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King Charles reveals 'chaos' at home he's passed on to Prince William

The King has shared a tour of Highgrove Gardens in a new documentary

king charles highgrove garden
Chloe Best
Lifestyle Features Editor
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King Charles III has shared a tour of his beloved Highgrove gardens in a new TV show set to air on Friday.

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The King agreed to show locally-based poet Pam Ayres around his famous gardens for her Channel 5 series about the Cotswolds, The Cotswolds & Beyond with Pam Ayres, and admitted he had no "masterplan" for designing the outdoor space when he first bought the home in 1980.

WATCH: King Charles praises the positive benefits of gardening

Speaking before his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died in September, the then Prince Charles revealed the "order and chaos" he faces while maintaining the garden, including the famous thyme walk which is one of the first things he created when he moved to Highgrove and is a major attraction for the visitors who come to see his garden every year.

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Charles revealed that the thyme has had to be supplemented with marjoram and other plants because rabbits keep eating the herbs. "It's quite intriguing what pops up, it's a combination of order and chaos."

The King also spoke about the importance of having natural wildflower meadows to help insects and birds to flourish, and revealed that at one time he would personally count and record the orchids by hand, but now there are too many.

Highgrove exterior© Photo: Rex

King Charles said he didn't have a masterplan when designing the Highgrove gardens

Highgrove was bought by the Duchy of Cornwall, so has now been inherited by Charles' eldest son, Prince William, following his accession to the throne.

While the changes mean that the new Prince of Wales is effectively his father's landlord, it is expected that the King will continue to stay there and Highgrove won't be inhabited by Prince William and Princess Kate or their children.

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The Highgrove House Instagram account recently released some autumnal photographs of the residence's luscious gardens – and it looks as beautiful as ever.

9 Highgrove driveway

The former Prince of Wales used to count and record the orchids

Boasting a baby pink gate framed by red brick walls, cascading green foliage and stone pathways, the garden looks as if it belongs in a fairytale.

Another image depicted the grand house framed by trees, whose fallen orange leaves romantically coated the expansive grounds. Perfectly trimmed hedges added to the mystique of the aesthetic outdoor space.

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