Gardeners urged to plant 3 flowers with huge blooms in King Charles's grounds

Daily Mirror

19-05-2025

The King is famously hands-on when it comes to his own gardens, but even if you don't have the budget to recreate his stunning green spaces, then you can still take a leaf out of his book with these plant recommendations
Highgrove House's gardens, under the diligent care of King Charles for many years, attract numerous visitors annually with their exquisite beauty.
The King has always been instrumental in the design of his gardens, renowned for his passion for the outdoors and his commitment to sustainable gardening practices to create stunning green spaces. Since ascending the throne, he has also turned his attention to the gardens at Sandringham, crafting a new eco-friendly topiary garden at his Norfolk residence.
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For those with a green thumb, this season is an ideal time to start planting. If you're aiming to elevate your own garden and populate it with plants worthy of royalty, then these three suggestions from one of his gardeners are worth noting.
Jack Stooks, a member of the Highgrove Estate team, shared his top three plant recommendations for those looking to enhance their garden design, while keeping within a budget, in a chat with Fabulous.
When planning your garden, it's crucial to consider various plants for different levels to ensure no space goes unused - especially if your outdoor area is on the smaller side. The Royal gardener suggests that if you're looking to add some height to your planting, a clematis would be his first recommendation, reports the Mirror.
Jack swears by clematis for adding vertical interest to gardens. "I always recommend for height you want like a clematis which are really really good. The Montana Clematis - they normally like either pinks or whites - and once you've got them and they go up and over a wall or a fence, they do amazingly and they just keep coming year after year after year."
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He assures garden enthusiasts that investing in these climbers won't break the bank, as Jack points out the higher-end price is around £10, but savvy shoppers can find these blooms at a steal, especially with a watchful eye during supermarket visits.
For those seeking hardy yet strikingly beautiful flowers, Jack suggests the Hydrangea Annabelle. Unlike its more soil-sensitive counterparts, this hydrangea isn't picky and thrives in all sorts of earth, boasting large, spherical white blossoms.
Eager to spread the joy of horticulture, Jack loves this plant because it grows robustly, "What that tends to do is it tends to just increase in size and get bigger and bigger and bigger and you can actually start chopping bits off it and having plants from the parent. And then you can say to somebody 'Oh I love your plant' you can say 'Here's the baby' and you can pass it on to your family and friends."
So not only does this plant amplify garden aesthetics affordably, it also offers a delightful way to share greenery with loved ones without extra expense.
Jack's final tip for a quintessentially British garden must-have is the ever-popular lavender. This hardy, vibrant plant not only adds a delightful fragrance to your garden but is also adored by pollinators, helping to bring essential wildlife into your outdoor space.
For those new to gardening, lavender is an excellent choice due to its low maintenance needs, as Jack points out: "It doesn't need much watering, it doesn't need too much in the way of care. And if you get them in the right spot - not too wet a spot, but a good sunny position - they'll do really well for you year after year."