King Charles' former gardener shares tribute to the late Queen within Balmoral gardens
King Charles former gardener has lifted the lid on the secret tribute the monarch paid to his late mother Queen Elizabeth within Balmoral's new gardens. It comes as they enter their final couple of weeks of being open to the public.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will soon spend their summer in Scotland. The Balmoral estate, located in the Highlands, has been the Scottish residence of the royals since the 1800s and is where the Royal Family often spend the Christmas period.
It was a beloved spot particularly by the late Queen Elizabeth, who passed away in 2022, and it's also a place King Charles spent much of his childhood.
The grounds have been open to the public since last year but the castle gardens have been newly renovated with a Thistle maze, the Celtic maze garden, as well as a generous array of topiary, trees and shrubbery.
And Jack Stooks, who worked as a senior gardener at Highgrove for King Charles for over two decades, reveals why the designs have such a personal touch.
Speaking on behalf of Slingo, Jack Stooks reveals that The mazes feel like a reflection of Charles' childhood. He explained, "Mazes are very special to Charles as he used to love playing in the maze at Sandringham when he was young. His grandmother, the late Queen Mother, used to speak fondly about her memories of him in the maze and how much he loved the topiary.
"It's likely Charles wanted to bring some of the nostalgia of his childhood back to the Balmoral gardens and make it a place of fun and excitement for future generations. Balmoral was also a very special residence for the Queen, so Charles will want others to enjoy a place that was so special for his mother. It's like a tribute to her."
Jack explained that Charles is heavily involved with planning, especially as he has a passion for gardening 'Charles has an amazing work ethic and he's very hands on. I remember doing some topiary pieces for him in Scotland with two yew trees that resided in the vegetable garden. I did a drawing and suggested finishing the top with the Prince of Wales feathers. The drawing came back with a handwritten note from Charles that praised the design but suggested swapping the feathers for a cone. He takes the time to consider these things, and it helps that he has a love for gardening and greenery.'
The gardens at Balmoral are a present for future generations, says Jack. 'Now Balmoral is open to the public, Charles wants to make the grounds as inviting as possible for everyone. He wants to make it a place that's exciting for future generations too. The grounds are quite bare as it's cold for much of the year, but the topiary in the mazes have an evergreen appeal. Plus, they've included thistle within the topiary as a proud nod to Scotland. Despite being English, Charles knows how important it is to pay tribute to Balmoral's rich history in the Highlands.'
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