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Queen Elizabeth II garden opens to the public

Leyla HayesLondon
News imageBBC A commemorative information plaque titled "A Garden for a Queen" stands in the foreground, featuring a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Behind the sign is a garden landscape including a still pond, stone walkways, and a variety of trees and shrubs.BBC
The garden is dedicated to the life of the late Queen

A new two-acre garden dedicated to Elizabeth II has opened to the public in central London following more than two years of development.

The Queen Elizabeth II Garden, in Regent's Park, has been created on the site of a former disused plant nursery.

The garden is a commemorative space reflecting aspects of the late monarch's life and public service.

It is in addition to the UK National Memorial to Queen Elizabeth II, which will be in St James's Park, close to Buckingham Palace.

Landscape designer Katharine Erme said every element of the space "is imbued with meaning".

She highlighted a strong central axis running through the site towards a rondel, describing it as reflecting the late queen's "unwavering service and duty", while other areas of the garden are intended to represent her roles as "a mother, a wife, a woman".

News imageGetty Images Princess Anne is captured in a profile shot, looking down at a bed of blooming tulips. She is wearing a orange coat paired with a red patterned scarf and black gloves.Getty Images
The Princess Royal officially opened the garden last week on what would have been her mother's 100th birthday

The project, overseen by the Royal Parks team, also draws on the queen's well-known passion for horticulture and gardens.

Matthew Pottage, head of horticulture at the Royal Parks, said plant choices were inspired by her personal favourites and associations with royal residences.

He said: "There's some of her favourite flowers, such as lily of the valley. We have some different agapanthus varieties that are known for royal residences. And we also know that magnolias are one of her favourite flowering trees."

News imageTwo women are walking together along a winding, sun-dappled gravel path through a lush woodland area. The woman on the left wears a blue blazer and is gesturing while speaking, while the woman on the right is dressed in a green patterned top and purple skirt.
The garden includes a woodland walking path

The design also includes a woodland walk inspired by the Queen's reported enjoyment of a secluded path in the gardens of Buckingham Palace Gardens.

Visitors will be able to find a hidden corgi inside a water tower - a nod to her well-known affection for the breed.

The garden also reflects the late Queen's long association with the Chelsea Flower Show, which she visited many times during her reign.

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