Magic Garden, Hampton Court Palace, London 

Celebrities aren’t usually brought in to open a new playground are they? When that certain high profile figure is none other than the Duchess of Cambridge, it has got to be something special, hasn’t it? Well, in March 2016, Kate unveiled a Magic Garden in not just any location. It sits in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace, the former residence of the formidable Tudor monarch, King Henry VIII.

I had heard a fair bit of buzz surrounding the Palace’s Magic Garden from friends so with the hot autumn weather continuing, we decided to make the most of the sun to check out the outdoor playground.

Buying tickets

You have to buy a ticket for Hampton Court Palace to gain access to the Magic Garden and it’s advised to buy your ticket online in advance.

We went to the main ticket office to get ours but later discovered you can buy the tickets at the entrance to the Magic Garden (which is a lot easier). The garden is behind the car park, past the rose garden (it is well signposted).

The Magic Garden has limited capacity. As we went on a Saturday we were given a wrist-band allowing us in for around 90 minutes.

The Magic Garden

Before we entered the garden, we could spy a turret poking over the wall and a long, curved silver slide which did not escape our daughter’s eyes. She hurried along, excited to see what lay on the other side.

As we entered, my first thought was that it was smaller than I thought it would be but the magic of the Magic Garden lies in the intricacies within the design by landscape architect, Robert Myers. He took inspiration from the myths and legends surrounding Tudor Court.

Straight away my daughter ran off to locate the slide. I went to feed our youngest while daddy supervised the slide action.

There is an area to park up your buggies by the entrance and a staff member on hand to help. There are toilets and a separate baby change (which I swiftly needed to find after an explosive eruption).

An area of fake grass sits in the centre of the play elements with a sloping verge which is where we had a little picnic.

Imaginative play

A long bridge in the style of a fortress runs across a good quarter of the garden where children can dash among the turrets. It is a great space for them to let their imaginations flow. Maybe today they are a knight, a warrior, an adventurer or (knowing my daughter) a fairy or princess.

At the end there is a helter skelter style slide which was used by my daughter again and again and again.

The two colourful ‘Royal Towers’ are topped with King and Queen ‘crowns’. They don’t have any slides, just mirrors on the outside and stairs which you can climb to get a brilliant view of the Magic Garden below.

I went in the red one with my daughter and there was a red padded seat inside where you could feel very regal indeed – or just take selfies!

Look above you and there is a window where you get a stunning view of the top of the tower.

There’s plenty of opportunity for children to try out their climbing skills at the Magic Garden as they climb up to the aerial walkway.

Then there is the glistening ‘Crown’ feature. Reaching the top without using the steps but climbing up the grass verge was a challenge my daughter just couldn’t resist. Once at the top they can look across the garden and use the slide hidden inside the mound. I didn’t get a good look at the top and all I could hear was the sound of children’s voices echoing down the metal slide until they eventually came whizzing down to the bottom.

Water play

One of the popular attractions on this particularly warm day was a large sand area with a river running through it. Scattered around it are colourful circus type small tents. In the centre there is water pump which children flocked to try out. After a few minutes of play, I realised I had made an error by not bringing a spare pair of clothes for Mrs T. A towel and swimsuit would also come in handy. We took home a rather soggy four year old.

Another centrepiece is a 25ft dragon guarding the Magic Garden which children clamber on with great excitement while dotted around the playground are other mythical beasts to discover.

Next to the dragon there’s a seating area and a little cafe selling tea, coffee, snacks and ice cream! It was with this that we persuaded our daughter to leave the playground. That and the fact our 90 minutes in the garden were almost up. Before leaving though, Mrs T insisted on having her photo taken on one of the thrones by the entrance and exit.

Verdict

The Magic Garden is not just a play area but somewhere to inspire children and initiate imaginative play. Although I was perhaps expecting something even grander (I’m not exactly sure what), Mrs T absolutely loved it, the experience no doubt topped off by ice cream at the end. Although the playground is geared at ages 2-13, I don’t think it offers loads for older children. I think ages up to 7 years old would benefit the most. I like that they have limited capacity too so there is the space and freedom to run around without bumping into lots of other children. Mrs T was sufficiently exhausted as we left and there was no time or energy left to do the maze. At the moment there is not a lot of shaded areas so take sun cream and hats if it is a hot day.

Getting there

Hampton Court Palace is on the A308. From the M25 take either exit 10 on to the A307 or exit 12 on to the A308. The nearest train station is Hampton Court which is 35 minutes from London Waterloo. There is a ticketed carpark with limited parking at the Palace. There is also a carpark by the station. The post code for the Palace is KT8 9AU.

How much does it cost to visit the magic garden and Hampton Court?

Tickets will give you access to look around Hampton Court Palace and its gardens, including the maze and Magic Garden

Children under 0-4 years old are free
Under 5 -18 – (off peak) £13.60/£15 (peak)
Adults – (off peak) £27.20/£30 (peak)

Gardens open daily 10am to 6pm during the summer. Entry is based on first-come, first-served and queuing at busy times is likely.

If you are going to use the facility more than once, it is worth buying a membership for an annual pass to the Palace which also includes entrance to the Magic Garden and maze. Prices start at £55.

Dogs are not permitted in the gardens, unless trained assistance dogs.

• Peak visits: weekends, events and the August bank holiday.
• Off peak: weekdays and bank holidays (excluding August bank holiday)

Planning on staying near Hampton Court? Here’s some hotel and accommodation options close by.

Check out my London section for other things to do in London with kids.

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