The king with the green thumb! Now Charles is given permission to build a new greenhouse on the Highgrove estate, which will increase his country home’s growing capacity by a third

King Charles has been given permission to build a new greenhouse that will increase the growing capacity of his 18th-century Cotswolds estate by a third.

Plans for the greenhouse at Highgrove House will allow more people to visit the facility to learn more about horticulture.

As well as three cold frames, this also means more young plants can be grown at the villa near Tetbury in Gloucestershire.

The garden in which the cold frames are planned has been used for greenhouses since 1800.

Highgrove is the country estate of Charles and Queen Camilla and the monarch has long been interested in sustainable farming practices.

King Charles has been given permission to build a new greenhouse on his Highgrove estate

Plans for the greenhouse at Highgrove House include giving more people the opportunity to learn about horticulture (pictured: a recently donated greenhouse at Highgrove)

The new acreage will be used to support educational courses at Barley Court, the Prince’s Foundation education centre

The new acreage will be used to support educational courses at Barley Court, the Prince’s Foundation education centre.

The King presented the plans to Cotswold County Council in May and they were approved last month.

Planning documents state: “This greenhouse will be a free-standing building within the existing service area for the gardens.”

“In addition to the existing greenhouses, this addition fits the context.”

“There will be no structural changes to the existing buildings on site.”

“Barley Court borders the site to the west. This has become part of the new residential institute.

“The proposed greenhouse will be used to support these educational courses.”

The 17th century Barley Court was purchased by the Duchy of Cornwall in 2007 with the intention of incorporating it into the Highgrove Estate to provide offices for the company that runs the Highgrove Shop on site.

In 2021, permission was granted for the conversion of Barley Court to serve the Traditional Crafts School run by the Prince’s Foundation on the southern boundary of the Highgrove Estate.

The greenhouse – which is located in the Cotswolds Area of ​​Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) – will be made of brick with lime mortar.

The planning documents continue: “This follows the materials used in the existing greenhouses and adjacent walled garden.”

“The land immediately east of the site has been used for greenhouses since the 19th century.”

The applicants, from the Duchy of Cornwall, said the height of the buildings would be kept low so as not to interfere with views of the royal estate.

Highgrove was built in the late 18th century but was rebuilt in 1894 after severe fire damage.

Approving the application, Robert Weaver, chief executive of Cotswold District Council, said: “After considering the criteria set out in Schedule 3, the local planning authority concludes that due to its nature, size and location it will not have a significant impact on the environment. “

A general view of the gardens at Highgrove House in June 2013. The gardens have been transformed by the King over the last four decades and now attract 30,000 visitors a year

Prince Charles tends to his herb garden at Highgrove in 1986. The king has long spoken of his love for nature and the need to care for the environment

The then prince enjoys his wild garden and the spring daffodils on his estate in April 2022. There are many rare trees and flowers in the gardens today

Highgrove House is a nine-bedroom, six-bathroom mansion and was once the home of Maurice Macmillan, son of former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. It features beautiful interiors by the late decorator Robert Kime.

Over the last four decades, King Charles, with the help of respected gardeners such as Rosemary Verey and Miriam Rothschild, has transformed the house’s gardens, turning them into an attraction in their own right.

The grounds contain a large number of rare trees, flowers and heirloom seeds, as well as a wild garden, a formal garden and a walled kitchen garden.

Another escape is the Woodland Garden, with two classic green oak temples and a stumpery – a garden feature similar to a rock garden, but made from parts of dead trees, especially tree stumps.

These gardens are so impressive that they now attract 30,000 visitors a year, with tours lasting just under two hours.