Not widely known, alongside her passion for Corgi dogs, cars, and horses, Queen Elizabeth held a profound appreciation for flowers and gardens. She found solace in the immaculate gardens of various royal palaces. Engaging in inaugural plantings, sharing her gardening tips, and nurturing cultivars in her honor, such as the ‘Queen Elizabeth II’ Rhododendron. Additionally, she supported and promoted the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, officially named The Great Spring Exhibition.
The Chelsea Flower Show is an annual exhibition focused on gardens and gardening, hosted by the Royal Horticultural Society (“RHS”) at the Royal Hospital Chelsea grounds in London’s Chelsea district, England. It stands as the UK’s most renowned horticultural event and ranks among the world’s most significant. However, in 2020, due to the Coronavirus pandemic preventing in-person attendance, the event made its inaugural online debut in history. To bolster the event’s promotion and celebrate May’s occasion, the royal family took to their official Twitter account, sharing their beloved flowers. They notably engaged in an RHS initiative linked to Mental Health Awareness Week, urging people to share photos of their flowers to “relieve anxiety and provide a moment of respite in these current circumstances.”
While many of these flowers aren’t commonly found in Brazil, occasional glimpses can be caught at flower stalls and collections. Regardless, relishing and drawing inspiration from the royal family’s favorite flowers is a delightful experience, as showcased below:
1. Queen Elizabeth: Lily of the Valley
The delicate flowers of the lilies of the valley (Convallaria majalis) resemble small, rounded white bells, and they were the queen’s favorites. Thriving in temperate climates, these lilies are a challenge to grow in Brazil’s warm lands. They grace the permanent beds of Buckingham Palace, with their blossoming stems even included in the queen’s coronation bouquet in 1953. Lily of the valley symbolizes reliability.
2. King Charles: Larkspur
The new sovereign of the United Kingdom favors larkspurs (Consolida ajacis). Symbolic of positivity, larkspurs are regulars in the Highgrove House gardens, the official residence during his time as Prince of Wales. The king himself explains his preference: “To me, the magnificent and glorious larkspur, with its impeccable bearing and clustered in platoons, holds a special place in my botanical affections.”
3. Queen Consort Camilla: Lady’s Mantle
The new queen consort appreciates the simplicity of the lady’s mantle species (Alchemilla mollis). A rather unusual choice for a favorite plant. Nonetheless, she remarks, “This cute, lemon-green flowered plant is one of the best ground covers for both garden beds and pots. Every gardener should get to know it.”
4. Princess Anne: Hellebore
Princess Anne explains her fondness, saying, “Hellebores not only bloom early but continue flowering for two months, often displaying infinite variations.” In addition to their extended blooming, hellebores’ (Helleborus x hybridus) flowers offer a wide array of colors and patterns, unique to this temperate climate species.
5. Count Edward and Countess Sophie: Azalea
The youngest child of Queen Elizabeth, along with her daughter-in-law, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, share a preference for azaleas (Rhododendron simsii). They admire the vivid colors of the flowers, describing them as “breathtaking,” along with their intoxicating fragrance.
6. Duchess Brigitte: Sweet Pea
Understanding the Duchess of Gloucester’s favoritism towards sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) isn’t difficult. Their delicate flowers resemble colorful butterflies and elegantly climb delicate supports, adorning gardens and pots in spring and summer.
7. Duke Richard: Daisy
The Duke of Gloucester prefers the simple daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare). He reveals, “I like to dig them up from between the paving stones and move them somewhere they can grow properly and healthily.”
8. Princess Alexandra: Rose “Golden Celebration”
Passionate about roses (Rosa x grandiflora), Princess Alexandra, Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, holds a special fondness for the “Golden Celebration” cultivar. This bushy rose features highly folded, intensely yellow-gold flowers with an exceptional and unique fragrance. She expresses that it “brings immense pleasure to the eyes and carries the most extraordinary and unique scent.”
9. Princess Diana: Forget-Me-Not
The cherished and iconic Princess of Wales, Lady Diana, held a special preference for forget-me-nots (Myosotis scorpioides). This knowledge is due to the affection shown by Prince Harry, who honored his mother by planting forget-me-nots at a California preschool on the 23rd anniversary of her passing.
10. Princess Kate: Narcissus
The Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall, now the Princess of Wales, Catherine Middleton, hasn’t explicitly voiced a favorite plant. Nevertheless, it seems that Narcissus (Narcissus cyclamineus) hold a special place in her heart. These flowers adorned her wedding bouquet, as she has previously expressed her love for woodland blooms.
