HM King Charles III Garden Installation at Tedworth Park

To honour the Coronation of HM King Charles III which took place on Saturday, 6 May 2023, Aspire Defence have created the “King Charles III Garden” in Tedworth Park, as an environmental legacy of His Majesty’s commitment to sustainability.

Designed in the shape of the letter C, the garden features three specially selected trees; two Crimson King Acers and at the centre, a single Cypress, which as an evergreen will provide year-round interest.

In recognition of the King’s commitment and work in environmental sustainability, the garden has also been designed to support wildlife and enhance biodiversity. In addition to the hedging arc which defines the “C” shape of the garden, a selection of pollinator friendly plants, bulbs and wildflowers has been installed which will provide colour for much of the year.

The biodiverse planting will connect the garden to the woodland behind it, creating a vibrant backdrop that overlooks the Polo Grounds.

As part of Aspire Defence Services Limited’s habitat improvement strategy, the garden will be enhanced and expanded over the coming years to ensure that a legacy of environmental sustainability will always be associated with the King’s Coronation.

Unveiling the commemorative plaque at the garden, ADSL’s Managing Director, Mark Carr said,

“The aim of this garden is to create a legacy in honour of King Charles III’s environmental commitments to ensure a sustainable coronation. Aspire Defence is proud of the work we do supporting the MoD with sustainable initiatives. Whether it is in achieving ambitious carbon reduction targets or enhancing the natural environment through woodland plantings and installations such as this.”

Responsible for over 400 hectares of grounds and over 200 hectares of woodland across Aldershot and the Salisbury Plain garrisons, ADSL operates an award-winning habitat management plan, and in 2020 was presented with the Green Flag awards by Keep Britain Tidy for its work at the Aldershot Military Cemetery. The habitat management plan aims to balance the needs of operational garrisons with requirements to support wildlife and government objectives around biodiversity.

In the weeks leading up to and following the coronation of HM King Charles III, the Aspire Defence Team at Aldershot delivered a wide range of support services crucial to the successful delivery of the event. This included providing logistical support to parade and marching practices for up to 1,500 soldiers, as well as housing and feeding of 400 soldiers during the week around the coronation, with Sodexo providing 25,000 additional meals throughout the day and night.

Additional accommodation with temporary shower units and laundry services were provided at the Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre and Bell Pub, alongside 16 Portaloos and 11 additional waste bins. Various other associated services were also delivered by Hills Waste.

Meanwhile, more than 600 alterations of Army uniforms were made across PAC, with an additional 170 from Infantry personnel recently issued new uniforms, and thousands more amendments expected in the coming months as all the buttons and badges, numbering in their hundreds of thousands, will be replaced.