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Discover 11 of the most beautiful private royal gardens

From Buckingham Palace to Sandringham House

kensington palace gardens
Chloe Best
Lifestyle Features Editor
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1 Sandringham House gardens© Photo: Getty Images

The Queen and many other senior members of the royal family are known for their love of horticulture, so it's no surprise that each of their residences has picturesque gardens and grounds for them to enjoy.

SEE: Inside Sandringham House, the Queen's stunning Norfolk home

The royals are lucky to have a team of talented gardeners to maintain the gardens at each of their homes, including Buckingham Palace, Balmoral Castle and Highgrove House, to stunning effect.

Take a look through the gallery to see some of the royal gardens and find out how and when you can visit for yourself...

Sandringham House and Gardens

The Queen's Norfolk retreat, Sandringham House, is set within 24 hectares of gardens which are often said to be perhaps the finest of all the royal gardens. Every generation of the royal family has made their own additions and changes to the picturesque estate, which features a lake, woodland walk and beautiful plants that can be visited by the public from the beginning of April to late October each year.

sandringham house north garden© Photo: Instagram

One of the gardens, The North Garden, has been informally planted in a cottage garden style, making it a haven for bees & butterflies. With colourful plants surrounded by pristine hedgerows, this would be a beautiful garden to spend time in during the spring and summer.

Kensington Palace

A beautiful oasis in the heart of London, it's no wonder the Duchess of Cambridge is often seen out and about with her children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in Kensington Palace gardens.

READ: Kate Middleton and Prince William's home is truly astonishing - see inside

As well as the Sunken Garden – recognised as where Prince Harry and Meghan posed for their engagement photocall – visitors can also tour the formal gardens and Cradle Walk, which transforms into a pretty tunnel during the summer months.

Keep scrolling for more pictures...

2 Buckingham Palace garden© Photo: Rex

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is home to the largest private garden in London, spanning 39 acres with more than 350 types of wildflowers, around 200 trees, and a three-acre lake. The Queen welcomes over 30,000 guests each year to her summer garden parties at the palace, while visitors can also explore the grounds from July until late September each year as part of the opening of the State Rooms.

RELATED: Inside the Queen's home at Buckingham Palace

4 Balmoral castle gardens© Photo: Rex

Balmoral Castle

The gardens at the Queen's summer residence are just as picturesque as you may expect. Originally started under the supervision of Prince Albert, the gardens have been expanded and transformed by successive members of the royal family. For Prince Philip, changes have involved incorporating a large kitchen garden, which is harvested between August and October during the royal family's summer holiday.

MORE: Gardening buys to keep you occupied during isolation

5 Frogmore House gardens© Photo: Rex

Frogmore House and Gardens

Before they left the UK for the States, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were lucky to have the extensive grounds of Frogmore House and Gardens on their doorstep when they lived at Frogmore Cottage. The residence is now being occupied by Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank.

MORE: Garden ideas on a budget - 7 top tips to revamp your outside space for less

The gardens were laid out in the 1790s by Queen Charlotte's vice-chamberlain, Major William Price, and the Rev. Christopher Alderson of Derbyshire. The duo created the winding lakes, wooded mounds, glades, walks and bridges that have captured the hearts of Prince Harry and Meghan and served as the backdrop for the royal couple's official engagement photos. Visitors can only explore the site on three days each year, typically at charity garden parties in May.

6 Clarence House gardens© Photo: Getty Images

Clarence House

Clarence House has been the official London residence of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall since 2003, and features beautiful gardens with a formal area added by Prince Charles in 2004 in memory of his late grandmother the Queen Mother. The residence normally opens to the public during the summer months.

7 Holyroodhouse gardens© Photo: Alamy

Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Queen's official residence in Edinburgh has four hectares of beautiful gardens, and was the location for Zara and Mike Tindall's wedding reception in 2011. Set against the backdrop of Arthur's Seat, the gardens have uninterrupted views towards the Queen's Park, also known as Holyrood Park.

Highlights are said to include the Jubilee Border, originally planted with silver plants in celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, a rare Wentworth Elm tree and Queen Mary's sundial, which was made for Charles I's Scottish coronation in 1633. The Queen hosts her annual garden party at the palace each summer, while visitors can also book tickets to tour the gardens via Royal Collection Trust.

GALLERY: 14 inspiring city gardens to create an urban sanctuary

8 Highgrove House© Photo: Getty Images

Highgrove House

Prince Charles and Camilla's private residence in Gloucestershire boasts beautiful gardens which have been praised for their inspiring and innovative designs. Highlights include the cottage garden, sundial garden and wildflower meadow, a four-acre plot with oaks, chestnuts, poplars and beech trees. The Royal Gardens at Highgrove are open to the public for guided tours on selected dates between April and October each year, and visitors can also pick up supplies from the on-site shop, which sells Highgrove teas and coffee, wine, confectionery and more.

RELATED: Prince Charles shares a tour of Highgrove Gardens

belgian royal palace garden

Belgian Royal Palace

The gardens at the Belgian royal palace look ideal for a picnic, with vast lawns filled with trees, a beautiful blossom tree and daffodils. They are closed to the public, and feature lakes, a Chinese Pavilion and Japanese pagoda.

Photo: Royal Palace Brussels

haga castle gardens© Photo: Getty Images

Haga Palace

Haga Palace, home to Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden and their children, has eight acres of private gardens within Haga Park. The couple's children reportedly still play in a playhouse within the gardens that had been a gift from King Gustaf V to his great-grandchildren shortly before his death in 1950.

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