Gardens Illustrated Magazine

Much of gardening is about listening. In doing so we can tune in to our surroundings and better understand what's needed – be that whether we can hear the buzz of insects or the chirrup of birds, or listening to our own sensibilities and understanding what we might need to do to improve our wellbeing. It's also about garden designers listening to their clients and envisioning how a garden space might best be used. Designers Gavin McWilliam and Andrew Wilson were tasked with enlivening a tired 1960s garden for new owners. They wanted family space but also a greenhouse, kitchen garden and more manageable planting. On page 104, we drill down into the design decisions and considerations that were put in place to bring this garden back to life. We also share…

Becky Crowley Flower grower Becky explores the many variations of a cottage garden favourite, page 52. “It has been fascinating to study more closely one of my very favourite flowers: the hollyhock.” Joe Wainwright Joe photographs a beautiful walled garden in Wales, page 66. “It's always a joy to photograph Tom and Jenny's peaceful garden, with its rich and beautifully romantic planting.” Alice Vincent Alice begins a new monthly column on creating a garden from scratch, page 130. “This column feels like a new garden: I can't wait to dig in, sow seeds and watch it grow.” CONTRIBUTING EDITORS James Basson James lives in the South of France where he runs Scape Design, a practice specialising in low-maintenance and dry gardens. He is a fervent advocate for creating sustainable landscapes. The winner of four Chelsea Gold medals, he…

The tour starts with a visit to Holker Hall and its 24-acre garden, comprising yew hedging, rose garden and woodland with conifers from around the world. We travel on to The Lakeside Hotel on the southern shore of lake Windermere, our base for three nights. We'll also visit Levens Hall, which has the most famous topiary garden in England, installed between 1689 and 1712 by the Frenchman Guillaume Beaumont, gardener to King James II. There will be lots to see in the garden at Yewbarrow House overlooking Morecambe Bay, which has a walled kitchen garden, an Italian garden, gravel garden and sculpture garden, and we will also take a look at Dan Pearson’s recent project at Lowther Castle, where his design has reinterpreted the historic gardens. We visit the fell-side…

World of art A day out at Wakehurst, Kew's wild botanic garden in Sussex, is an opportunity to see a world of different habitats as varied as an American Prairie and Wetlands to a Himalayan Glade. This summer there is also the chance to explore the future of plants and food in worldwide communities through a programme of events entitled Nourish. Foremost are five newly commissioned outdoor art installations, specially created in response to Kew Science research projects. Among these is UK Young Arts of the Year nominee Malgorzata Lisiecka's reflection on the power of fungi with a 3D interactive sculpture (top left). A large-scale installation from Flea Folly Architects, The False Banana Pavilion (left), uses the African wild banana relative, Ensete ventricosum, to highlight its possible use as a climate-smart…

PETAL POWER Just as the wedding season hits its summer peak, here's an uplifting opportunity to peek inside the fields of a Shropshire-based flower farm to see the delphiniums, cornflowers, sunflowers, calendula and wildflowers that go into making its petal confetti. Shropshire Petals, a fourth-generation family run flower farm, near Newport in Shropshire, grows flowers for drying, and to create its colourful, natural, completely biodegradable and eco-friendly confetti. This year it's throwing open its fields for a festival of flowers that will offer the chance to stroll among the blooms to see them growing at their peak, as well as enjoy good food, some family-friendly activities and the opportunity to buy your own freshly cut flower bouquet. 5-14 August, tickets cost £9.95. shropshireflowerfield.co.uk OPENING OUT Historic, Grade I-listed Crook Hall and Gardens, with…

1 Creative with Batik – Rebecca Mason Admire artworks from batik artist Rebecca Mason in the tearoom at Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens before exploring the extensive gardens that include a meadow garden, rill garden and plant nursery. Rebecca’s artworks, all of which are available to buy, are inspired by the plant life of the Yorkshire countryside. Until 31 July. Weekdays 1-5pm. Exhibition included in garden entry, £6. Stillingfleet Lodge Garden and Nurseries, Stewart Lane, Stillingfleet, York YO19 6HP. Tel 01904 728506, stillingfleetlodgenurseries.co.uk 2 Festival of the Garden Don’t miss the stellar line-up of speakers that includes Piet Oudolf, Fergus Garrett, Tom Stuart-Smith, Alys Fowler and Marian Boswall at this year’s festival held at the historic Bloomsbury Group country residence of Charleston. A series of free drop-in events will also be running throughout the festival.…