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

The redesigned Venus Garden will become part of a visit to Windsor Castle this summer

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

The garden 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.

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. 

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.”

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.

Janet Redler, Managing Director of Janet Redler Travel, said: “This wonderful new garden is sure to be a popular addition to a tour of Windsor Castle this summer. Windsor is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world and should not be missed on a tour of England!”

If you or your group would like to visit the newly redesigned Venus Garden at Windsor Castle this summer on a tailor-made trip to London or England, please do contact our friendly team today. Or perhaps you would like to enjoy a tour of Britain’s Royal Palaces or a dedicated Garden Tour? If so, we can help!

All photos © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust.