Prince Charles has never hid his love of the natural world. This weekend, he was in his element as he visited Bodnant Gardens in North Wales for the official opening of the beautiful park's visitors' centre.
The Prince, a keen gardener and organic farmer, spent more than an hour wandering through the beautiful grounds, famous for their collections of magnolia, camellia, clematis and hydrangea. He also took time to chat with the head gardener, Troy Smith.
"The Prince asked me about our plans for the summer and about the difficulties of maintaining the garden at this time of year," said Mr Smith. It wasn't all plant talk though: "He also asked me about my son, Rowan, who is six months old," added the gardener.
There in his role as President of the National Trust, the Prince of Wales was given the opportunity to show off his gardening skills. Proving he is just as green-fingered as his parents, the British heir planted a tree next to those planted by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip during their visit in 1977 to mark the Silver Jubilee.
The Prince's love of architecture was also allowed to bloom during the visit. Following a royal request, the trip took in the sarcophagus of the 13th Century Welsh leader Llewelyn The Great at Gwydir Chapel.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
