Thursday 1 July marks what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday, and as Prince Harry and Prince William prepare to come together to unveil a statue of their late mother in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, we take a look at the dramatic makeover the garden has received.
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The new layout was masterminded by Pip Morrison and it was beautifully executed by the Gardens and Estates team at Historic Royal Palaces, namely led by Deputy Head of Gardens and Estates, Graham Dillamore.
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The redesign has been a labour of love for all of those involved, and it took 1,000 hours of planting to complete!
The garden now includes over 4,000 buds including 300 tulips, 200 roses and 100 Forget-me-nots, which were Diana's favourite flowers.
© Kensington PalaceThe Sunken Garden has been redesigned
"We have worked carefully to ensure that the new layout and planting scheme complements the statue, providing a calming place for people who visit Kensington Palace to remember the Princess," said designer Pip.
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© Kensington PalaceOver 4,000 flowers were planted
Graham reminisced about when he interacted with Diana during her time there. "While she was in residence at Kensington Palace, Diana, Princess of Wales regularly admired the changing floral displays in the Sunken Garden and would always stop to talk with me and the other gardeners who cared for it," he recounted.
© Kensington PalaceIt is a beautiful sanctuary of calm
"We've incorporated a number of the Princess's favourite flowers into the design, and I hope that visitors to the palace and gardens will enjoy its peaceful setting, and take a moment to reflect on the life and legacy of the Princess," said Graham.
Designed to be viewed from the Cradle Walk, the garden the new statue will be free to view during the palace's normal opening hours.
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince Harry announced his engagement in the garden
The Sunken Garden has always been of great significance to the royal family, as it is seen as a memorial area for Diana. The garden officially changed names temporarily in 2017 to become the White Garden, after being filled with hundreds of white flowers to mark 20 years since Diana, Princess of Wales' tragic death.
Prince Harry even announced his engagement to Meghan Markle within this special outdoor space, clearly a nod to his late mother who he lost when he was aged just 12.
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