On the heels of designing a garden for the Chelsea Flower Show, the Duchess of Cambridge is once again sharing her passion for nature with the public.
This week, Kate will appear on the BBC children’s television show Blue Peter, joining school kids in examining wildlife in a pond (an activity which is also charmingly known as “pond dipping”), building a den out of logs, and planting flowers in household objects including a colander, a watering can, and Wellington boots.
The Duchess is squarely in her element on the show, describing the pond dipping as “massively up my street.” She also clearly enjoys the den building, saying, “I love it.”
Kate has long been a strong advocate for the proven physical and mental benefits of spending time outdoors, and the positive impact that nature and the environment can have on childhood development.
During the TV program, Kate spoke with Blue Peter presenter Lindsey Russell about why she believes the outdoors is so beneficial. When asked by Russell whether getting outside with her family is something she does a lot, the Duchess laughed that, yes, “rain or shine” they get “dragged outside.”
“But it’s great, and I see it encourage creativity, confidence,” Kate added. “Even a short amount of time—10 to 15 minutes outside—makes a huge difference I think to both physical well-being but also to our mental well-being.”
Kate’s appearance on the show coincides with an announcement that she is launching a children’s competition with Blue Peter. Specifically, the Duchess is asking viewers to design a decorative garden sculpture that also features an interactive element. The winning sculpture will eventually reside in Kate’s “Back to Nature” garden when it arrives at RHS Wisely in September.
Kate initially unveiled her woodland garden, which was created to highlight the positive mental and physical benefits gained from spending time in nature, at the Chelsea Flower Show last month, and brought her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis to play in it. She also collaborated with the Royal Horticulture Society to create a corresponding collection of outdoor activity cards to inspire young gardeners.
Two further iterations of her garden will open to the public later this year. The first version will premiere at Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in July and the second, which will feature the winning sculpture design, will debut at the RHS Garden in Wisley in September.
The competition is open from Thursday, June 13 until 12 p.m. BST on Tuesday, June 25. For more details, terms and conditions, and to enter the competition, visit www.bbc.co.uk/BluePeter.
