London Gardens Society – All London Championships
So, just what do you have to do to get a member of the Royal Family to visit your garden? Well, join the London Gardens Society and enter your garden in the All London Championships, for a start! Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh is its patron, and every June he visits three of its prize-winning gardens. And this June, our garden was selected to be included in the tour.
Duke in the florists
My husband David and I joined the London Gardens Society about 10 years ago, when a good friend and reigning champion encouraged me to enter our small back garden. But the real clincher was the prospect of a buffet with drinkies and copious canapés, served at London’s beautiful Guildhall after the Trophy Presentation Evening in October.
Having opened our garden for the National Gardens Scheme charity for ten years, we were old hands at preparing the garden for scrutiny, so we duly entered. The first year, we received a silver medal and lots of advice and guidance from the judges.
The following year, in 2016, and for three subsequent years, we were awarded a gold medal and first place in the Best Small Back Garden category. We were asked to join the LGS committee. David became Membership Secretary, and both of us are now judges.
Then COVID came along, and everything came to a halt. Having enjoyed the seclusion and privacy of our garden without pressure to compete, we decided to quit while we were ahead.
Hampstead – A Suburb In Bloom
By 2022, I was Chair of our local Hampstead Garden Suburb Horticultural Society, and David was Membership Secretary. Always up for a challenge, we decided it would be fun for several of the finest local gardens to enter the LGS All London Championships under the banner of Suburb in Bloom, in the Affiliated Society category. And, you guessed it, we won!
After a break of five years, last year we decided to have one last blast. In addition to entering Best Small Back Garden, we entered Best Patio Displays and Best Containers. And won first place, with golds, in all three categories! What an honour!
Our London Garden Society trophies, medals and awards
Anyway, I digress. Each year, the LGS committee asks for proposals for the Duke’s June tour. This spring, David put forward an itinerary that started with The Kids Gardening Club in Hampstead Garden Suburb, followed by our garden – five-time champion, not bragging – then finally to the Leopold Road Community Garden, which won Best Community Garden 2025. Having accompanied the Duke on several previous tours, we know that Edward enjoys chatting to young children. He also likes the gardens to be within walking distance, if possible, and since Leopold Road is only a 5-10-minute walk from our house, David hatched his plan. The clincher was to be a walk down our road, past the Windsor Castle pub, before arriving at the small community garden. Of all the proposals, David’s ticked all the boxes. His proposal was submitted to the Palace and was duly accepted.
Minor details, such as the fact that our garden can only be reached by walking through the house, had me in hysterics. Always one to seize an opportunity, I worked on David to do a spot of redecorating. After all, it’s not every day you have a member of the Royal Family and their entourage walk through your dining room, living room and conservatory. So, the porch, the conservatory, the hall and the front door were all redecorated! Result!
Shade rose arch
Gravel borders are thriving
Prior to the tour, we were visited by his equerry and security detail. Having walked the route from our house to Leopold Road, they were happy to advise that the Duke would enjoy the walk. Furthermore, they thought it would be nice for him to greet the vicar of our neighbouring church and look in on our local florist, Jennie Mann, before passing the time of day with locals outside the Windsor Castle pub. Would we mind serving tea at our house, and preferably in the garden if the weather was kind? This tour was becoming alarmingly real.
The race was on to make our garden the best it’s ever looked, and to provide tea for the Duke and his entourage. I bought a new dress, had a matching pedicure, and baked a Victoria Sponge. Bought out my best china. My nominated guest, Rosie – because she’s so calm- was once Lady Mayoress of Barnet and knows how to behave – baked a plum and almond cake.
So, on June 23rd, as record temperatures soared into the 30s, at precisely 2.15 pm, the Duke arrived, suited and booted, smiling and friendly, immediately putting us at our ease. The neighbours were out in force taking photos, while our neighbour Ian, official photographer for the event, was snapping away. The party came through my hall and living room to emerge onto the colourful Catio, then into the main body of the garden, which was standing to attention in its best finery.
David guided Edward through to the shady fernery, pointing out all our upcycled gardenalia, then into the Summer House Studio. Whilst taking copious photos from outside, Ian leaned to one side and remarked to Rosie and me, I think David’s trying to sell him something! Got the giggles at that, plus the absurdity of having a member of the Royal Family in my garden, I struggle to remember what we spoke about. Best of all, Edward climbed onto the roof terrace and had a jolly good look around at the other gardens and the borrowed landscape, including our Holy Trinity church spire.
Duke of the roof terrace
As anticipated, the Duke declined tea and cake and had a glass of water. His security detail eyed the cakes longingly, but I imagine it’s not good form to partake if the Duke refrains. Still, no matter, our friends from the LGS enjoyed the refreshments after the event.
Leopold Road Community Garden
When finally, David escorted the party down Church Lane, Rosie and I enjoyed a quick Pimms before following on. Undeterred by the heat, the Duke happily stopped to greet our neighbours, met the local vicar and went inside the church; went into our local florists, Jenny Mann, (who thought David was kidding when he went in to warn them days before); passed the Windsor Castle pub, which had opened early especially, chatting to locals as he headed to his final destination, Leopold Road Community Garden.
The Kids Gardening Club
By the time Rosie and I joined the party, Edward had attracted quite a crowd, sitting with the community members and mingling with the gathering crowd. As school broke out, a group of teenage boys stopped to see what was going on and said, Look, it’s the king’s brother; let’s go and have a selfie! Whilst in conversation with a couple of students from our local Academy, it transpired that they were about to do the Duke of Edinburgh Award, to which he replied, Well, that’s good to hear, I am the Duke of Edinburgh. Such a privilege of a lifetime, so many lovely moments, so many happy faces.
So, spruce up your garden, join the London Gardens Society, enter a few competitions, and you too could one day welcome the Duke of Edinburgh into your garden.
A riot of colour in our garden
