Buckingham Palace Gardens
From ArticleWorld
The Buckingham Palace Gardens belong to the royal family of England and are a part of the grounds of the Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the Queen of England. The 'Buckingham Palace Gardens are familiarly known as the Queen’s back garden, are perhaps the most famous and well guarded gardens in the world. Acting as an oasis of greenery in the centre of a sprawling city of brick and concrete, the gardens also perform a crucial ecological and social role.
History and location
These Gardens were first carved out of wilderness four hundred years ago by Lord Goring, and later improved upon greatly by Lord Arlington. The present name and magnificence of the Gardens may be attributed to the Duke of Buckingham who bought the mansion and the attached grounds after the death of Arlington. The splendor of the gardens attracted the royal family and George III bought Buckingham house for himself and his wife, as their private home, in the year 1762.
Among other natural beauties, the gardens house a beautiful 19th century lake, carved out during the time of George IV. The gardens are spread over an area of 42 acres and are located to the north west of the Palace.
Importance
Although the Gardens are not open to the public, tourists who visit the Buckingham Palace during the autumnal months of August and September may visit a part of the garden also and enjoy walks that showcase fantastic views of the Garden. The Queen hosts her famous garden parties here, sometimes for her pleasure but mostly as a treat for her tenants or as a charity for ex-servicemen. The Gardens are known for:
- rare plant species (white rhododendron - the recent rare hybrid),
- exotic insect and myriad bird species, (the bronze cranes that were a gift from India), and
- the Waterloo Vase – a large urn chiseled out a single block of Carrara marble.