The Dual Benefits of Rain Gardens

A fad in modern architecture and gardening or a necessity to bring back nature into industrialised densely built urban landscapes? Living green walls are becoming more and more popular, so we decided to explore the benefits, installation and maintenance process of these structures. Read on to find out how long they have been around, why so many buildings are having them, and how you can make one for your home.

The fascinating garden at Knepp Castle in Sussex, home to ‘Wilding’ author Isabella Tree, reopens for the scheme this year. Credit: NGS 

In Yorkshire we are lucky to have several gardens designed using the theme of a Himalayan Garden. The Hut near Ripon at Grewlthorpe is   ‘The Himalayan Garden’ with all the plants you would expect in such a setting including

Britain has some of the best gardens in the world. The choice of which to visit is far larger than this selective list but at least it gives you somewhere to start planning this years outings.

In the cold wet winter it is a good time to plan where to visit as the year improves. The South West is the obvious place to start your visiting tour of gardens containing exotic plants.

China is one of the great destinations for visiting gardens. The influence over garden design and the vast array of plants and flowers is secondary to the investment in time and dedication demonstrated in so many great locations. This is just a selection of those you may consider visiting if you can make the journey..

Peace is not just the absence of war it can be a reflection of a personal inner tranquility. To many gardeners peace may be a state of harmony with nature. It is a theme of several ‘hard landscape’ projects and sculptural works as shown by the selection of Peace gardens below.

Not what you would expect for a garden called ‘The Phoenix Garden’  in the middle of  Tottenham Court Road near Crown Point. It isn’t a phoenix from the ashes of a great fire or a WW11 bomb site at but was built on a disused car park in the 1980s. It may be part of an overflowing burial ground for St Giles-in-the-field church back in the 1600s and is reputed to be the last surviving Covent ‘Garden’. The entrance is located in St Giles Passage

We’re in the midst of a revolution! It’s been 20 years in the making, but all of a sudden we’re fundamentally rethinking how we garden. And this could not be more evident than at the garden shows I’ve attended this year. Each and every one of them was dominated by show gardens designed in wilder ways than the exhibits of the past 100 years. Instead of sleek paving, multi stem birches and wall-to-wall Oudolf-esque perennial swathes, we are greeted with a whole new aesthetic. And it is quite unlike anything we’ve seen before. These wild or wildlife focused gardens are packed with native plants, diverse habitats and a whole load of upcycled materials.

Dana Gallagher

If you’re keen on health trends, you might be hearing the buzz around maca root. If you haven’t, though, don’t fret: You won’t be seeing maca next to the other root vegetables in your local produce section, despite its many benefits. So, what is maca root, and how does it impact us? Where can you find it, and is it worth seeking out? Read on for everything you need to know.

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