Head gardener named for Elizabeth II park memorial

The Royal Parks is turning a disused plant nursery into a biodiverse garden

A head gardener has been appointed to oversee the creation of a new garden to commemorate the life of Elizabeth II in central London.

Horticulturist Fiona Packe has been appointed by the Royal Parks - the charity responsible for running eight London parks - to lead the Regent's Park project, which is due to open in spring 2026.

Ms Packe said she was "thrilled" to be in charge of the establishment and maintenance of the new garden, which the charity said had been "designed with biodiversity, climate resilience, and sustainability at its heart".

She said: "It's a rare opportunity to be part of a garden from the very first plantings through to maturity."

Fiona Packe will oversee a team of gardeners and volunteers

Ms Packe added: "This space will be a beacon for the future of horticulture, showing that we can create stunning, climate-resilient green spaces from former brownfield sites, while inspiring and educating visitors on how to build biodiversity into their own gardens."

Some of the plant species will be native to Commonwealth countries, selected for their beauty and ability to thrive in a changing climate.

The garden is in addition to the UK national memorial to Elizabeth II, which will be in St James's Park, close to Buckingham Palace.

The late queen became patron of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in 1952, the year she acceded to the throne, and attended the RHS Chelsea Flower Show regularly during her 70-year reign.

Elizabeth II visited the Chelsea Flower Show often, including in 2019

Nick Biddle, Regent's Park manager, said he was "delighted to welcome Fiona as head gardener".

He said: "Her breadth of experience, creative vision and passion for sustainable horticulture make her the ideal person to help bring this once-in-a-generation project to life.

"This garden will not only commemorate the life of Queen Elizabeth II, but also demonstrate innovative approaches to gardening that meet the challenges of our changing climate."