The Duchess of Cambridge paid a visit to the Hampton Court Garden Festival on Monday to see a garden project inspired by her children.

Kate Middleton revealed prince’s George and Louis, as well as Princess Charlotte, helped to provide some of the inspiration for her new garden - and much needed pinecones for a treasure hunt.

When Kate visited her’ Back to Nature garden’ at the Royal Horticultural Society event, she could not hide her delight as she took young children associated with her charities on a tour.

Prince George's request for some steppingstones over a mini pool fed by a waterfall proved a hit with the youngsters, while Princess Charlotte helped her mum collect pinecones used for a treasure hunt.

At one point, Kate confided in a shy Khareesha James, eight, taking her into a fabric-covered den in the garden for a private chat - and told her she likes to hide in them when she is feeling shy.

Speaking afterwards, Khareesha said: "I am shy, and she said that's where she goes when she's shy - in the tent."

Kate designed the green space with landscape architects Andree Davies and Adam White, and the trio went beyond their recent Chelsea Flower Show garden they created together.

Their latest effort was bigger featuring a hill, bee-friendly meadow with tall grasses and flowers children could hide in, and the mini pool where youngsters could paddle.

After her garden tours with the children, Kate told Jake Catling, director of the Landscaping Consultants - a bespoke garden construction business which built the garden: "I loved it. So many of them loved hopping over the stone and that's so nice to see."

Mr Catling said after speaking to the duchess: "This was just a field and we brought in 18 articulated lorries worth of stuff in and we had a team of up to 20 people to build it."

The duchess has a longstanding interest in the early year’s development of children and believes spending time outdoors plays a pivotal role in the future health and happiness of youngsters.

Kate first guided youngsters from local Hampton Hill Junior School supported by Place2Be, a children's mental health charity, around her garden on an insect hunt, then took a group of children from Anna Freud Centre, Evelina Children's Hospital and Action for Children for a tour.