© Photo: PAThe Duchess of Cambridge wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty as she took part in a very outdoorsy engagement on Tuesday morning. Kate, a nature fan, visited the King Henry's Walk Garden in Islington, London to see how the project brings people together through gardening and food growing. During the visit she was shown some of the allotment plots, before she got stuck into a winter planting workshop and a pizza making session. Let's take a look at some of the best photos of the day…
Kate arrived to cheers and applause from fans who were waiting outside the garden in north London. She went for a casual chic look, wearing skinny jeans, a maroon roll-neck jumper and a tweed jacket. The Duchess, who celebrated her 37th birthday last week, completed her look with a pair of ankle boots. She styled her hair into loose waves.
© Photo: PAKate was given a warm welcome at the garden. She was introduced to volunteers from the community who told her about the benefits of this urban green space. The royal was also shown just how much can grow in small-scale inner-city plots.
© Photo: PAA closer look at the Duchess' outdoorsy look. She wore the Dubarry Bracken tweed jacket, which is currently on sale for £279.
© Photo: Getty ImagesShe wore the Dubarry Bracken tweed jacket, which is currently on sale for £279 in sizes 16, 18 and 20.
© Photo: Getty ImagesLocal residents have been running the garden for over a decade with support from Islington Council. A variety of plants and wildlife grow in the garden and Kate was shown all different types of flora.
The royal was also told how the garden has helped to reduce problems such as anti-social behaviour and vandalism in the area. The centre offers events and educational sessions to engage the whole community and has subsequently won many awards, including London in Bloom's Best Community Garden award in 2008, 2009 and 2011.
She met youngsters from local schools in Islington, who were taking part in gardening workshops.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe green-fingered royal got stuck into a winter planting workshop, where she showed off her gardening skills. Chatting to the children, she asked: "Do you all like learning outside? Do you prefer a classroom in the woodlands or a classroom inside? You can do cool stuff like this. You can learn all the time. And what's your favourite thing to do outside in the garden?" One little boy replied: "I like getting dirty and finding dirty stuff."
Kate asked: "What sort of dirty stiff do you find? Do you find worms? And insects? Do you ever find spiders? There's so much to discover isn't there? It's really fun. If you haven't tried it you don't know how cool it is."
© Photo: Getty ImagesKate also helped build a bird box, before moving to the garden's kitchen area to make a pizza. When one youngster asked where Prince George and Princess Charlotte were, Kate replied: "They would love to come and do this with you. They will be very sad that I've been out here making pizzas with all of you and they haven't been here. They are in school. George is at a school called Thomas's. He's learning about space. Have you all learnt about space?"
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Duchess helped make pizza dough and spread tomato sauce on the bases.
"Has the Queen ever eaten pizza?" one child asked, to which Kate replied: "That's such a good question, I don't know. Maybe next time I see her, shall I ask?"
© Photo: Getty ImagesKate made feeders for birds out of apples studded with sunflowers seeds with the children from St Jude's and St Paul's schools. "Have you seen any birds?" asked Kate. "Has anyone made these before? I was hearing earlier that you have been making pizza. And pizza outside. That sounds like the coolest thing ever."
© Photo: Getty ImagesAs she walked through the gardens, Kate met Anita and Alex with their three-month-old baby, Ishaan, and cooed over the youngster.
© Photo: Getty ImagesBefore leaving, the mother-of-three was presented with a jar of home-made honey and a book about birds. Edwina, seven, also gave her one of the apple feeders for birds the group had made earlier. The note attached read: "Kate [with a crown] love from Year 3 inclooding [sic] the teachers."
