A major new landmark has officially opened in central London as the Queen Elizabeth II Garden in Regent’s Park welcomed the public for the first time on Monday, 27 April 2026.
The two-acre site, transformed from a disused plant nursery into a tranquil public space, was developed over two years to celebrate the late monarch’s centenary year. The project was formally opened last week by The Princess Royal on 21 April—what would have been her mother’s 100th birthday.
Design Imbued with Duty and Service
Landscape designer Katharine Erme led the project, creating a space where every physical detail serves as a metaphor for the late Queen’s 70-year reign.
The Central Axis: A strong, straight path runs through the heart of the garden toward a circular rondel. Erme described this feature as a reflection of the late Queen’s “unwavering service and duty.”
The Commonwealth Pergola: A standout structural feature is a pergola with 56 beams, each representing a member nation of the Commonwealth.
Hidden Details: In a playful nod to her personal life, visitors can discover a hidden corgi tucked away inside the repurposed water tower, which has been reimagined as a garden folly.
The Queen’s Favourite Blooms
The planting scheme, overseen by the Royal Parks’ head of horticulture Matthew Pottage and designer Noel Kingsbury, is a living catalogue of the Queen’s floral preferences.
“We have included some of her favourite flowers, such as lily of the valley, along with agapanthus varieties associated with royal residences,” Pottage explained. “Magnolias, one of her favourite flowering trees, also feature prominently.”
The garden also includes a “woodland walk” designed to mimic a secluded path the Queen famously enjoyed within the private gardens of Buckingham Palace.
A Sustainable Legacy
The garden is not only a memorial but a benchmark for modern, climate-resilient horticulture.
Recycled Materials: Instead of importing topsoil, the team crushed redundant concrete foundations on-site to create a new growing medium.
Repurposed Steel: Steel from the site’s former glasshouses was salvaged to build the new pergola and tower balcony.
Biodiversity Gain: The Royal Parks estimate a 184% net gain in biodiversity for the site, which now features over 5,000 square metres of pollinator-friendly planting.
While the UK National Memorial is still set for development in St James’s Park, the Queen Elizabeth II Garden offers a more intimate, horticultural tribute in a park she visited frequently throughout her life. The garden is located on the Broad Walk and is open daily from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
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