This is the first time Kensington Palace has offered Garden History Tours! They will be free of charge and last between 45 minutes to 1 hour. All you need to do is sign up at either the Queen’s Entrance or the hub area inside the palace. Please be aware these tours are only for the summer months, from May through to the end of September!
What does a Garden History Tour entail? Well, our tours give an overview of changes sovereigns have made to the gardens of Kensington Palace since the days of King William III and Mary II through to the Hanoverians, Queen Victoria, the Edwardian age right up to today’s newest gardens. Be warned, you will be on your feet, so bring comfortable shoes, and an umbrella or hat (it can range from very cold, very wet, or very hot on these tours). Also, they are HISTORY-based – I’m a historian, not a gardener, but I, and all the other guides, will try to answer your questions, but do keep in mind we will not be focusing on the botany, but on the historical changes to the garden layout.
The photos below show me giving the Garden History Tours in summer 2011:
If you want to go away knowing a great deal more about the palace’s history, you do not want to miss these free tours!
Check out one of the official pages at: http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/WhatsOn/britishsignlanguagetours
