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Although there is an admission
fee to view Hampton Court Palace itself, the 550 acres of
deer-inhabited parkland and formal gardens can be visited
free of charge.
Cardinal Wolsey's palace is set
in formal gardens from different periods, from Tudor onwards. The
main inspiration for the gardens as seen now comes from the
time of William and Mary.
Sir Christopher Wren designed
a Baroque landscape for the king and queen, with avenues of
limes and lakes. A highlight of the gardens is the Pond
Garden, a sunken water garden that was part of Henry VIII's
designs.
The Fountain Garden has a formal
pattern of yews, some dating from the reign of William and
Mary, and from here the Broad Walk runs across Home Park.
Long Water, a man-made lake, runs parallel to the Thames.
There is also a Victorian garden
and the famous Maze, admission charge for the maze.
The gardens have The Great Vine,
the oldest and largest grapevine in the world, thought to
have been planted in 1768 by 'Capability' Brown. It
still produces about 600 pounds of black grapes each year,
which are sold to visitors.
Admission free
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