Great Outdoors
Technology for long summer nights
The combination of long nights and nice weather means it’s time to head outdoors – and technology can help make the outdoors even greater and the light nights even brighter. […]
Heleniums – My Favourite Plant by Martin Blow
The great garden writer Christopher Lloyd, when asked what his favourite flower was, replied, “the one I’m looking at now”. It’s that way with me with heleniums; all are beautiful in their own right, all are equally easy to grow and all do a great job in the border, be it a 15-inch (38cm) edger to a 6-footer (180cm) at the back. […]
Seventies Chic by Katherine Sorrell
Get your groove on – it’s back to the Seventies! But this time around orange pine and avocado bathrooms are banned, in favour of good-looking furnishings, bold patterns and cool accessories. […]
Rattan Revival by Katherine Sorrell
Lightweight yet strong and durable, rattan is a versatile material that can be used indoors and out for a variety of furnishings, adding pretty natural texture and a charmingly retro vibe. […]
Fabulous Front Gardens – Why and How (Part 2) by Nicki Jackson
The two key elements to unlocking the potential benefits of front gardens that I wrote about in my last article are permeable surfaces and planting, but as with any garden design project, there are still a lot of choices available to you along the route from plan to completion, that allows for such considerations as lifestyle, budget, functionality and taste. Generally speaking though, there are some tried and tested design techniques that will help anyone achieve that ‘fabulous frontage’ goal, so here, in no particular order, are our top tips… […]
Don’t Be An April (or May) Fool
Beware the tech scams trying to trick you
Unlike April Fools’ Day, which ends at noon, online trickery goes on all day every day. Some fraud is easily spotted but others can be really convincing. […]
Fabulous Phlox by Martin Blow
Border Phlox are old fashioned plants with a bright new future as gardeners switch to perennials with great scent, hardy disposition and minimal care requirements. They can give years and years of service in the herbaceous or mixed border and provide a wonderful, scented summer display. […]
Spring Into Pattern by Katherine Sorrell
Sweetly pretty or boldly dramatic, pattern can transform any room.
From simple geometrics to the catwalk-inspired ‘matchy matchy’ look of all-over pattern, eye-catching patterns seem to be everywhere at the moment. […]
Concrete by Katherine Sorrell
If you love the tough luxe of the industrial look you’ll be crazy for concrete. Use it everywhere from floors, walls and worktops to tables and light fittings. […]
Fabulous Front Gardens – Why and How (Part 1) by Nicki Jackson
In all of the years we’ve been designing gardens we’re rarely asked to do anything with a front garden. We seem to think long and hard about what we want from our back gardens but rarely approach our front gardens with the same level of gusto – or indeed with any level of gusto to be fair – which is a shame. […]
