People
Axel Vervoordt made a Baron by King of Belgium
Hailed as one of the most influential tastemakers of his time, the interior designer Axel Vervoordt was bestowed the title of Baron by the King of Belgium.
Awards
Mayfield Park wins coveted Green Flag Award
The Green Flag Award has been granted to Mayfield Park in Manchester with the judges declaring that they had ‘never seen such an outstanding urban park in 20+ years of judging’.
Business
2023 visits to attractions across England recover but remain down on pre-pandemic levels
The 2023 Visit England Annual Survey of visits to visitor attractions showed that while visits across England continued to recover last year, they were still significantly down on pre-pandemic levels.
Research
The more sustainable one’s gardening, the better for you & planet
Scientists at the Royal Horticultural Society have found that gardening sustainably the higher the perceived levels of wellbeing as well as being better for the planet
On Instagram
Must follow @j.d.frei
Naturalist, landscape architect, urban botanist and author from Zurich, Jonas Frei shares his love of botany through his incredibly, detailed photography.
On Instagram
A must follow @konekono_kitsune
Japanese artist, Noriko Kouike working under the name of Konekono Kitsune captures vegetables in their best light by means of her delicate embroidery.
Business
Dobbies launches search for Little Seedlings Club Ambassadors
For their new Little Seedlings Club, the garden centre chain, Dobbies is searching for junior ambassadors across the UK who have a passion for gardening and garden adventures.
Good stuff
Art under your feet: manhole cover ingenuity
Spotted on instagram, a manhole cover like you have never seen before…
Health
UK population has low life satisfaction and is more anxious, suggests new ONS data
Exploring UK quality of life, the Office of National Statistics wellbeing report reveals increases in economic inactivity, low life satisfaction with financial pressures contributing to poor wellbeing.
Business
The Farewell Flowers Directory launched
Launching this week, is the first online service to connect people to independent funeral florists offering natural, beautiful and compostable floral arrangements across the UK
Worth a read
Redressing the lack of collective nouns for trees
With his debut book, Ewan Fenelon, a 22-year old ecologist invents colourful collective nouns for trees, which he hopes will become part our everyday vernacular
Charity
Horatio’s Garden is the official charity for Belgravia in Bloom
Back for it’s ninth year, the floral festival in London’s Belgravia names Horatio’s Garden as their official charity partner for 2024.
Health
Gardens and Health Week: The uplifting impact of gardens
To mark Gardens and Health Week (4th-12th May), the National Garden Scheme brings together all that is good about gardens.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024
Highgrove heads to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The Highgrove Shop will be exhibiting at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year, featuring a display created by sculptor Emma Stothard which will honour the Queen’s two terriers.
Awards
Iford Manor wins Best Garden in the Cotswolds Slow Travel Awards 2024
Wiltshire based, Iford Manor Estate with Grade I listed Garden is named Best Garden/Arboretum in the Cotswolds Slow Travel Awards.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024
The Newt in Somerset brings a roman villa to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Inspired by ancient gardens of Pompeii and Naples, and their very own recreated Villa Ventorum, the Newt brings a Roman Courtyard garden to RHS Chelsea.
Good stuff
The Chatsworth playground is a marvel… if only I was still a kid
With towers, rope bridges, zip lines, slides and all round adventure, the children’s woodland playground at Chatsworth is an example to all.
Gardens
RHS National Gardening Week celebrations aim to demystify gardening
For National Gardening Week, the Royal Horticultural Society is celebrating the theme of ‘Knowledge is Flower’ to debunk the biggest gardening myths and celebrating UK’s green fingers.
Health
Dr Michael Mosley on the benefits of gardening
On his BBC Radio 4 podcast ‘Just One Thing’, Dr. Michael Mosley explains that gardening is not only good for physical fitness but benefits the brain, mood and gut microbiome.
Good stuff
Mycelium celebration
To celebrate Earth Month and the launch of their new Mycelium packaging, eyewear brand MONC partnered the talented Caley Brothers to create an innovative, living fungi window display.