The Duchess in Sandro Paris for 'Back to Nature' Hampton Court Visit!

The Duchess of Cambridge visited her RHS 'Back to Nature' garden at its new home, Hampton Court Garden Festival, this afternoon.

Following its success at the Chelsea Flower Show, the garden was transferred to RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival.

The garden retains its original elements, with a number of additions to accommodate the significantly larger display.

It now includes a bee-friendly meadow, a new pond for children to paddle in, and a hill. The updated design is the result of a collaboration between the Duchess and landscape architects Davies White.

Craftsmen from The Prince's Foundation Jonny Briggs and Jonny Anderson created the waterfall and wooden walkway. Charles' foundation is very much focused on communities, sustainable housing, traditional arts and skills and education.

The Royal School of Needlework created the den's camo net from compostable materials.

The Telegraph reports Kate visited last Tuesday to help with planting:

Kate told Jake Catling, director of the Landscaping Consultants - a bespoke garden construction business which built the garden: "I loved it. So many of them loved hopping over the stone and that's so nice to see." Mr Catling said after speaking to the duchess: "This was just a field and we brought in 18 articulated lorries worth of stuff in and we had a team of up to 20 people to build it."

He added that Kate had requested the path across the water feature for George: "We made the stepping stones because Prince George wanted them. The kids loved jumping across it and it was down to Kate we got that in."

The Duchess visited the site near Kingston in south-west London last Tuesday to help with the planting, and Mr Catling said she had been a useful member of the team. He said: "She was very hands on, it was fantastic. She came and did lots of planting and directing everyone around and got involved in the mulching."

Kensington Palace said: "As part of her longstanding work on Early Years, The Duchess believes that spending time outdoors plays a pivotal role in children’s future health and happiness. Her garden highlights how time spent in natural environments can help build the foundations for positive physical and mental wellbeing that last through childhood and over a lifetime. Features like the hollow log and rustic dens will return from Chelsea, in addition to a new hidden burrow, rolling hill and stream. These environments enable children to develop skills for life through free play, building their confidence, strength, resilience and social skills. In addition to the physical and mental health benefits of being in nature, spending quality time with parents and carers outside has a valuable impact on children’s early development. In the garden, families can explore together and enjoy nature as a playground. There is a pond to paddle in, a bug hotel that provides habitats for all sorts of wildlife, as well as a bee-friendly wildflower meadow."

More from the RHS:

'Sue Biggs, RHS Director General, says: “It’s wonderful this collaboration with HRH The Duchess of Cambridge continues and carries on inspiring families to get together and enjoy the great outdoors and get back to nature!

“The impact of the RHS Back to Nature Garden at Chelsea resulted in a record month for RHS Membership, with over 12,000 people joining us in May to support our charitable work and get outside gardening. This is incredibly positive and shows how powerful this collaboration is, really motivating people to garden, grow and access outside space and nature, which is good for their health and also for the environment and for wildlife.

“RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival has a much more laid back feeling than RHS Chelsea and two children up to age 16 can visit free per paying adult, so we hope lots of families will come and join in the fun, be inspired and then go home and garden together.”

In addition to the 19,500 people who saw the garden, thousands more families will have the opportunity to visit 'Back to Nature. The festival is the world's largest annual flower show, stretching over 34 acres.

The show began in 1990, and has gone from strength to strength since. Loved by horticulturists and families alike, it takes eighteen months to plan each show and two hundred people to build and dismantle it. An average of 140,000 visitors descend each year and spend an average of five hours exploring.

Today is the preview day for Hampton Court Garden Festival.

To mark the occasion, the Duchess hosted a picnic in the garden for children from several of her patronages including Place2Be, the Anna Freud Centre, Evelina Children’s Hospital and Action for Children. Families. Carers and teachers were also invited to enjoy the garden and demonstrate the importance of their role in raising a child.

Nine-year-old Kane from Place2Be said: "It was beautiful. It was very creative. I chatted to the Princess Kate about making smores on a campfire. Kate said there were foxes in the garden which had left half eaten sandwiches." Ruby 10, added: "I thought it was a dream - can't believe I'm really here!"

Kate gave one little girl a helping hand as she navigated the rocks.

This little one really caught Kate's attention :)

Olivia, Henry and Riley from Action for Children’s services loved exploring the garden and dens.

Kate joined the children for a treasure hunt.

A fantastic time was had hunting for insects.

The Duchess with Millie and Miracle from Evelina London.

In a letter to experts revealed in May, the Duchess wrote: "In recent years I have focused much of my work on the early years, and how instrumental they are for outcomes later in life. I believe that spending time outdoors when we are young can play a role in laying the foundations for children to become happy, healthy adults. There are undoubtedly challenges in trying to bring about the transformation that will make positive change for generations to come, and help break the inter-generational cycle of disadvantage and trauma, yet I am inspired every day by the people I meet and am committed to supporting this endeavour. I hope my long-term commitment to working in the early years will help make a difference over a generational timescale."

The Duchess spoke to a little girl about feeling shy. More from Hello! magazine.

'Kate, 37, spotted that Khareesha James, eight, was feeling shy as they visited her RHS Back to Nature Garden and took the schoolgirl into one a fabric-covered den for a private chat and told she likes to hide in them when she is feeling shy.

Speaking afterwards Khareesha said: “I am shy and she said that’s where she goes when she’s shy – in the tent. Her mum Sophia Dowd told HELLO!: “Khareesha is very shy – she doesn’t talk too much to people – and she (Kate) took her over to speak to her. She was really nice with her.” Asked if the moment had helped her to feel better, Khareesha nodded yes.

Khareesha later showed her appreciation for the royal pep talk by presenting Kate with a potted succulent she had decorated with stickers during an activity session at the garden.

Kate also met Millie Allingham, eight, and her mum Nicky, who recently donated a kidney to her daughter at the hospital (sorry, didn’t ask when). Millie said: “I asked her what they (George and Charlotte) like in the garden and she said the waterfall. She (Kate) liked the waterfall and I liked it too. It was shimmering in the glowing light.”

Kate thanked the fantastic team involved in the creation of the garden.

Following the 'Back to Nature' installation at Hampton Court, it will move to its final destination - to form part of a new children's garden at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey. Many of the plants, trees, hollow logs, dens and the treehouse will become a permanent feature of the garden. We can expect to see Kate visit the garden there, where she will meet the winner of the Blue Peter competition launched earlier this month, asking children to create a sculpture for the garden.

It's been quiet a collaboration and process. It's excellent to see 'Back to Nature' being enjoyed by so many; Hampton Court is a much more family friendly location and many more children will have the chance to experience it.

I'm sure they'll love it just as much as George, Charlotte and Louis did!

Speaking of the Cambridge family visit to RHS Chelsea, Kate chose the same wedges and earrings for her engagement today. Middleton Maven notes the & Other Stories Ruffled Maxi Dress Kate wore for that appearance is available in all sizes on their US website.

A video packed with sweet moments.

The Duchess selected a geometric print dress by Sandro Paris today.

The £260 Printed Flowing Midi Dress is described: "This Sandro dress elevates a classic ladylike silhouette with contemporary prints and unexpected detailing. Falling to an elegant midi length, it features short sleeves and decorative buttons at the bottom of the neckline extending into a defined waist with delicate pleats." The dress is on sale at Harrods.

Sandro Paris was launched in 1984 by husband and wife duo Didier and Evelyne Chétrite. Inspired by her childhood in Morocco and her studies in Paris, Evelyne designs the women's collections. She focused on Parisian elegance, energetic prints and naturally cool pieces. Kate's sister Pippa has been an avid fan of the brand for years. The green geo print of Kate's dress features widely in the current collection. Below, the Short Printed Silk Dress and the Patchwork Printed Long Dress.

As noted above, Kate wore her Castaner Carina wedges.

And £8 Accessorize Polly Petal Drop earrings.

William and Kate will attend Archie's Windsor christening on Saturday. Wimbledon gets underway today, so I expect we'll see the Duchess at the tournament on at least a couple of occasions over the fortnight of tennis.