Highgrove House in Gloucestershire has been known as the King’s private residence since he purchased it in 1980, transforming its grounds into gardens that are now renowned as some of the most innovative in the UK.
But Dame Mary Berry was there first.
© Courtney Louise photographyDame Mary Berry returns to Highgrove
Speaking at an event held by the King’s Foundation and the RHS at Highgrove, where Hello! was in attendance, the 91-year-old food writer and baker revealed that she visited the estate with a friend as a teenager whilst on Pony Club camp with the Beaufort Hunt. Then, Highgrove was owned by Lieutenant Colonel Gwyn Morgan-Jones, who, Mary said, built the jumps for the riders.
The camp, which ran for a week, was held “on the front lawn,” Mary remembered. “In the middle of it, Mrs Morgan-Jones came out and said ‘I think you girls need a bath’. We hadn’t been in the house, and we went up the stairs and I’d never seen such a big bath. Instead of a plug, there was a drain pipe in brass, which you pulled up to let the water in or out, and we were giggling. I just wonder whether that bath is still there.”
© Courtney Louise photographyAngellica Bell poses in the Royal Kitchen Garden
Dame Mary’s visit to Highgrove, where she was joined by TV presenters Angellica Bell and Nicki Campbell, comes in the wake of the publication of her first gardening book, which she told Hello!, was a one-off. Guests were treated to a tour of the blossom-studded garden, which included Prince William and Prince Harry’s childhood treehouse, before visiting the education workshops on the estate, including the Snowdon School of Furniture.
The event gave attendees the chance to discover more about the inspiration behind the RHS and the King’s Foundation’s Curious Garden ahead of this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
© Courtney Louise photographyTV presenter Nicki Campbell was also in attendance
Designed by Frances Tophill, the King has been joined by Sir David Beckham and Alan Titchmarsh to create a feature garden together with the aim of encouraging the nation to discover the joy of getting curious about gardening. “I hope we inspire people to get outside into nature and try something new,” Sir David has said.
For more information on the the Curious Garden, visit kings-foundation.org
