Kate Middleton plays on swing in flower garden she designed which features touching tribute to Princess Diana
A giggling Kate Middleton was captured posing and showing her tomboy personality while playing on a rope swing slung from a tree in the garden, the same one that she’s designed for the Chelsea Flower Show. The picture was taken by a palace aide last week as Kate took a break from putting finishing touches to the garden ahead of the world-famous show that opens on Tuesday, May 21.
The Duchess of Cambridge's plot, which was following a 'Back to Nature' theme is intended to rekindle the magic of childhood along with underlining the work that the mother-of-three has been doing to promote the benefits of being outdoors for physical and mental health.
Kate, according to reports, wanted her garden to be a playground for children to enjoy, as well as a relaxing space for grown-ups. She was, according to her co-designers, inspired by forest-bathing, the Japanese practice of walking slowly and thoughtfully in woodland to "bathe" in its peace and beauty and recharge the body’s batteries.
The Daily Mail reports that Kate's garden features a bridge over a burbling brook and a quirky wooden treehouse. And in a touching tribute to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, the garden also features bunches of forget-me-nots, her favorite flowers.
Among the wild foliage and arching trees is a small campfire for toasting snacks and a rustic den, which is apparently inspired by one she created with her children George, Charlotte, and Louis. The 37-year-old Duchess has spoken fondly of carefree days playing outside as a child and hopes the garden will open a conversation about the effects of nature on mental health and its importance in a child’s formative years.
Speaking ahead of the show's official opening, she said: "In recent years, I have focused much of my work on the early years and how instrumental they are for outcomes later in life. I believe that spending time outdoors when we are young can play a role in laying the foundations for children to become happy, healthy adults."
Her comments come ahead of this week’s first anniversary of the creation of an expert steering group on early years development to advise her on what can be done to ensure a better start in life for all children in Britain. The dream-like treehouse and swing in the garden are the centerpiece of the Royal Horticultural Society's Back To Nature Garden, co-designed by the Duchess of Cambridge.
Landscape architects Adam White and Andree Davies are the two professional co-designers, and White says that during the planning stages late last year, the Duchess would bring a scrapbook full of pictures, photographs and ideas to every meeting. Their shared goal: to highlight the link between nature and health, both mental and physical.
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