Kate Middletonis showing off her green thumb!
The royal mom of three, who was an art history major at at the University of St. Andrews, is set to debut her showpiece creation for theannual Chelsea Flower Show next week, and on Monday, the palace shared a glimpse into her artistic process.
In a series of photos, Kate is showncollaborating with the designers on the project, and a colorful sketch offers a sneak peek at the design. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show will take place Tuesday, May 21 through Saturday on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London.
Kensington Royal/Instagram
The project to create the woodland-themed garden was a “passion” for the royal, 37, who has taken on a very hands-on role to add inspiration and practical ideas for the garden.
“Over the past few months, The Duchess and landscape architects Davies White have visited plant nurseries, suppliers and specialist craftspeople who have been growing and building elements of the garden ready for Chelsea,” Kensington Palace said in a statement.
“The Duchess has worked with @the_rhs and Davies White to design and build the garden, to highlight how being active in nature can positively impact our physical and mental health. The garden has a natural woodland feel and contains lots of unique design features to inspire families to get outside and explore nature together.”
The garden has also been designed to encourage children to stay active and engaged and features stepping stones, hollow logs (to test balance and coordination), a waterfall and a stream that kids will be able to play in. A swing set, campfire and diverse range of plants, shrubs and trees are among the many other design elements that the whole family can enjoy.
The two landscape architects with whom Kate is collaborating previously revealed that they had been secretly working with her for months, emailing and speaking almost every day.
“To us, this is very much about childhood memories. We all spoke about our childhood memories, being outdoors and exploring nature. She was very open and has been hugely collaborative,” White told reporters after Kate’s visit to a community garden in London last month. “This is very much about the three of us, as co-designers.”
Kate is also set to work with them on a garden at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, a permanent garden at RHS Wisley in Surrey and another unnamed NHS garden.
“The message there is that it’s about sustainability and re-using materials and emphasizing the link between health and nature,” White added.
Last year, Kate revealed that she encourages family time outdoors.
“Spending quality time together is such an important aspect of family life and for me, as a mother, it is the simple family moments like playing outside together that I cherish,” Kate wrote in a heartwarming letter.
Kate is known to regularly escape the bustle of London to enjoy the clean air and vibrant woods near her parents’ home in Bucklebury with Prince George andPrincess Charlotte, so that the royal children can feel the dirt on their hands and the mud on their wellies — and in the future, littlePrince Louiswill join his siblings on their jaunts across the fields of Royal Berkshire, too.
Together with husbandPrince William, Kate also makes full use of the extensive grounds at the family’s rural retreat in Anmer Hall, which is set within the even greater rural expanse of the Queen’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
source: people.com
