A riot of colours and textures – and alive with butterflies, birdsong and the buzzing of insects – the County Wicklow garden of Irish artist TJ Maher is unconventional, informal and a testament to his passion and respect for nature
For garden designer Alison Jenkins, our green spaces should be beautiful, fruitful and sustainable, and her Somerset smallholding is the perfect example, with abundant beds of vegetables, herbs and edible flowers.
A beautiful new book investigates the rise in green spaces that forgo formality
King Charles's first Welsh home, adapted from a former model farm in Carmarthenshire, bears witness to his philosophy of sustainable building, with a structure traditionally made from existing and locally sourced materials, an ecologically sound heating system, and elegant interiors that harmonise perfectly with the architecture
A food forest can take up half a lifestyle block or be as small as an urban backyard, but the combination of fruit trees, berries, vines and vegetables – and in some cases animals – can create a resilient, self-sufficient garden that will feed you and your family all year-round. When you arrive at the Koanga Institute, hidden in a remote valley an hour’s drive south-west of Gisborne, it’s a wild-looking place. The beds where the Institute’s precious heritage seeds are grown is easily identifiable as a ‘normal’ garden with plants in neat rows, the corn standing in groups, the
Another of Penshurst's splendours is the 11-acre formal walled garden, with records dating back to 1346. One of the oldest gardens in private ownership, it remains much as it was when constructed by Sir Henry Sidney in the Elizabethan era. Central to his ambitious project was the creation of the acclaimed Italian Garden, which involved shifting thousands of tons of earth and building an ingenious system of walls and terraces. After this era of activity and abundance, there followed a period of neglect when lack of funds meant the garden slipped into decline. On inheriting the house in 1851, the 2nd Lord De L'Isle and Dudley set about restoring the formality of his ancestor's garden. He planted a mile of yew hedge, dividing the garden and orchards into a series of small self-contained garden rooms, each with its own style and character. A further period of decay during the Second World War paved the way for the 1st Viscount De L'Isle, VC KG, to revive and develop the garden rooms further, using some of the leading British designers of the time. Today, the gardens at Penshurst Place offer an abundance of variety in form, foliage and bloom throughout the year. From spring flowering bulbs, through fragrant summer roses and exuberant herbaceous borders to mellow orchard fruits. The garden culminates in a vivid blaze of autumnal colour before the winter starkness reveals its original shape and structure. I think the Peonie border is the longest in the UK! For further information please visit www.penshurstplace.com/
This historic eighteenth-century house enters a new chapter as a family home with careful restoration and renovation, sympathetic interiors by Hugh Henry and gardens that open out to the surrounding woods, streams and coast beyond.
Composite decking is popular but we decided to use Yellow Balau, a hardwood similar to cedar, for creating our beautiful deck. Step-by-step guide to hardwood decks.
O’Henry peaches are vigorous, heavy-bearing fruit trees considered an excellent choice for the home orchard. If you are considering growing O’Henry peaches, you’ll want to find out where these peach t
Spatchcocked chicken with chilli, garlic, parsley and almond pangrattato from Diana Henry's new book, How to Eat a Peach
Our stunning cottage garden ideas are perfect for designing a backyard that's full of flowers and romantic charm
Growing Primula auricula is a passion for us here at Swallowfield’s Nursery. With their jewel-like colours, captivating markings, and enchanting scent they are quick to bewitch and beguile.
A beautiful new book investigates the rise in green spaces that forgo formality
The wisteria at Petworth's private garden is simply astonishing. Non Morris takes a look at how it's done.
