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Pond Gardens

Discover the sunken gardens created for Henry VIII and transformed by Mary II

Discover the sunken gardens created for Henry VIII and transformed by Mary II

The Pond Gardens are a highlight of the Hampton Court Gardens, especially in spring and summer when vibrant displays of tulips and summer planting fill the space.

These gardens were originally fish ponds made for Henry VIII. In the 1690s, Mary II transformed the Tudor pond yards into sunken gardens to display her rare and exotic plant collection.

In the summer, Mary displayed her citrus fruit trees here. In the winter, the plants were sheltered from the weather nearby in innovative heated glass cases made by the Dutch carpenter Hendrick Floris.

In the early 20th century, gardeners created the Dutch-style garden that you see today with its tiered paths, topiary hedges, statues and bedding.

The 18th-century lead statue of Venus in the garden was discovered in 1982 in 'Mrs Grundy's gallery' – a private room in the palace used by a prudish housekeeper to hide paintings and sculptures which she felt were unsuitable for the public!

When

Open


Ticketing information

Please check palace opening times and closures for the day of your visit.


Included in palace admission (members go free)

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The Pond Gardens at Hampton Court Palace, showing bright planting and baroque architecture under a clear blue sky.
A member of the Garden and Estates team working in the Pond Gardens.
The Pond Garden at Hampton Court Palace, showing green hedging in intricate patterns. The Little Banqueting House can be seen in the background under a blue sky

EXPLORE WHAT'S ON

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Privy Garden

Explore the Privy Garden, now restored to its former glory and complete with its intricate Tijou Screen.

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  • Included in palace admission (members go free)
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The Rose Garden

Discover an abundance of colour in the grounds of the historic Tudor buildings at Hampton Court Palace.

  • Open
  • Hampton Court Palace
  • Included in palace admission (members go free)
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Hampton Court Gardens

Take time to explore and relax in these world-renowned gardens and find our free entry Garden Open Days dates.

  • Open in line with palace opening hours
  • Hampton Court Palace
  • Included in palace admission (members go free)
Learn more

BROWSE MORE HISTORY AND STORIES

Anne of Cleves

‘I like her not.’ The wife rejected by Henry VIII

Catherine Howard

A young woman whose marriage to Henry VIII would end in tragedy

The Field of Cloth of Gold

Henry VIII's historic meeting with his great rival François I in 1520 was a defining point in his reign

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