King Charles' Highgrove Gardens Operate Under Strict Pesticide Ban
King Charles has enforced one striking rule at his Highgrove estate for decades: pesticides are never used. This unwavering commitment to organic principles forms the cornerstone of the royal gardens' management, reflecting the monarch's long-standing environmental philosophy.
Decades of Sustainable Stewardship
The King's philosophy that humanity should work with nature rather than control it is evident throughout his Highgrove gardens, where this remarkable pesticide prohibition has remained unchanged since he purchased the Gloucestershire property in 1980 whilst still Prince of Wales. Today, a dedicated team of eleven gardeners, along with two apprentices, maintain the grounds adhering strictly to sustainability and environmental stewardship principles.
Chemical pesticides are entirely prohibited, with plants and soil nurtured exclusively through organic methods. The irrigation system demonstrates this commitment to natural resource optimisation: rather than relying on mains water, rainwater collected from the main residence sustains the flourishing walled kitchen garden.
Embracing Natural Imperfections
Rather than pursuing horticultural perfection, gardeners allow nature to take its own course, embracing imperfections instead of correcting or removing them. This approach extends throughout the estate's management practices:
- Weeds are permitted to flourish naturally unless they threaten to dominate, at which point they receive selective management
- The wildflower meadow is cut just once annually using traditional scythes
- Following the annual cutting, cattle and sheep are brought in to graze, helping preserve local biodiversity
- When branches fall or trees require removal due to disease, the timber is repurposed rather than discarded
Creative Reuse and Personal Touches
The estate's commitment to sustainability extends to creative reuse initiatives. Trainees on the King's Foundation Create programme utilise wood from felled trees to develop furniture-making skills, giving this natural material renewed purpose. Oak and beech trees felled by storms have been relocated to a stumpery, where they now provide valuable habitats for local wildlife.
Evidence of the King's personal involvement appears throughout the gardens, including low hurdles he crafted himself during the pandemic from hazel coppiced on the estate. Adding a whimsical touch, Charles has placed a garden gnome that he regularly moves throughout the grounds, nestled among woodland plantings and a nationally significant collection of 160 broadleaf hosta varieties.
Documentary Showcases Environmental Vision
The gardens reflect the central theme of the King's upcoming Prime Video documentary, Finding Harmony: A King's Vision, which encourages viewers to place nature at the centre of their daily lives. Narrated by Kate Winslet, the programme explores Charles' decades-long commitment to environmental principles and aims to engage new, younger audiences with his sustainability message.
Kristina Murrin, chief executive of the King's Foundation, described the film's message as particularly urgent, telling The i Paper: "The earth is asking us to change our actions at the moment. And hopefully this film will inspire some people to do that." The documentary is scheduled for worldwide release across 240 territories on 6 February, bringing the King's Highgrove gardening philosophy to a global audience.
