Prince Charles Really, Really Loves Gardening
Throughout his almost 70 years as heir, Prince Charles has made concern for the environment a cornerstone of his royal work. His many public speeches and campaigns on the issue are well-documented, but his passion is also central to how he lives his life.
In episode three of the latest season of The Crown, the character of Camilla describes Charles as being “obsessed by gardening,” outlining his desire for a wild garden, walled garden, kitchen garden, and sunken garden. And while the Netflix drama’s depictions of the royals are fictional, this particular description of the Prince is very much rooted in fact.
Significantly, the Prince is a farmer, and has been running Home Farm from his 900-acre Gloucestershire retreat, Highgrove, since 1985. There, he supplies organic produce for the Waitrose Duchy Organic brand, and the estate website also describes the farm as a “haven for wildlife.” Highgrove is open to the public for part of the year and professes to welcome almost 40,000 visitors annually to view the gardens, which include a cottage garden, sundial garden, wildflower meadow, and even a carpet garden.
In a 2016 interview with BBC Radio programme Gardeners’ Question Time, Prince Charles described gardening as “the most therapeutic business.” In 2018 he told Gardeners World, that he first became interested in gardening when he and sister Princess Anne had their own plot at Buckingham Palace “where we grew vegetables and things.” The Prince also cited his grandmother, the Queen Mother’s “wonderful garden” at Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park as childhood inspiration, saying, “I remember being absolutely riveted as a child wandering about…looking at all the plants.” He described how “the smell and everything had a profound effect on me,” adding “I don’t know why but I also grew to love trees, they always fascinated me.”
Throughout the years, Charles has frequently encouraged others to take an interest in plants, notably during the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation in 2013 when he fronted a campaign to nurture 60 "Coronation meadows." Just a few years later, he spoke about his love for them during an interview with BBC Radio 4’s On Your Farm. "Something in our soul, I think, responds to wildflower meadows," Charles said. "The association of the wildflowers, the butterflies, the whole thing. Why shouldn’t more people have access to that?" The conversation also included a discussion of his love of Romania, where he owns a guest house. He has praised the country's use of traditional farming techniques, including scything, which is also carried out at Highgrove.
Such is his desire to communicate his concern and passion for this world, Charles has even written books about it. His tome Harmony: a New Way of Looking at Our World, published in 2010, shares his vision for humans and nature being more connected.
At times the Prince has been ridiculed for his sensitivity to nature. His notorious comments in 1986 about talking to plants are often repeated: "I just come and talk to the plants, really—very important to talk to them, they respond.” However, he was unembarrassed when asked about this in 2013, telling BBC’s Countryfile: “No, now I instruct them instead." And in 70 facts released for his 70th birthday Charles underlined his love of trees once again. The final fact read: “The Prince often carries out tree planting ceremonies during engagements. After planting each tree, HRH gives a branch a friendly shake to wish them well.”
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