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Fall is just around the corner, and Kate Middleton is taking in these last few weeks of summer by opening a new garden for children and families to enjoy.
The Duchess of Cambridge opened her Back to Nature play garden at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden Wisley in Surrey on Tuesday. The launch took place during the Back to Nature festival, which celebrated the value of communities. The grand opening also marked the end of the RHS garden project. As royal admirers will recall, Kate co-created gardens that were previously exhibited at the Chelsea Flower Show and the Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. In fact, Kate and her husband, Prince William, brought their three kids—Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis—to the Chelsea space to help demonstrate the positive impact the outdoors can have on childhood development, physical health and mental health.
Kate discussed these benefits during a speech at the festival.
“The experiences we gain during our earliest years influence who we become as people. They influence how we interact in school, in work and in society and ultimately how we bring up our own children,” she began. “Whether it’s planting, exploring, digging, creating or playing, quality time spent outside provides children with the perfect environment to form those positive relationships with the people in their lives and the world around them. As a parent, I’ve learned just how important it is to foster our children’s development in all areas—not just physical—as soon as they are born. We build the blocks, the foundations, for future success and happiness later in their lives.”
The duchess also gave an example of how her own little ones like to spend time outdoors while speaking to a few attendees. According to The Sun‘s royal correspondent Emily Andrews, Kate revealed Louis “loves smelling the flowers” and being out in the garden.
Of course, her children’s love of nature should come as no surprise to her fans. Back in May, Kensington Palace revealed the trio helped their mom gather moss, leaves and twigs to help decorate the Back to Nature garden in Chelsea.
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Kate wore Emilia Wickstead’s Aurora dress to the big event. The belted, seersucker dress featured a floral print and Swiss-dot pattern and cost $2,255.00.
However, she wasn’t the only famous figure in attendance. The Great British Bake Off‘s Mary Berry, who is an RHS, ambassador was also there to show her support.
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