“I’m slightly nerve-wracked”: Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh on flower show garden inspired "by her childhood"

Garden show season is nearly upon us, with less than a week until RHS Chelsea Flower Show (kicking off next Monday 18 May), which means we’re now learning plenty of exciting details about what to expect from various shows in the months ahead. Last Sunday (10 May) for example, the Royal Family and Royal Windsor Flower Show shared a collaborative post saying that ‘something is blooming…’ for Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.

This year, The Duchess has joined forces with Alan Williams of Landform Consultants to design her first garden, which the Royal Family said will ‘sit at the heart of the Royal Windsor Flower Show’ for 2026. Speaking to The Telegraph, Sophie admitted she was ‘slightly nerve-wracked’ about the ‘Plant with Purpose Garden’, but revealed that a lot of thought had gone into the design.

windsor, england june 7: sophie, duchess of edinburgh and alan titchmarsh attend the royal windsor flower show at windsor great park on june 7, 2025 in windsor, england. (photo by mark cuthbert/uk press via getty images) Mark Cuthbert

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh with Alan Titchmash at last year’s Royal Windsor Flower Show.

Dan Kitwood

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Edward at Chelsea Flower Show.

The garden will feature plants which are friendly to a range of pollinating insects, not just bees. There will also be details included which are inspired by The Duchess’ childhood, such as fruit bushes and trees. Speaking to the publication, Sophie said, ‘As a child, I grew up around fruit gardens in Kent, and in my teens I’d go off cycling to the local farm to go and pick raspberries day after day. We had an old apple orchard in our garden and they were the most delicious apples: tiny, but delicious. And to be able to just take an apple off a tree, or pick a gooseberry…’

Max Mumby/Indigo

To discuss the garden in more detail, Sophie and her garden design partner, Alan, met with Alan Titchmarsh, and photographs of their visit were shared by the Royal Family.

The post also explained the purpose behind the garden, which will be to ‘highlight the importance of healthy soil and an understanding of how food is grown. Her Royal Highness dedicates much of her time to championing opportunities for young people to forge a career in the British food industry, supporting sustainable food production, and engaging everyone with where our food comes from.’

The Royal Windsor Flower Show will take place on Saturday 6 June 2026.