Trudie Willis had a life-long love of butterflies. Her mother collected swallowtail caterpillars from along the Norfolk Broads to sell for a penny each at Norwich Market. As a child, Trudie was enthralled by the unique features and individual charact

Plantswoman and textile artist Jane-Ann Walton has gardened at Old Hall Farmhouse in the village of Swanton Novers, Norfolk, for the past quarter of a century, but she has been enthralled by plants and the outdoors since childhood. Homeschooled for m

When it comes to propagating hydrangeas, one person knows more about the subject than most, and that’s Maurice Foster. Holder of a Victoria Medal of Honour, member of the RHS Woody Plant Committee and trustee of the Tree Register, he first worked wit

Earlier this year, the winners of the 2024 Society of Garden Designers Awards were announced. Among the varied gardens scooping one of these coveted accolades were plenty of plots that were filled with truly inspirational planting. Here we delve into

No Mow May is something of a Marmite topic for gardeners. While it’s easy for all of us to applaud local authorities leaving swathes of roadside verges and larger parks to become floriferous havens for wildlife, it’s a bit different when it comes to

At first glance, the splendid garden at Daglingworth House in Gloucestershire appears classically English. After all, there are many characteristic elements: fine parkland trees, including a red oak and a copper beech; a walled garden with a rose per

View thousands of superb contemporary artworks from over 100 galleries at the Affordable Art Fair, which will be held on London’s Hampstead Heath. Prices will range from £50 to £7,000 and cover a gamut of styles and media. Among the artists present w

The landscape designer on the structure and meaning behind her Chelsea debut garden, a space that supports the survivors of stroke My earliest memories are of hiding in the greenhouse as a kid. I’d sit amid the greenery and smell the tomatoes and cuc

Late-spring sun shines on the Victorian walled garden at Tresillian in May, enhancing the protective microclimate that’s so valuable for growing flowers, fruit and vegetables. Wallflowers, forget-me-nots and lupins bloom in cheerful profusion. Clemat

Often described as being at ‘the edge of the world’, East Prawle is a small coastal village in south Devon with a scattering of houses and farms, a duck pond and a village green. There is also a well-known pub, The Pigs Nose Inn, that is the heart of

It is interesting how a lifelong fascination with plants and gardens can be initiated by subtle early influences; among mine I’m sure were the children’s novels written by Cambridgeshire author Lucy Boston, of which The Children of Green Knowe is bes

Used as an eye-catching centrepiece, a subtle link between two shades in a herbaceous border or a critical element in a cut-flower arrangement, acid-green plants are invaluable. Claire Greenslade, head gardener at Hestercombe Gardens in Somerset, rev

Before one Chelsea Flower Show is over, plans are already being made for the next one, as designers submit their gardens to the Royal Horticultural Society hoping for approval, partners and sponsors are sought, and statement features and plants are c

To some they look like orchids, to others they resemble iris. But whatever they remind you of, the captivating flowers of roscoea are likely to stop you in your tracks. Their exotic beauty is also likely to mislead you into thinking that they are cha

Raised in New York, Coralie worked at Wave Hill Garden in the Bronx before joining the team at Great Dixter House & Gardens in 2016, first as a scholar and now as assistant head gardener Pelargonium ‘Frank Headley’ is one of my desert-island plants.

May-flowering lily-of-the-valley is one of the most delightful plants for dappled shade in moist but well-drained soil. Broad strappy leaves emerge first, and tucked among them are those delicate stalks of bell-shaped, sweetly fragrant flowers. They’

As is so often the case when you rediscover what you had once put aside, it took a dramatic change of routine to bring Sussex-based paper artist Dona Crisfield back to art and making, her first creative passions. Born into a creative family – her gra

Chelsea, the world’s most prestigious flower show, presents us with the perfect sartorial opportunity. From wide-brim sunhats to elegant floral dresses, as well as essentials like sun cream, portable chargers and smart footwear, this curated selectio

Steeped in history, the Alswick Hall Estate near Buntingford in Hertfordshire was mentioned in the 11th-century Domesday Book, and its 16th-century property was said to have been visited by Queen Elizabeth I. Since then, it has passed through generat

Occasionally, you come across a garden whose custodians are so attuned to its rhythms that it feels like an actual dialogue is taking place between the gardeners and the land under their stewardship. Highlands, a truly glorious eight-acre site set on

Sometimes, even the most sensitive nature-lover needs a little help to properly grasp what is changing and growing around them. The Japanese have an ancient way of commemorating each tiny seasonal shift, dividing the calendar into 72 poetic micro-sea

‘Unexpected red’ has been a popular theme in online interiors feeds recently and it also translates to gardens. A judicious splash of red can bring planting schemes – or indeed broader garden views – to life. One shade to consider is Blomster No. JB0

In the walled garden at Wormsley, the Getty family estate in Buckinghamshire, head gardener Charlotte Tremlin grows brilliant beds of flowers for cutting. These are used for indoor arrangements and large events – not least the hospitality tables at c

Sue Martin’s quarter-of-an-acre cottage garden at her nursery in Kent has been home to her Plant Heritage collection of geums – more than one hundred different cultivars and varieties – since 2006. “I was first attracted by their clear colours and va

Over the past few years, I’ve been experimenting with growing a range of edible ornamental flowers (also known as edimentals) in my small London garden. With no space for a vegetable plot, this has satisfied my need to marry two vital life forces: gr

Unlike occasionally strident orange, yellow or red, blue flowers seldom come in for criticism. Slotting into most colour schemes, they can lift and contrast with surrounding hues, while a strong blue flower can easily hold its own in a crowd. At The