Flanders Fields Memorial Garden facts for kids
The Flanders Fields Memorial Garden is a special place in Central London, England. It honors everyone who took part in World War I. You can find it next to the Guards Chapel at Wellington Barracks.
This garden was officially opened on November 6, 2014. Queen Elizabeth II from the UK and King Philippe from Belgium were there. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Prince William also attended. Soldiers from the Household Division were present too.
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Garden Design and Meaning
A Belgian architect named Piet Blanckaert designed this garden. It has many special features.
Circular Grass Bed
At the heart of the garden is a round grass area. This area holds soil that was gathered from Flanders in Belgium. Flanders was where many important battles happened during World War I. Trees from Flanders also grow in the garden.
Words from the famous poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae are written on the grass bed. This poem is well-known for remembering the war.
Special Stone Bench
You can also find a stone bench in the garden. It is made from a special blue stone from Flanders. Andrew Wallis, who looks after the garden, said its design was "full of meaningful features." He also called it a "wonderful fusion of Belgo-Anglo craftsmanship." This means it combines Belgian and British artistic skill.
Journey of the Soil
The soil in the garden has a very interesting story. It was collected from 70 war cemeteries and battlefields in Flanders. Children helped gather this soil in special remembrance ceremonies.
Collecting the Soil
In 2013, on Armistice Day, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Laurent of Belgium were at a ceremony in Ypres. They watched as sandbags of soil were prepared for the memorial.
Transporting the Soil
Belgian and British schoolchildren, along with soldiers, helped load the soil. They placed it onto a gun carriage belonging to the King’s Troop.
From Belgium, the soil traveled by sea. The Belgian Navy's frigate, the Louisa Marie (F931), carried it. On November 29, 2013, the soil was given to the British Army next to HMS Belfast. The sandbags then traveled through London on the original gun carriage to the memorial garden.
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