The Venus Garden

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Visit a new royal garden at Windsor Castle this summer!

A magnificent royal garden beneath the famous east façade of Windsor Castle has been transformed according to His Majesty The King’s vision and will open to visitors for the summer.

Formerly known as the East Terrace Garden, the newly renamed and redesigned Venus Garden will become part of a standard visit to Windsor Castle between Thursday, 16 July and Sunday, 13 September, marking the first opportunity to experience this historic space as inspired by The King’s passion for patterns in nature.

History of Windsor Castle's East Façade

The garden opening gives visitors the rare opportunity to enjoy stunning views of the Castle’s east façade – seldom seen as part of the usual visitor route – and to spend time in an outdoor space within the walls of the 1,000-year-old Castle. First laid out in the 1820s on the site of Charles II’s bowling green to provide a pleasant view from George IV’s new apartments, the garden has been reshaped by successive generations of the Royal Family. Queen Victoria recorded that Prince Albert took particular interest in its planting, while during the Second World War, the beds became allotments for Castle residents, including the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. In the decades that followed, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh simplified the layout into formal rose beds and commissioned a central fountain. The garden has intermittently been open to the public throughout its history, most recently for weekend openings in the summers of 2020 and 2021.

Inspiration for the Venus Garden

The redesigned Venus Garden takes its inspiration from the orbit of Earth’s closest neighbour in the solar system. Traced over eight years, Venus’s orbit creates a petal-like floral pattern. This pattern has inspired the layout of newly laid perennial beds and evergreen hedge-lined pathways, through which visitors will be free to wander as they explore the garden.

The Venus Garden's planting scheme, sculpture and ornaments

The garden now features an enhanced planting scheme that gives year-round structure and long periods of seasonal interest. Mixed perennials and roses – a nod to the previous planting scheme – provide colour and texture  throughout the summer and into the autumn, while around 11,000 spring bulbs ensure vibrant displays from early in the year.

Wildflower meadows, dotted with trees and threaded with pathways, introduce softer, more naturalistic areas within the formal layout, creating a biodiverse haven for wildlife and insects that reflects His Majesty’s longstanding commitment to sustainability.

Looking out over the garden and the surrounding area from the Castle’s terrace, visitors will notice a striking new treescape taking shape. The garden now features avenues of ornamental pear trees, alongside plantings of dogwood, crab apple and vibrant shades of Acer, Parrotia, Hornbeam and Catalpas. Together, they add height, texture and a renewed sense of drama to the sunken garden. The garden’s established yew shrubs have been given new interest and form through topiary, creating strong lines and shapes when seen from afar.

Further yew hedging frames a series of sculptures from the Royal Collection along the garden’s curved perimeter. Among them are four bronze figures by Hubert Le Sueur, made for Charles I in the 1630s and brought to the garden for George IV. They are complemented by large-scale marble, bronze and stone vases, lead urns and other historic sculptures and garden ornaments, some newly introduced as part of the redesign.

Adam Scott, Gardens & Nursery Manager at Windsor Castle, said, ‘This has been a significant project to reshape this historic garden for the future, reflecting His Majesty’s vision to create a space that will offer beauty, interest and biodiversity throughout the seasons and for generations to come. After around 18 months of careful transformation, we are delighted to open the Venus Garden to visitors this summer, marking the start of an important new chapter in the garden’s 200-year history.’

Tickets and visiting the Venus Garden

Access to the Venus Garden is included with a standard ticket to Windsor Castle between Thursday, 16 July and Sunday, 13 September, at no extra charge. People receiving Universal Credit and other named benefits can visit Windsor Castle and explore the Venus Garden with up to five members of their household through Royal Collection Trust’s £1 ticket scheme.

Other concessions are available, including Young Person tickets and half-price entry for children.

Visitors who purchase their ticket directly from Royal Collection Trust can convert it into a 1-Year Pass and return for free as many times as they like within a year of their first visit.

Practical information

• Whilst the Venus Garden is not accessible to wheelchair users, the area can still be enjoyed from the Terrace, which offers a clear view of the garden.
• Regrettably, the Venus Garden is not suitable for pushchairs. Pushchairs can be safely left in the secure cloakroom at the entrance to the State Apartments, or on the Terrace above the Garden.
• Please note that the garden may close at short notice. Opening is subject to the weather and the garden will be closed in adverse weather conditions.