A watercolour of the Horticultural Gardens at South Kensington, looking north towards the conservatory that backed onto Kensington Gore. The view is taken from a terrace, with groups of figures and children looking over the balustrade.

Prince Albert became President of the Horticultural Society of London in 1858. His last public appearance before his premature death was to open the Horticultural Gardens on 5 June 1861, built by the Society on land leased from the commission responsible for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Queen Victoria visited the gardens on 22 February 1861, writing 'dear Albert has taken such immense pains in directing & laying out... The Colonnades are beautiful, the beds & "parterres" are already being laid out & when finished will be most charming, so enjoyable for summer & the colonnades practical in damp or wet weather' (Journal, 22 February 1861).

William Leighton Leitch was one of Queen Victoria's favourite watercolour artists and she commissioned many watercolours from him for her Souvenir Albums. He also taught the art of watercolour to the Queen and her children. He was paid 18 gns for this 'drawing of the Kensington Gardens of the exhibition' on 12 September 1861 (Royal Archives: WRA PP 2/54/2570; Z 276/254).