with them and just talk about stuff that you’re really passionate about.’
The Plants with Purpose Garden will be unveiled next month, and aims to bring attention to the importance of healthy soil and aid understandings around how food is grown.
The Royal Windsor Flower Show takes place on 6 June at Windsor Great Park
