The Prince of Wales had an impromptu look around a home and planted a tree as he visited housing developments in the Duchy of Cornwall.
Charles also spoke to apprentice construction workers who were restoring a Victorian bridge on the Mildren Homes development in Fordington, Dorchester, Dorset.
Richard Kerslake was happy to show the Prince around the home he moved into in June last year and said afterwards: "He just wanted to have a look around."
Charles also planted a crab apple tree on the site's new allotments before heading to the nearby Poundbury development, the extension to Dorchester which he was instrumental in creating.
He met masonry students from Weymouth College at the Dorset Centre for the Creative Arts and was shown examples of their work.
Later, at the new workshop of glassblowing artists Notarianni Glass, Charles saw primary school children make impressions in sand to be filled with molten glass.
The ground for Poundbury was broken in 1993 and it has become known as an example of sustainable urban development, which is seen as putting the needs of people before cars.
Poundbury is expected to be fully completed by 2025 by which time it will have 2,200 homes.
It is already home to 2,500 people, providing employment for some 2,000 people and housing more than 170 businesses.