Great West Way Travel Magazine | Issue 08

memorable visitor experience and present the Gardens to the highest possible standard. I also provide advice and professional guidance to other lead managers within the organisation on conservation projects, commercial activity and strategic development. There are a number of achievements that I look back on proudly with my team. Recreating King William III’s Privy Garden, a magnificent private garden for the Stuart monarch, to look exactly as it was in 1702 was something very special, and a real highlight of my career. The transformation of this formal garden took place in 1995, and is still recognised as a major milestone with regard to the history and care of the gardens. It has also been especially rewarding to see the gardens at Kensington Palace transform over the past fifteen years, as they have opened up and become more accessible. I understand you recently oversaw the transformation of The Sunken Garden at London’s Kensington Palace, which Diana, Princess of Wales was particularly fond of? To mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 2017 we transformed the White Garden in her memory – a real highlight for me. We then went on to develop the garden further in 2021 to create a relaxing setting for the statue of the late Princess. To be a part of that, and to be there at the moment when the statue was unveiled – gosh, that was very special. What do you find most inspiring day-to-day? I really like gardens with history and heritage. Working in a garden that has been there for hundreds of years and following in the footsteps of other gardeners has always been very appealing to me. I’ve never been the kind of gardener who wants to change everything, instead I’ve always been interested in conservation and preserving what we already have, as well as going back in time to understand what went on before. Can you recommend any hidden jewels for visitors to the gardens to ensure they don't miss? Yes, the <strong>Great</strong> Vine! It is a staggering 255 years old and the largest in the world. In the summer, its grapes are sold in the palace giftshop, giving visitors the rare opportunity to try its historic fruit, which was once a favourite of Queen Victoria, no less. The grapes are a very old variety called Black Hamburg, they are a really tasty dessert grape. Just imagine eating fruit from a plant that was planted in 1768. And what a taste! What are you most looking forward to for the summer ahead? Yes, this springs Tulip Festival. Towards the end of 17th century, William III and Mary II began importing tulip bulbs from the Netherlands, and by the time Queen Victoria 10 <strong>Great</strong><strong>West</strong><strong>Way</strong>.co.uk

IMAGES © HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES opened the gardens to the public in the 1820s, people would come from miles around to see the palace’s splendid tulip displays. It became a real destination for a day out, and we want to celebrate that again. Last winter, the gardening team worked tirelessly to plant a whopping 110,000 tulip bulbs throughout the gardens, including some rare and historic varieties, and in April this year Hampton Court Palace is hosting a truly glorious tulip festival. We’ve planted the bulbs in flowerbeds all around the gardens, and each area has a different theme and story as to why we’ve chosen that bulb and that colour scheme. We’ve got traditional mass planting and I am also bringing more tulips into the courtyards as well, much to the housekeeper’s disdain. I’ve been planting bulbs in all sorts of things – wheelbarrows, pots, troughs. We want to offer visitors something a bit different. For example, as part of the event we will be giving the palace’s famous 14ft wine fountain a fabulous floral makeover. We’re going to cover it in tulips, and we’ve gone for deep red wine colours – maroons and burgundies, even jet black. We’ve also got a tulip variety called Merlot, and a few rosé colours too. Are you a city, town or country person? I think I’m a mixture of all three. I find it humorous that I had to move away from leafy Hampshire and travel to central London for my career as a gardener, but the fact remains that some of the best gardens are in the middle of cities. What do you think makes the <strong>Great</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>Way</strong> special? The countryside, landscapes and of course the gardens make the <strong>Great</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>Way</strong> special. The further west you travel the better they get! For me, Stourhead is a particular favourite, although Longleat is also very special – prior to its current layout it was a formal Baroque Garden like Hampton Court Palace. It is fascinating to see how the gardens have changed if you find an old print. I’d recommend investigating which private gardens on the <strong>Great</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>Way</strong> are open for free as part of the National Garden Scheme each year. Please describe your perfect adventure on the <strong>Great</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>Way</strong>? I think I have an in-built compass in my head that has been passed down by my father. He used to say “<strong>West</strong> is always best!” as we prepared for our camping holidays, and I’ll always remember camping with Dad during a thunderstorm at a little place near Marlborough. Click here to find out more about becoming a <strong>Great</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>Way</strong> Ambassador <strong>Great</strong><strong>West</strong><strong>Way</strong>.co.uk 11