King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to encounter a touch of the familiar during their visit to the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday – a garden featuring the names of their beloved dogs.
Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the royals will tour the world-renowned horticultural event, celebrated for its innovative garden designs.
The Chelsea Flower Show, held on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, has been a fixture since 1913.
The event is run by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), of which the King is patron.
It is famed for its cutting-edge designs and the presence of the Chelsea Pensioners.
Among the featured gardens is the RHS and BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden, designed by broadcaster and gardener Monty Don.
The garden incorporates grassy spaces for canine enjoyment and a large, shady tree.
The brick paths are inscribed with the names of dogs belonging to Radio 2 presenters and RHS ambassadors, as well as Don’s beloved dog Ned, reflecting the special place dogs hold in the nation’s hearts and gardens.
The names of Camilla’s adopted Jack Russell terrier Bluebell and her new puppy Moley will also be featured on the path, alongside that of her much-loved dog Beth, who died in 2024.
The name of Charles’s dog, Snuff, is also included on the path.
Charles welcomed the pooch, a Lagotto Romagnolo – an Italian breed known for truffle hunting – to the royal household earlier this year.
After the four-day show, which opens to the public on Tuesday, the dog garden will be moved to the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, which the Queen supports as patron.
This year the King’s Trust has a Chelsea garden, supported by Project Giving Back, called Seeding Success.
It was designed by Joe Perkins and takes its inspiration from the more than one million young people the trust has supported since it was founded almost 50 years ago.
