This summer, a historic garden at Windsor Castle, inspired by the planet Venus and renovated in accordance with the King’s vision, will open to the public.
Beneath the renowned east front of the royal home, the recently renamed and renovated Venus Garden embodies Charles’ love of natural patterns.
Originally utilized as a garden during George IV’s reign in the 1820s, the area’s current layout is inspired by the petal-shaped orbit of Earth’s nearest planetary neighbor in the solar system.
The Pentagram of Venus, often known as the Rose of Venus, is a geometric floral pattern formed by Venus’s orbit over a period of eight years.
The design of new flower beds and walkways bordered with evergreen hedges in the former East Terrace Garden, which guests will be able to stroll through while exploring the Berkshire castle from July 16 to September 13, was inspired by this pattern.
“This has been a significant project to reshape this historic garden for the future, reflecting His Majesty’s vision to create a space that will offer beauty, interest, and biodiversity throughout the seasons and for generations to come,” stated Adam Scott, Windsor Castle’s gardens and nursery manager.
“We are thrilled to open the Venus Garden to visitors this summer, marking the beginning of an important new chapter in the garden’s 200-year history, after about 18 months of careful transformation,” he continued.
The location was originally used as a bowling green for Charles II. Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, later expressed interest in landscaping it, and the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret utilized it as an allotment during World War II.
King Charles III renovated a historic garden at Windsor Castle (seen), and it will be accessible to tourists this summer.
Inspired by the planet of the same name, the garden that was formerly King Charles II’s bowling green has been renamed the Venus Garden.
A regular ticket to Windsor Castle from July 16 to September 13 includes free access to the Venus Garden.
The £1 ticket option offered by the Royal Collection Trust allows individuals on Universal Credit of specific designated benefits to visit the castle and garden with up to five members of their household.
A view of the gardens at Windsor Castle as two guests stroll across the renowned grounds
The area has been renovated with a more elaborate planting scheme, drawing inspiration from King Charles (shown with Emmanuel Macron).
Venus’s orbit forms a geometric floral design that may be traced across eight years; this pattern is frequently called the Pentagram of Venus or the Rose of Venus.
Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, the father of the King, later ordered a central fountain and reduced the design to formal rose beds.
Charles served as the inspiration for the new, elaborate planting scheme, which has 11,000 spring bulbs, mixed perennials, and roses to provide year-round structure and extended blooming seasons.
A biodiverse sanctuary for insects and wildlife that reflects the King’s historic dedication to sustainability, wildflower meadows, interspersed with pathways and sprinkled with trees, present softer, more naturalistic sections within the formal pattern.
New avenues of pear trees, topiary yew shrubs, bronze Hubert Le Sueur figure sculptures created for Charles I from the Royal Collection, large-scale marble, bronze, and stone vases, and other garden decorations are all visible to visitors to the castle’s terrace.
Throughout its history, the location has only occasionally been accessible to the public. This will provide visitors with a unique chance to take in the breathtaking views of the castle’s east facade, which are rarely viewed as part of the typical tourist itinerary.
From July 16 to September 13, a regular ticket to Windsor Castle includes free access to the Venus Garden.
The £1 ticket option offered by Royal Collection Trust allows those who receive Universal Credit and other specified benefits to visit the castle and explore the garden with up to five members of their household.
