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What did the G7 do for us?

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Occasionally, just occasionally, it can be difficult to believe politicians. So putting a group of national leaders together, with the express intention of taking joint positive international action for the greater good, may just seem like asking for trouble. It can be tricky to unpick personal and national imperatives from the wider shared goals and promises. Then those too may also be watered down, if not in the expression, then certainly in the execution.  So the promises of the recent G7 summit in Cornwall may seem to offer thin pickings for real progress. But it is easy to be cynical and equally easy to miss opportunities when they are hidden underneath a bit of spin. Subtle changes to the landscape The key achievements included new commitments towards climate action, global taxation, girls’ education, WTO reform, the pandemic recovery, and vaccine distribution – plus a more unified approach to China. So far so good.  Amongst other things, the G7 committed to accelerating efforts
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Green: revolution, resolution, or both?

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How green spaces have taken on a new significance. At the risk of misquoting some famous author or playwright, we live in strange times. We need little reminder of the terrible outcomes of the Covid-19 pandemic, and most of us are still scratching our heads, trying to quantify the short, medium and long term consequences of Brexit. Add to this, perhaps not surprisingly in times of stress, the fact that several long-valued national institutions are under scrutiny the likes of which they will not forget easily, and we could be forgiven for thinking that ‘strange’ times is more of a synonym for bleak or hard. And yet, one outcome of the last 14 months has been a re-evaluation, a re-assessing, even a remembering, of the positive value of green spaces. There has been a genuine re-awakening of joy in the nature around us, regardless of whether this is rolling acres of farmland or a carefully tended window box. ‘Flee the cities!’ In times of previous plagues and pandemics – the year
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Biodiversity in your garden – health and variety hand in hand

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You don’t need to re-wild to encourage healthy ecosystems. Biodiversity is more important than ever. This is not just a problem for farmers; it affects everyone. In agriculture there are measurable benefits from crop rotations and wider field margins. The alternative – monoculture crop production, soil damage, increased use of pesticides, short term gain and long term damage to the planet – threatens us all. It’s the same with gardens. By making a few simple changes it is easy to increase biodiversity, with all the benefits of healthier plant and insect life, and more birds and small animals. And you don’t need to re-wild or the introduce beavers to make it a success. Variety is the Spice of Life While planning flower beds or choosing shrubs and trees, aim for a good variety of plants that suit your location and prevailing weather. Different insects and birds like different plants, so the greater the mix the more likely it is that you’ll increase the range and
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Chelsea: the Great Spring / Autumn Show

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Who doesn’t love a show? And when it’s the Chelsea Flower Show, it’s irresistible. Not only is this uniquely magical event a firm fixture in the London social scene, it has justifiably taken its place amongst the world’s great garden and horticultural shows. A touch of glamour, grounded in commercial reality Traditionally held every year in May in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, the show is organised by the Royal Horticultural Society. It is attended, naturally enough, by members of the British royal family. The Chelsea Flower Show represents the very best in horticulture, floral displays, and gardens designs. Prizes in five categories and numerous specialist awards are highly sort after – not just for the honour of winning, but for the status they provide and the resultant commercial potential. Competition is fierce and produces stunning results! If there’s any doubt about the importance of the Chelsea Flower Show, consider this: it’s probably the most visible such event i
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Getting it right, from the start

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  or how experience teaches us how to think ahead. There’s nothing more frustrating than having a great plan that fails because it’s based on the wrong information. It’s the same with landscape gardening. Whether you’re rejuvenating an established garden or creating something brand new, careful preparation is key to success. The right planning will deliver gardens that are not just a long term pleasure, it will unlock the hidden wonders of the natural world. Thinking: inside or outside the box? And there’s nothing like experience to show us how things can be done better. Only through experience is it possible to properly understand quite why specific choices will have particular outcomes. Of course, we can all do some research and find information online (and in books!) and we might even be able to produce appealing garden designs, based purely on theory.   But it’s only with experience that the garden designer, plantsperson, and landscape specialist will be able to develop the
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Fresh Ideas, grown from experience

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Where we live and how we live matters. The landscapes around us – rural, urban or suburban – influences how we live, what we take and what we give back. Finding the right balance can be tricky. And the landscapes we inhabit have a huge influence on how we approach the search for contentment – that sweet spot somewhere between ambition, happiness and satisfaction at what we do and what we’ve achieved. The nature of a place has value This is true regardless of location. The design of an office building influences mental health and productivity. The impact of how a garden is laid out can produce reactions as different as indifference, lifelong curiosity, wonder, and well-being. Thoughtfully landscaped open spaces around places of work can transform the whole environment for the better. Carefully planned landscaping can also, quite literally, improve the nature of a place, encouraging wildlife and protecting animal and bird life that are otherwise under threat. Careful, tho
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