Former The Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry has opened up about the touching reason why her garden holds more significance to her than most. An enthusiast of growing much of what she consumes, the chef expressed that she also embraces her outdoor space to remember her late son William.

Mary and her husband Paul Hunnings tragically lost their son in a car crash in 1989 when he was just 19 years old. Reflecting on his heartbreaking death, she stated: "When we lost William, we were very much in the garden, planning, planting and lovely friends gave us plants, which I brought with me in memory, and I still look at them and think of the happy times we had with him."

The television star revealed she's also created a flower bed in honour of her son, which features a white Christmas rose.

"People gave us hellebores and I've made a hellebore bed and added to it," she continued, as reported by Great British Life.

"Just when you're going by, you remember. We've nothing but wonderful memories of William and it's nice to be reminded of him."

In her 2013 BBC documentary, The Mary Berry Story, the national icon discussed her personal sorrow over losing William so young.

Recounting the weekend she was informed of his death, she said: "It was a glorious January day and it was sort of 1 o'clock and he wasn't home. The doorbell rang and there was a policeman there, and immediately then I knew why.

"And he said, 'There's been an accident and I'm sorry to say your son is dead'." She further described the moment she saw him: "He just looked so beautiful and so lovely, his little cold face and it was nice to say farewell."

More recently, Mary talked about William's death during her 90th birthday celebrations last year.

Speaking to Vogue Magazine, she expressed: "It's absolutely amazing in my 90th year to think that William died all that time ago. If he walked in that door over there, I would say, 'Where have you been?' It wouldn't surprise me at all'.

"You know we were so lucky to have him," she went on. The chef attributes "the great outdoors" and keeping busy as two methods she's used to manage her grief.

Moreover, she stated she is "very fortunate" to have two other children, Thomas and Annabel, and five grandchildren who bring happiness to her and her husband's lives.

Meanwhile, The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer returns to our screens tonight with a brand new series.

In a special featuring returning comedians, reigning star baker Joe Wilkinson, Roisin Conaty, Rose Matafeo, Judi Love, Tom Davis and Jon Richardson enter the tent hoping to impress judges Paul Hollywood and Cherish Finden.

The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer airs tonight at 7.40pm on Channel 4.