Magic Garden at Hampton Court Palace

The summer holidays have arrived and if you're looking for a way to get your children outdoors and playing among the flowers, then we know the perfect place to go.

Welcome to the magical garden at Hampton Court, a brand new playground where mysterious mythical beasts have descended alongside battlements and quivering towers ready to be besieged and secret grottos for little ones to discover. This is a space made for running, dreaming and discovering the history of the great Tudor Palace.

Designed by RHS Chelsea award-winning landscape architect Robert Myers for Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that cares for Hampton Court Palace, the new garden has been six years in the making and begins an exciting new chapter in the palace’s 500 year history.

Set within King Henry VIII’s former Tiltyard (where the elaborate spectacle of the Tudor tournament once played out) the new garden takes inspiration from the fairytale feel of the spectacular 15th century Tudor Palace - that was otherwise known as King Henry’s ‘pleasure palace’ - a space for the king to indulge in his love of hunting and dazzled visitors with architecture depicting heraldry and mythical beasts.

This is an immersive world, designed for discovery and exploration, and reflecting the Palace's magnificent Royal history. The 'wild wood' evokes the hunting grounds the Tudor King knew and loved; the Palace's famous five ‘lost’ Tiltyard Towers have been recreated; towers offer views over the battles down below and the garden is topped off by a bejewelled crown based on a recreation of the King's own, which is on display on the palace's Chapel Royal.

The crowning glory of the garden, however, is a 25ft long sleeping dragon, who will awaken as the palace’s clock strikes every hour with gleaming eyes and breath that steams.