Description

Ever since the estate at Sandringham was purchased by King Edward VII when he was Prince of Wales in 1862 it has been a favourite country home for the royal family where the garden plays an integral part. Providing a spacious setting for the great house, with majestic trees and lakes and views to the village church on one side, the garden today is full of history as well as fine planting. Much remains from the Victorian and Edwardian garden created for Edward VII and a distinguished later addition is the formal north garden designed by Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe for Edward VII’s grandson, George VI.

As our talk will unveil, the garden also has a very special place in National Garden Scheme history. Sandringham was the favourite home of Queen Alexandra, in whose memory the National Garden Scheme was founded; the garden was opened by her son King George V in the Scheme’s first year of 1927 and it has opened through every year since. National Garden Scheme Chief Executive, George Plumptre, who has written a book on the Royal Gardens will talk about the history and Sandringham head gardener, Martin Woods, will describe the garden today.