trailerpulledbya tractor,andjoinedbyTV
chef andRoyalHorticultural Society
ambassadorMaryBerry.Thepairthenmet
morefamiliessupportedbycharitieswith
whichtheDuchesshasworkedoverthepast
eightyears.
ThenewplayareashowcasesKate’sloveof
nature,withfeaturesfromtheoriginal
gardenatChelsea,includinga hollowlog
andbouldersfroma waterfall,plusthe
wildflowermeadow,hiddenburrowand
rollinghillfromtheHamptonCourt garden.GARDENOFDELIGHTS
Ina speechat Wisley,Katesaid:“I amnotas
green-fingeredasmanyofyouhere,butI
waspassionateaboutcreatinga gardenthat
inspiredchildrenandadultsaliketoget
backtonatureandreapthepositivemental
andphysicalhealthbenefitsit canbring.
“The gardens were,I suppose, a
manifestationofsomeoftheworkI have
beenfocusingonaroundhowbestwecan
supportourchildrenintheearliestyears.
“Thephysicalbenefitsofbeingoutdoors
andinnaturearewelldocumented.More
recently,however,I havelearntthatthese
oftensafeandsupportiveenvironments
canalsobringsignificantbenefitsto
the cognitive, social and emotional
development of our children too.”Shecontinued:“Asa parent,I havelearnt
justhowimportantitistofoster our
children’sdevelopmentinallareas,notjust
physical,assoonastheyareborn.Webuild
theblocks,thefoundations,forfuture
successandhappinesslaterintheirlives.”
Andsheconcluded:“Thereisa well-
knownproverbthatit takesa villagetoraise
a child;everyonehere represents an
integralpartofthatveryvillage.
“Bycomingtogether,havingfun,learning
andexperiencingnewthings,wecanall
impartlifelongbenefits[to]ourchildren.”
TheDuchesswaspresentedwitha bronze
sculptureofa sycamoreleaftomarkher
collaborationwiththeRHS,whichshe
describedinher speechas“themost
amazingexperience”.
SueBiggs,RHSdirectorgeneral,said:
“Howmagicalforthesechildrentoplay
somewherethathasbeeninspiredby
gardensco-designedbytheDuchess.”
lLastweek,Katealsogavehersupporttoa
planforchildrentoplant 15 millionseedsto
boostthebeepopulation.Shesaid:“I hope
theBackyardNatureCampaigninspires
children,familiesandcommunitiestoget
outsideand engage with nature,
wherevertheylive.”REPORT: EMILY NASHHPHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES. HARTLEY. IAN JONES. JAMES WHATLING. KENSINGTON ROYAL. MAX MUMBY. PA PHOTOS. WIREIMAGEKatejoinsin thefunatthecoconutshy
beforestrikinga moreseriousnotewithher
speech(below),touchingonthemental
health benefits of children’s outdoor play‘I’m not as green-fingered as many of you,but I was passionate about creating a gardenthat inspired people to get back to nature’52