Cool conditions have set the scene for stupendous displays of crocosmia, hydrangea and phlox
Shopfronts, museums and even chemists’ doorways are surrendering to an invasion of faux flowers that defy the seasons. Will nothing be spared?
Escape to these island sanctuaries, from a composer’s paradise on Ischia to a Prussian folly
Sheets billowing in gardens and huge knickers strung from balconies slows us down, wrests us from screens — and is inspiring a generation of artists and makers
Over 40 years, Lesley Jenkins has continually reshaped this Shropshire landmark with her painter’s eye — and recent changes are particularly superb
The antithesis of the WFH Modernist box, these retreats are a return to the wonkily handmade, the lyrical and the eccentric
Cultivate them in a box kit and fry them up. But the real magic is in their sculptural, surreal and slightly creepy beauty
Despite a distinct lack of painted ladies and red admirals, the majestic butterfly plants are more popular than ever
In the second of a new series, the ‘Great British Sewing Bee’ judge tackles his overgrown grass, ditching his destructive strimmer for a traditional scythe
Ditch the deckchairs for stylish outdoor chaises, sofas and design classics
Dahlia Parc Floral de Paris is being hyped as the flower of the Games, but France has many others more deserving of glory
Two beehives, a communal veg patch and taking turns mowing the lawn — blurred party lines make for a surprisingly inspiring place to work
The country’s flora, from the Caucasus mountains to the shores of the Black Sea, is a gardener’s invitation to rethink the possible
Glitzy and azure is making way for a quiet, organic aesthetic: plant-fringed edges, silvery decking and lake-green linings melding into their settings
Look closely at the blooms in the medieval masterpiece the Wilton Diptych — they carry a significance far beyond mere decoration
Chan Siun-kuen left rural China in the slipstream of the revolution for a rapidly urbanising Hong Kong. His herb garden restores a connection to forgotten traditions and the healing power of plants
Beyond meadows, rewilding and land management, if we want to support biodiversity and wildlife, these plants must find a place in our gardens, too
The vermilion double-header is now blooming in its thousands in Paris’s parks. It’s a chic expression of the city’s commitment to urban greening
Think horizontally with ‘flathead’ flowers, which tango with spikes to create an artfully shaped garden
In the first of a new series, the designer and ‘Great British Sewing Bee’ judge enlists a pair of Oxford Sandy and Black pigs to clear his tangle of bramble
There are 100,000 varieties of this irrepressible plant, at their best now — and a doddle to grow
The winners of the inaugural Topiary Awards at RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival are a cut above
Self-propagating flowers need strict oversight but some gems come courtesy of the former president’s Irish golf course
The writer and celebrated gardener loves begonias, Botticelli’s Primavera and birds of paradise
Three green spaces in the floating city are tackling its thorniest issues from the root up