Much of the right-hand court is occupied by the privy garden created by Dudley for the queen. Now known as the Elizabethan Garden, it has recently been recreated on the basis of archaeological evidence and an account of the 1575 festivities by Robert Langham.

Like the queen, visitors approach through the keep’s forebuilding, which was remodelled in classical style for her 1575 visit. This gives onto a terrace with views of the garden below, as well as of the mere and chase to the north. The two arbours, one at each end of the terrace, described by Langham as ‘perfumed with sweet trees and flowers’, are now planted with scented plants (vines, honeysuckle, sweet musk rose).

The garden below is divided into quarters, with a pierced obelisk at the centre of each. Each quarter is subdivided into two knots, defined by low privet hedges, with intricate geometrical patterns of planting based on contemporary Flemish drawings. All the  flowering plants used are known to have been popular in Elizabeth’s day (carnations, pinks, stocks, wallflowers) and the focal points of the knots are small trees and shrubs (bay, holly, juniper, viburnum, rose).

At the centre of the garden is a spectacular fountain in Carrara marble, created on the basis of Langham’s description. The faces of the octagonal basin are carved with scenes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

On the northernmost side of the garden is an aviary, again constructed after Langham’s description, and now home to domesticated birds.