Yahoo News King Charles shares gardening tips from Highgrove House
King Charles is well-known for his love of nature and has always been considered ahead of his time when it comes to environmentalism and conservation.
After buying Highgrove House in Gloucestershire in 1980, where he lives with his wife Camilla, now Queen Consort, he has worked hard to renovate the grounds and gardens there. He's known to be quite hands on when it comes to gardening.
The King and his home, located near the town of Tetbury, are due to feature in an episode of The Cotswolds and Beyond with Pam Ayres, which was filmed before the Queen died. Now that the period of national mourning has ended, the episode featuring the now King is due to air on Friday 7th October, on Channel 5.
The episode will see the King in his garden at Highgrove, talking about preserving nature and increasing biodiversity. He will share his top tips and advice on gardening and conservation.
According to The Telegraph, the King will talk about attracting swifts to our gardens and installing swift boxes under an overhanging roof.
He reportedly says that, after doing this, “you have to wait another year or two before they actually start occupying."
Highgrove, although a private residence, does open its gardens to the public for tours. One of the most famous parts of the grounds is the topiary Thyme Walk, which features yew and many varieties of thyme.
Another striking part of Highgrove is the wildflower meadow, which attracts plenty of insects. It was established in 1982 and covers four acres.
According to The Telegraph, the King tells the TV host about how he used to count the orchids within the meadow, but has since given up as there's “just too many of them now.”
Although it's of course not all about planting, as the King also champions wildlife and shows the host a hedgehog ramp in one of the ornamental fountains, which provides an escape if they were to fall in. The poet praised its inclusion, and says: “It was so fantastic to hear about these nice little touches like that he’s got in the gardens.”
The host also reveals how she invited the King to feature in the TV programme. “I sent HRH the King a poem I had written about hedgerows and how valuable they are to wildlife.”
“During our filming HRH certainly said he liked my poem, so who knows maybe that swayed him into opening his garden to us!”
The episode of The Cotswolds and Beyond with Pam Ayres is due to air on Friday 7 October on Channel 5.
You Might Also Like
