Ahead of the unveiling of the new statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, today at Kensington Palace, the new design for the Sunken Garden, where the statue will stand, has been revealed.
The layout and planting scheme has been designed by Pip Morrison and was created by the Gardens and Estates team at Historic Royal Palaces, led by Deputy Head of Gardens and Estates, Graham Dillamore. The planting design features several of Diana’s favourite flowers, like forget-me-nots and various spring and summer blooms in pastel shades.
The work on the new design began in October 2019, and since then, five gardeners – led by Graham Dillamore – have spent a total of 1000 hours working on planting.
Pip Morrison, who designed the new layout of the garden, said, “This has been a very special project to work on, as the Sunken Garden was a favourite place of Diana, Princess of Wales. We have worked carefully to ensure that the new layout and planting scheme compliments the statue, providing a calming place for people who visit Kensington Palace to remember The Princess.”
Graham Dillamore, Deputy Head of Gardens and Estates at Historic Royal Palaces, said, “While she was in residence at Kensington Palace, Diana, Princess of Wales regularly admired the changing floral displays in the Sunken Garden and would always stop to talk with me and the other gardeners who cared for it.
“Over three decades later, I’m honoured to have been part of the team preparing the garden for the installation of this statue. We’ve incorporated a number of the Princess’s favourite flowers into the design, and I hope that visitors to the palace and gardens will enjoy its peaceful setting, and take a moment to reflect on the life and legacy of the Princess.”
The garden and statue of Diana, Princess of Wales will be free to view during the opening hours of Kensington Palace.
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