Members of the public have taken part in a spring bulb planting day at a new garden to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in Regent’s Park.
The two-acre garden was created by The Royal Parks Charity to commemorate the life of the late Queen, and is set to open in central London in spring next year.
Members of the public were invited to sign up for one-hour slots on Saturday to plant bulbs, including snowdrops, as well as being given a guided tour of the garden.
The garden will be opened in addition to the UK National Memorial to the late Queen, which will be in St James’s Park, near Buckingham Palace.
Members of the public have spent their Saturday planting bulbs in Regent’s Park
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PA
The late Queen became a patron of the Royal Horticultural Society in 1952, the year she ascended to the throne, and was a regular to the Chelsea Flower Show in her 70-year reign.
The charity has revealed that the garden has been designed by London-based landscape architects HTA Design, to be “a tranquil space for reflection in the centre of London”.
It will feature a pond, a viewing platform and a flower garden, “with plants significant to the late Queen”.
The bulbs chosen for Saturday’s event added vibrant colours and “provide[d] nectar and pollen for vital pollinating insects”.
The site, which is on the Broad Walk and close to the Avenue Gardens, was once used to grow shrubs and plants for London’s Royal Parks.
The site was decommissioned in 2018 after the opening of the Hyde Park Nursery.
The garden will open in spring next year
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PA
The provisional construction budget for the UK National Memorial for Queen Elizabeth II in St James’s Park was set between £23million and £46million, excluding VAT.
The public gathering comes just days after it was announced that Sir David Beckham would be taking part in the Chelsea Flower Show.
The former England star will be involved in Frances Tophill’s project as an ambassador for the King’s Foundation, which is working with the Royal Horticultural Society to create the garden.
The garden, named The RHS and The King’s Foundation Curious Garden, aims to encourage visitors to discover the joy of getting into gardening and the vital contributions plants make to the health of people, places, and the planet.
Sir David has shared his love for gardening on social media, saying: “My love for the countryside started when I was a child visiting my grandparents.
“I’ve experienced how rewarding gardening can be and that’s why I’m looking forward to working with The RHS and The King’s Foundation on their Curious Garden at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
“I hope we inspire people to get outside into nature and to try something new.”
Gardeners’ World presenter Tophill also spoke on the announcement, saying: “I’m thrilled to be working with everyone involved to bring my first Chelsea garden to life and really explore my own curiosity about plants and their vital role in bringing health to people and to planet.”