Create an outdoor lounge
From sofas and seating combos to egg chairs and armchairs, here's how to bring sitting-room style to your garden, whatever its size
"In summer our garden becomes an extension of our living space - we barbecue, eat and chill out there. Bringing the lounge outside for us means accessorising, and we always light a candle - Greenhouse is our go-to for a summery day-to-evening scent. Cushions, rugs, and throws soften up an urban garden and we use plant pots to zone the areas for cooking, dining, and lounging."
Paul Firmin, Earl of East co-creator
Family moments start here
A few family-friendly additions is enough to keep tots - and tired parents – smiling this summer
"The playful heads and vivid tones of echinacea are ideal to brighten up family areas. They bloom right through to September, and bees and butterflies love them. Line a path with a few in terracotta pots or create a larger flower-filled planter for a patio."
Lucy Felton, Content Coordinator, GW Magazine
Get your garden party ready
With the Platinum Jubilee upon us, these garden party styling add-ons are just the thing to ensure your festivities run smoothly
"Celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee long weekend this month by clinking glasses of homemade rhubarb cordial, infused with lemon balm and ginger. You can also add edible borage flowers-this herb is easy to grow from seed outdoors and pollinators will love you for it too."
Rekha Mistry, GW food and allotment columnist
Up the comfort factor
This story is from the June 2022 edition of Gardeners World.
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This story is from the June 2022 edition of Gardeners World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Travel Ideas For Garden Lovers
Looking for green-fingered holiday inspiration? The GW team share recent destinations for garden getaways
Your wildlife month
December is a time for reflection in the garden. What worked for wildlife in 2023 and what didn't? How could you do more? Looking at the bones of the garden now, is there space for more plants? Are your fences bare? Are there enough berries and hips? You have until March to plant bare-root trees and shrubs. What would look good? What would better serve wildlife?
The Full Monty
I can, and occasionally do, manufacture jobs in a kind of gung-ho, boy-scout spirit
Expert's choice
Smaller variegated ivies still pack a big punch all year round, says Graham Rice
YOUR PRUNING MONTH
Frances Tophill explains what to cut back now, including grapevines and hardy shrubs
Hardwood cuttings
It's the zero-fuss way to make free new shrubs - just follow our guide from Nick Bailey
Hassle-free harvests
While veg-plot activities slow down in winter, there is still plenty to do, from planting fruit trees, and harvesting sprouts and salads to taking stock of your growing year so you can plan next year's crops, says Jack Wallington
The happy house plant guide
In the first of a seven-part series, Jane Perrone shares expert advice on how to give your house plants the best start to a long and healthy life in your home
The science of soil
Healthy soil is teeming with life - Becky Searle delves below the surface to explore how this fascinating system works and how it can benefit our plants
'It's like another lung - like having oxygen on tap. It makes you breathe in a different way'
Helen Maxwell's garden in rural Carmarthenshire surrounds the house that her husband (who's an architect) designed.
