The renaissance gardens of King Henry VIII’s reign were converted to baroque style in the late 1600s. Charles II was inspired by Versailles, and had the canal and other features installed at the palace.

When William of Orange took over the throne, he further enlarged and landscaped the grounds into an elaborate network of gardens. George I was the last monarch to reside at Hampton Court Palace.

The grounds today have many interesting and historical features. The Privy Garden of Henry VIII has been recreated in great detail; it contains flowers and herbs typical in the 16th century as well as gilded heraldic sculptures and fencing.

Another popular attraction is the Hampton Court Maze. This maze was planted in the late 1600s for William of Orange, but it is believed to have replaced an earlier maze that had been at the site since the time of Cardinal Wolsey.

The maze has over a half mile of paths, 7 foot high walls, and it typically takes about 20 minutes to reach the centre.

The Great Vine is an ancient grape vine planted in 1768 by Lancelot “Capability” Brown, a famed gardener of the time. The vine is the oldest and largest in the world, at over 100 feet long and 12 feet around at the base.

Every year in September the vine produces sweet black grapes which are then sold to visitors at the palace shops.

Home Park covers 700 acres of ponds and avenues where you can stroll and watch the birds and the fallow deer. The more than 300 royal deer living on the palace grounds are descended from Henry VIII’s original herd.

Hampton Court Palace Gardens are a London treasure definitely worth the trip.

Hampton Court Palace

Address: East Molesey, KT8 9AU

Telephone: 0870 752 7777

Opening Times

30th March to 25th October: 10am-6pm | 26th October to 29th March: 10am-4.30pm | Last entry to the maze 5.15pm

Pricing

£13-£14 (Adult), £6.50-£7 (Child), £10.50-£11.50 (Concessions), £35-£38 (Family) | Ticket includes access to the palace, maze and gardens, plus a multi-language audio guide

Photo courtesy: Wombok

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