THE QUEEN AS A GARDENER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19344, 3 June 1926, Page 5

THE QUEEN AS A GARDENER.

Considerable work is being carried out in tho gardens at Buckingham Palace, and these are being largely remodelled. When this has been completed much of. tho formal appearance of these gardens will have disappeared, giving place to a more natural style. The Queen is taking-great interest in this work, since she is proud of her gardens at each of her residences, and passes much of her spare time in them when the weather is favourable. Gardens and gardening have, indeed, been always a favourite hobby with tho Queen sines she was a girl, when she used to do a great deal of work in the gardens surrounding White Lodge in Richmond Park in the company of her three brothers. Until a few years ago she could often b<j seen working in the; gardens of York Cottage, isandringharn. The Queen possesses excellent taste iu the laying out and cultivation of gardens, and whenever she visits any or-hef personal friends in their country homos, one of tho first things she does is to-in-spect the gardens. She possesses at Yatk Cottage a considerable library of books dealing with gardens and their arrangement. The gardens at Buckingham Palace to-day present a completely different appcaranc from that in tho time of Queen Victoria. The boundary walls are now concealed by mounds of {lowers sail shrubs. A particularly attractive 'port-son of tho grounds is known as "the wilderness." This is close to tho shores of the lake, and wild flowers grow hero in profusion during the spring and summer, and are allowed to run riot, without interference from the gardeners. This is a favourite spot with the Queen on a warm summer's day. when the overhanging trees make it delieiousiv cool, and one of the most pleasant resorts in London. Tho gardens at Sandringham have long been famous, and rank among the finest of their kind in the country. Almost every type of gardening is represented here, from the typical .English landscape, gardens facing the main front of the residence to the quaint little sunken Dutch garden, with its sun-dial in tho centra, close to tho model .dairy that.Queen Alexandra set up here shortly after her marriage.. The Queen is now considering the possibility of forming a small Japanese garden at Sandringham.