What sparked your passion for gardening and what does gardening mean to you?Ìý

I come from a family of garden enthusiasts â€� perhaps it's in my blood! I was surrounded by beautiful gardens growing up in America and my grandfather had the most sensational English-style garden. After moving to the UK and spending many wonderful years working in interior design, I realised that as my family grew, I wanted to work for myself and spend more time outside.Ìý

Gardening is so rewarding. The excitement you feel when something that you've planted from seed grows millimetre by millimetre each day gives me such joy. I am a great observer of the garden because I think that is the key to a healthy, productive one â€� just keeping a beady eye on things really does help. It's a great tonic for me to tend to the garden, mow the lawn and observe the uncontrolled chaos that is the wildflower meadow. ±õ³Ù’s good for me to just let it be and relinquish a bit of control.

Tell us about your garden.

In my wildflower meadow, the thing I enjoy most is the coming and goings of flowers. It starts with pink campions and then white daisies, followed by a splattering of buttercups â€� these wonderful un-spoilt, humble flowers which I encourage to grow and spread. A wildflower meadow is relatively easy to create as it requires very low-quality soil and sunshine for most of the day. With my clients I always try to encourage them to set aside some lawn space for a wildflower meadow. ±õ’m all about planting for pollinators, using nectar rich perennials and grasses to provide bees, butterflies and insects with food throughout the year.ÌýÌý

On my terrace I have an assortment of pots, each planted slightly differently but they all have one plant that runs through them. I have a pyramid of sweet peas and salvias in one. And, in the other two pots, I've got salvias in different colours and Alchemilla Mollis and Nepeta (Catnip). The terrace is also where I have a spot under the Magnolia with a pair of benches and some very plump cushions, making it a lovely shady place to retreat to on a warm afternoon. Comfortable seating is essential for fully enjoying your garden which, of course, Neptune does beautifully. The Harrington chairs, with their plush seat cushions, are great for relaxing in and the woven wicker design feels harmonious with the garden.Ìý

And what plants do you use in the garden alongside your blooming wildflower meadow?

One plant that I find irresistible is Alchemilla Mollis (Lady’s Mantle). Its velvety green leaves hold the edge of flower beds together and creates a great contrast amongst soil and colourful flowers. Along my borders on opposite sides of the meadow I have clipped, two metre tall, Yew pyramids at regular intervals. These create a lovely structure, allowing the chaos to happen around them, and this repetition really does make a difference to the design.Ìý

ÌýHow does your garden influence your interior design?

I love to create visual stimuli from all angles, both inside and out. My house is not to everyone's taste, as it is maximalist and there is a lot of stuff on absolutely every surface. I find the rich layering of pattern in fabric, colour and texture really makes me happy. Both inside and outside there's a limited amount of workspace! No dining space, no coffee table space. I often have to shift things around just to make room for a cup of tea.Ìý

You have a very vibrant home, which feels like a reflection of your garden, how do you use colour indoors?

For decorating inside, I think it's as simple as choosing a colour that you really adore and then being bold with it. A house should have an overriding colour theme throughout. For mine, I have black and white everywhere. In the drawing room there are zebra rugs, some black furniture and a black and white ticking sofa. In the hallway I have great checkerboard tiles which run into the kitchen and conservatory (and in different configurations in the bathroom too!), plus a black and white stripe stair runner. It's all tempered with lots of green accents that are peppered throughout the house.Ìý

If you’re worried about colour, start small. For instance, in my drawing room I started by painting the inside of my bookshelves orange to break up the grey. Then, as my confidence grew and taste matured I re-covered two chairs in orange â€� one in a divine mohair velvet and another in a bold patterned linen fabric. I love to grow and pick orange tulips to place throughout the house at Easter and throughout the spring. There's always a little bit of room for a bit of pink about the place too, such as my collection of pink Lustreware on shelves and sideboards, and a little flash of yellow that just brings everything alive and feels very welcoming.Ìý

What does a weekend at home look like to you?

±õ’m an early riser, so first thing in the morning I wander around the garden in my dressing gown with a mug of coffee, observing the plants and picking flowers for the house. I love the tradition of gathering and arranging a mix of flowers to bring joy and the outside in. ±õ’l±ô then take my dog, Wafer, for a walk along the river Thames observing the views across the horizon, which is an act I find deeply calming. Plus, t³ó±ð°ù±ð’s always something interesting going on there â€� the lasers being sailed or people rowing. It's a highway of activity and a real joy.ÌýÌý

If I have time, ±õ’l±ô pop to . It's a great source of inspiration and gives me a sense of peace. You can find a very quiet, unbeaten path that offers moments of privacy and reflection. And then after that ¾±³Ù’s an afternoon in the garden, a lot of my time is spent actually tending it, mowing the lawn, deadheading, planting, pricking out, all those simple mindful things.Ìý

What's the one most important piece of advice you would give to garden novices?

Understand how the light travels across the garden. See where the morning and afternoon sun falls, and where shade is needed during the summer months. Light and aspect are some of the first things that need to be considered.ÌýÌý

If you’re a morning person and you like to sit in the sunshine with a coffee, make sure you've got a little area for a bistro table or sofa, like Neptune’s classic Cheltenham collection, in that pocket of morning sunshine so you can truly enjoy those moments. Or, if you prefer entertaining in the evening, make sure that your terrace captures the last rays of evening light.Ìý

Butter Wakefield's top gardening tipsÌý

Ìý

Don't make any hasty decisions. Watch the garden for a year and see what is in there, what you like the look of and what you don't. Make notes ready for planting.Ìý

Assess what hard landscaping is needed, choosing materials that complement decor and architecture inside and outside of the house, and what seating areas are required. Consider enhancing your privacy with trellis and trees. Then work your way down to ground level with the different layers of climbers, shrubs, perennials and grasses.ÌýÌý

Ìý

I suggest using one plant a lot. I think rhythm and repetition really helps to create a beautiful design, and it helps the eye travel from one little moment to the next. For instance I have Hydrangea Annabelle down both sides of my borders and they work equally well in shade and sun.Ìý

Ìý

Every garden needs at least one tree, even if it's in a pot. It creates shade in the summer months and privacy all year.ÌýÌýÌý

Ìý

During the summer months ¾±³Ù’s all about maintaining the garden with watering when required and deadheading. Also, take time to watch wha³Ù’s progressing and make notes on gaps too.ÌýÌý

Ìý

In autumn, move anything that needs to be relocated and prune plants that have outgrown their space, but really try to leave us much standing and undisturbed as possible for wildlife to shelter in over winter. Where you’ve identified gaps, you can also order your bulbs and plan where you’ll be planting.Ìý

Ìý

Feeling inspired by Butter Wakefield's blossoming garden? From outdoor garden sets to wicker planters,Ìýshop the edit to get the look. Follow if you're looking for more inspiration on how to create a vibrant garden or home.

Tell us a little about your house and what drew you to it?Ìý

Our house is in a wonderful little pocket of East London, surrounded by gorgeous old Georgian buildings. What sold it to us was its natural light. When we moved in, we just sat with it for a while to observe where the light moves through the day and the seasons. The kitchen was originally on the lower level, but we always knew we wanted to bring that up to the ground floor to make the most of the natural light for cooking and shooting content. My interior style is very calm and minimalist, but still with a homely, welcoming feeling. By using natural textures of marble, wood and various neutral plaster paints throughout the house it feels timeless and is enough of a blank canvas that I can evolve the space over time. I chose marble for the kitchen as ¾±³Ù’s naturally a very cool surface, great for rolling out pastry when baking, but stains easilyÌý over time from all the chopping of tomatoes and lemons or just anything acidic. I think that's part of the charm of a lived-in home. ±õ’m not too precious â€� I want family and friends to feel they can relax when ³Ù³ó±ð²â’r±ð here, not worry about cup rings or spills.ÌýÌý

And how about your garden?ÌýÌýÌý

Ìý

We wanted the garden to feel like a calm extension to the house. We inherited this huge olive tree that makes the perfect backdrop to the garden. This also really set the tone for the space alongside an old, gnarly rosebush â€� I love it, ¾±³Ù’s totally wild and takes up half of one side of the garden wall. We chose a light tumbled dijon limestone for the patio tiles, influenced by our time spent on holiday in Greece and Italy, and ¾±³Ù’s now a beautiful space that feels like a Mediterranean retreat when the sun shines.Ìý

We live close by to Columbia Road flower market, so ·É±ð’v±ð enjoyed weekend trips to discover the variety of plants on offer â€� planting my first white peonies, hellebore, jasmine and lavender has been a lesson in patience that’ll (hopefully!) pay off with time. We've also turfed over a section of the garden, and when the weather improves, it’ll be nice for the boys to have a space to play together outside. The twins are also the reason we chose theÌýKew coffee table with the relaxedÌýsofaÌýâ€� the table is the perfect height to pull up their little chairs and enjoy an afternoon snack together in the sun.

How do you carve out time for yourself at home? What are your little moments of joy?ÌýÌý

As both my husband and I work from home a top priority is having separate workspaces. For me ¾±³Ù’s a space where I can tuck myself away for a little while and then, at the end of the day, close my work off from home life. Eating dinner together has always been a ritual for us and ±õ’m grateful to share this simple pleasure with the boys now, too. When I get the chance, I cherish a morning coffee out in the garden. T³ó±ð°ù±ð’s this little patch that catches the sun first thing, so I often take a chair over to that corner and enjoy a real moment of peace. I'm always dreaming of having a quiet, lazy day in the garden with the papers â€� I just »å´Ç²Ô’t know if that will ever happen!ÌýÌýÌýÌý

Your love of food has always been a constant, what does it mean to you?Ìý

Food is such a leveler. I love to bring people together â€� it was one of my favourite things about hosting supper clubs. I find talking to people about their love of food, their life and creativity on the podcast evokes such an exciting and infectious conversation. It creates a whole community. On Friday nights ·É±ð’l±ô often get together with friends at each other’s houses, find new recipes and have a little cook up. ±õ³Ù’s very relaxed and I »å´Ç²Ô’t feel that I have to dress up the table specifically. I³Ù’s more casual and we share and graze throughout the evening. ±õ’m thinking of adding a pizza oven to the garden for hosting pizza parties as my little worktop pizza oven has definitely been over-worked. My birthday is in the summer, so now we have the garden sorted ±õ’l±ô definitely throw a party and invite family and friends to celebrate.ÌýÌý

And has your approach to food changed? Is there a topic you notice come up a lot in your conversations?ÌýÌý

These days there's such an emphasis on the quality of produce. If you've got gorgeous, juicy tomatoes and a lovely focaccia, or you've baked a sourdough and you're sharing that with a French salted butter or Italian olive oil, I think all of those things show an appreciation for the simple pleasures in life and ¾±³Ù’s always special to share these. It's all about abundance, simplicity and quality. I enjoy making really vibrant Mediterranean cuisine â€� cooking fish on the BBQ, mixing paellas in a huge paella dish directly over coals, letting it sit and simmer. When you use incredible produce, you can really make such tasty salads too. All using very simple recipes. I grow my own herbs for cooking and ±õ’d love to try growing my own veggies, but I guess ¾±³Ù’s just something else to look after at the moment, so it will be on the back burner until ·É±ð’v±ð really nailed keeping the twins alive! For now, ±õ’l±ô stick to herbs.ÌýÌý

Wha³Ù’s your hero ingredient that you reach for with every meal?ÌýÌý

Sumac I put in everything. Also, I've got dried bunches of oregano which I feel is an underrated dried herb, as soon as you rub it in your hands it releases the most fragrant oils. ±õ³Ù’s amazing with fresh ripe tomatoes and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Delicious. My husband is obsessed with tahini, so that goes on everything. Oh and I've always got a big jar of preserved lemons because that is a great way to add flavour or create a really delicious dressing.ÌýÌý

Time for a little this or that!

Espresso or Latte?ÌýÌý

Brunch or lunch?

Wine or cocktail?

Fiction or non-fiction?

Party host or party guest?

Planting or pruning?Ìý

Stargazing or sunbathing?Ìý

Trifle or Strawberry Pavlova?ÌýÌý

Hurricane lanterns or fairy lights?Ìý

Winter sunrise or summer sunset?Ìý

Ìý

In between the duties of domestic life, family life and work life, I regularly carve out a small pocket of time for a mini adventure. ±õ’m fortunate enough to have discovered some delicious moments of calm in the hurly burly of being a responsible grown-up, for cold water swimming has been my midlife saviour. At least twice a week, I swim outdoors in lakes, unheated lidos or the sea. I swim throughout the year, come rain or shine, and usually without a wetsuit. Well I say swim, when the water drops below ten degrees, ¾±³Ù’s more a quick dip. I discovered wild swimming when I took part in a mini-triathlon five years ago aged 47. I had to swim 800 metres in a wetsuit in a lake in May. I learnt front crawl to take part and, during the training, I fell in love with ‘skins swimmingâ€� (no wetsuit). Now ±õ’m addicted to cold water immersion and the camaraderie of the supportive community around it.

What other sport can you do where everyone is keeping an eye out for you, checking you’re OK rather than asking about lap times or lengths? Where you can be any shape or size to take part and can keep doing it well into old age? ±õ’m not a technically gifted swimmer, slow compared to most, but that doesn’t matter, you »å´Ç²Ô’t even have to put your face in the water to reap the rewards of this hobby. I just love the way my whole body tingles and fizzes after a cold dip, the way I
feel so alive and relentlessly well for days afterwards. And it helped enormously with the insomnia I experienced when I went through the peri-menopause. Indeed, the mental and physical health benefits have been much documented. The shock of entering cold water puts your body into fight or flight mode, and the more you do it, the more it learns to deal with the stress of that, reducing inflammation and promoting a stronger immune system.

People who suffer from depression and anxiety report that it aids recovery, and indeed, I have met many outdoor swimmers who attribute their salvation to the restorative powers of cold water. For me, ¾±³Ù’s like meditation, and when I have faced challenges, either at work or parenting my four children, I often swim my fears and worries away. ‘Take it to lake,â€� is what they say. And the confidence I have learnt from knowing how to moderate my breath in the icy temperatures is something I rely on during stressful times out of the water. Now a new study currently being carried out by at the lido where I regularly swim in North London shows it could help delay the onset of dementia. ±õ³Ù’s an activity that combines all the ingredients we know are necessary for health and happiness: friendship, nature and gentle, regular exercise.

Ìý

You need to start slowly though, because your body temperature continues to drop after you’ve left the water and that can be dangerous. I always advise beginning with a few cold showers for a week then dipping into the water for just minutes at a time, but never alone. It takes a while to build up tolerance and everyone’s limits are different. magazine website is the font of all knowledge on safety, and you must research swim spots with care. ±õ’m not going to lie, the first few moments are unbearable, but ±õ’m always as reluctant to get out as I am to go in. And wild swimming has gifted me some of my life’s most amazing and treasured memories. Three years ago, my swim friends and I tackled the 70km Lake Geneva in a relay. It took us 30 hours non-stop. So nowadays, whenever I lack confidence or feel a little low, I remember that cool morning when I swam in the shadow of the Alps as the sun rose above me.

Lorraine Candy’s book Wha³Ù’s Wrong with You?: 101 Things Only Mothers of Girls Know: How to Survive the Tweens to the Twenties is availableÌýon and now.

For who hasn’t marvelled at the sky as they gaze out to sea, the wide horizon a perfect vista to view the ever-changing cloud patterns and anticipate what weather they might bring. Clouds are classified in three groups: cumulus (large and lumpy shapes), stratus (layers that blanket the sky) and cirrus (wispy clouds found at high altitudes). But how to identify what you’re looking at? Here are the ten most common cloud formations to spot.

Ìý

1. Cumulus: puffy, bright white with flat bottoms in a blue sky, much like a child might draw.
   
   

2. Stratus: hang low in the sky and look flat and featureless; often seen on overcast days.
   
   

3. Stratocumulus: puffy, white and grey clouds with smaller patches of blue sky between them � the epitome of a cloudy day.
   
   

4. Altocumulus: nicknamed ‘sheep backs�, they look like mounds of sheep’s wool, sit higher in the sky than cumulus, and are larger than stratocumulus.
   
   

5. Nimbostratus: a dark grey layer of cloud that can blot out the sun � these are classic rain clouds.
   
   

6. Altostratus: a thin layer of grey or blue-grey cloud that dims the sun and stops the sunlight casting shadows.
   
   

7. Cirrus: wispy strands of cloud streaked across the sky at a higher altitude. Sailors regard them as a warning of a coming storm.
   
   

8. Cirrocumulus: short-lived patches of high cloud that appear spread across the sky in bumpy rows.
   
   

9. Cirrostratus: a barely-there veil of cloud covering the entire sky that produces a halo effect around the sun or moon.
   
   

10. Cumulonimbus: dense thunderstorm clouds that rise up from cumulus shapes and span the low, middle and high altitudes, billowing upwards with a darker, flat bottom.

The marvel and mystery of seashells has enchanted humankind since prehistoric times. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, English aristocrats were gripped by shell mania, amassing vast collections of rare and breathtaking specimens. The desire to collect these tiny seashore treasures has run in tandem with the inclination to decorate with shells, and England’s bucolic landscape is scattered with peculiarly elegant grottoes and houses that are little architectural odes to the magnificence of shells.

Though shell mania has long since lulled, ·É±ð’r±ð currently in the midst of a shellwork renaissance. ‘There is a huge revival in shelling,â€� says the shell artist , pointing to the work of fellow practitioners like and . ‘±õ³Ù’s wonderful to see how many people are experimenting with this free material.â€�

The artist Tess Morley’s work includes the painstaking, decade-long restoration of the Goodwood Shell House in Sussex � one of England’s finest and most extraordinary examples of the art of shelling, dating to the 1740s. Alongside restoration, Morley crafts everything from intricate sailors� valentines to humble salt cellars to shell grotesques with her uniquely baroque-style ornamentation. Meanwhile, the oceanic creations of Katherine Lloyd � who works from her garden studio in Wimbledon � are defined by their crisp, modern simplicity. A case in point: the pleasing, almost watery flow of the Shell Bar she conceived for the private members� club 5 Hertford Street.

T³ó±ð°ù±ð’s a similar sense of dynamism in the work of Blott, who is currently creating a series of brand-new shell houses for clients everywhere from the West Country to the Channel Islands, alongside more sculptural works of art and shell embellished decorative objects. Unlike the follies of the past, today’s shell structures are conceived as functional outdoor rooms such as dining spaces and airy summer houses. At in Bradford-on-Avon, for instance, Blott transformed an oriental garden outhouse into a charming pebble-and-shell adorned grotto. ‘They’re no longer dank and dusty spaces,â€� she says.

Now sixty, Blot³Ù’s life in shells started in the early 1990s when she decked every last inch of the bathroom in her Peckham flat with shells, a space immortalised by The World of Interiors magazine. ‘From that moment on, I became “the shell ladyâ€�,â€� she says. ‘Shells are the way I express myself.â€� Her first commission, completed in 1995, was the majestic interior of The Shell House at Ballymaloe Cookery School in southern Ireland.

It takes close to three months for Blott to complete the interior of a single shell house. ‘I can look back at a design and see the tension and relaxation that I was feeling at the time in the placement and pattern,â€� she explains of the emotive creative process. Taking cues from the clien³Ù’s own interior tastes, the peccadilloes of the architecture, and the movement of light in a space, Blott works freehand to conceive dynamic custom arrangements. ‘I never plan or sketch things out,â€� she says. ‘I just always assume that ±õ’l±ô have the right number of shells and it will work out. My mind works in patterns.â€� Her designs are nothing short of extraordinary: at once playful, experimental, and brilliantly eccentric â€� the very definition of what she terms ‘modern shellingâ€�. When it comes to creating your own artwork, she suggests staying mindful of the shape of the shell â€� ¾±³Ù’s this unique silhouette that will bring movement and dynamism to the design.

Perhaps best of all is the democratic nature of the craft. For those hoping to try their hand, Blott advises only employing shells that are found in abundance as some are protected or restricted. Equally, utilising shells that are a by-product of the food industry is a good way to source them in quantities. Blot³Ù’s own north Norfolk studio is filled with glass jars brimming with hundreds of different varieties of shell, many of which she has been given.

Shellwork is also a chance to celebrate the often-overlooked wellspring of shells found on local beaches. ‘At first sight, British shells can look boring,� she says. ‘But when you put them together, they have such beauty and colour. British mussels, for example, are the only blue shells in existence.� So next time you’re on a coastal stroll, take a moment to look again at the beauty beneath your feet.

Ìý

Much like our commitment to make furniture that will last 100 years and give pleasure to generations of families, so today’s tree experts are campaigning for forests to be planted with a long-term strategy (rather than focusing on headline-worthy sapling numbers), so that woodlands can flourish for centuries to come. Leading the charge is the woodland creation charity (SUFT), based in South Wales. Neptune is partnering with SUFT to support their ecological restoration work in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) and surrounding area.ÌýÌý

SUFT General Manager, Dr Jenny Knight, explains the thinking behind the charity: ‘We have a long-term approach to woodland creation; ¾±³Ù’s not just about what ·É±ð’r±ð putting in the ground, but how ¾±³Ù’s going to develop. A birch might live for 100 years, but an oak could live for 900 years, so planting a mix of species makes for a complex and rich natural habitat.â€� One such project currently underway involves planting a mix of birch, hawthorn, and oak. Thanks to their different growth rates, the birch will shoot up rapidly, creating shady protection for the hawthorn and oak in their early years. The hawthorn will branch out as the birch trees decline, and when the hawthorn finally fades the oak will still be in its glorious prime.Ìý

±õ³Ù’s a concept that resonates with all we stand for at Neptune â€� looking to nature to create an environment that will be dependable and enjoyable now and for future generations. Like all good ideas, Stump Up For Trees began as a passion project for two neighbours â€� farmer Keith Powell and writer Rob Penn. ‘Keith had planted all the trees he could on his farm,â€� explains Jenny, ‘but part of his grazing land was common ground and he ³¦´Ç³Ü±ô»å²Ô’t understand why he ³¦´Ç³Ü±ô»å²Ô’t plant there too. It was with the help of Rob that he persuaded the other farmers and local authorities to allow planting on the common.â€� 64 acres were eventually transformed, and Keith and Rob realised the lessons ³Ù³ó±ð²â’d learnt could help other landowners reimagine their acreage. And so, Stump Up For Trees was born.

Today, the charity has over 250 active volunteers and plants about 27 native species, including rowan, hazel, and even rare Wych elm. While the charity’s approach is holistic � with a focus on surveying, designing, and nurturing projects that suit the local ecology � they have still planted 235,000 trees in just three years. As prime tree-planting season approaches, upcoming projects include multiple small woodlands and shelterbelts on unproductive farmland, a diverse 40-hectare site, working with the to rejuvenate old hedgerows and plant new ones, and exploring the role of trees in flood management in South Wales.

For Neptune’s CEO, Aalish Yorke-Long, the partnership with Stump Up For Trees is a natural union. ‘At Neptune, ·É±ð’r±ð committed to making furniture which will last for 100 years and more. And as British designers who appreciate the beauty of working with timbers such as oak and birch, we want to support a charity with a similar ethos to us. The first step in this exciting partnership is a donation initiative, but going forward the Neptune team will be rolling their sleeves up and getting involved in as many ways as we can.â€�Ìý

Neptune’s pledgeÌý

To support the remarkable work done by Stump Up For Trees, Neptune will plant a tree with SUFT for every tree ·É±ð’v±ð used to make furniture this year.ÌýÌýÌý

Furthermore, customers can opt to add a £3 donation to their order which we will then match. Raising £6 per purchase not only funds the planting of a tree, but it also ensures that tree is monitored and maintained by SUFT for 12 years. At 12 years old, a tree reaches establishment and enters a new regulatory framework, which protects it as woodland.

Scent is so powerful because the part of your brain that handles smell is directly linked to the parts that handle memory and emotion. Nothing else can evoke or create a feeling quite like it. So, just as ¾±³Ù’s important to consider and enhance scent inside your home, so too is fragrance a vital part of the way you experience your garden. And, in much the same way as you’d vary scents from room to room or according to the time of day inside, you can also orchestrate the fragrances of your garden to enhance the atmospheres you’d like to create.

Scents to comfort, calm & soothe

Around doors, windows and seating areas, and along those pathways you take when returning home, position plants whose scents you find most relaxing. Lavender, chamomile, jasmine, honeysuckle and rose are all likely candidates.

Choose lavender, which grows into clumps or can be arranged to create a low hedge, to line paths and the areas directly underneath windows. You can use chamomile, which is lower and spreading, to create a flowering lawn and, although too delicate for kicking a football about on, it would be lovely around a bench or underneath a hammock. Jasmine and honeysuckle are both climbers as, of course, are some varieties of rose, so train them to arch over doorways and around windows so you can appreciate their scent inside as well. T³ó±ð°ù±ð’s nothing so lovely as waking up to the scent of roses on a June morning. And a honeysuckle left to ramble over a covered seat is wildly romantic.

If you have a relaxed seating area in your garden with sofas and armchairs, consider planting the space with flowers that release their scent as the sun sets. The sweet, dusky fragrances of nicotiana, night-scented stock, star jasmine, phlox and, again, honeysuckle are all gently soothing.

While these are plants that most people find calming, comfort is also bound up in our own personal experiences and memories. So think about the plants you could choose to reflect that. It might be a pot of hyacinths whose fragrance reminds you of a grandparent. Or the greenhouse scents of tomatoes and pelargoniums (also often known as half-hardy or scented geraniums) that recall childhood summer memories.

Scents to refresh, uplift & restore

If you have a dining spot in your garden, or perhaps even a shed where you work, then choose brighter, fresher scents.

Very strongly or sweetly fragranced plants around a dining table can interfere with the food you’re serving, so this is the place for culinary herbs. Basil, rosemary, thyme and oregano are all perfect and, of course, you can also then snip leaves straight into dishes. But we’d also include the likes of mint, lemon verbena and lemon balm, all of which are refreshing after a bit too much to eat � both in scent alone and when infused in hot water as a tea.

Rosemary, mint and citrussy smells are all also thought of as energising � there have even been studies into the memory-boosting properties of rosemary � so plant them around the doors and windows of a garden studio if you have one, or even just the outdoor table where you choose to work on a warm day. As well as lemon verbena and lemon balm, try placing a pot of a citrussy scented-leaf pelargonium (such as ‘Prince of Orange� or ‘Lemon Fizz�) out here so you can reach out and rub its leaves while you work for a hit of scent.

Extending the season

Autumn and winter in the garden aren’t as associated with scent as spring and summer are. In fact, on cold days, we can actually smell less as the receptors in our nose protect themselves from freezing. And yet, with fewer fragrances competing for our attention, our senses seem heightened.

Wood smoke, fallen leaves and the damp earth are all the smells we probably associate most closely with the colder months in the garden. But there are a surprising number of plants that flower and give off scent in the winter. Try sweet box, winter-flowering honeysuckles and viburnum, witch hazel and wintersweet. Then, place them judiciously where you’re most likely to pass them at this time of year. Around the house and garden shed, by doorways and gates and near to seating areas you’ll use year-round (just keeping them clear of the heat from firepits) are all good spots.

Author and presenter Ben Fogle looks at how people have discovered and protected their inner peace by appreciating the world around them.

The last couple of years has forced many of us to slow down. It has given us a chance to think about our lives. What ·É±ð’v±ð been doing, where ·É±ð’r±ð heading and what we can do to improve the way we live. In short, ·É±ð’v±ð been made to take the time to reassess our values, our hopes and our dreams.

For the last decade, I’ve travelled the world meeting people who have changed their lives by embracing nature and slowing down. As an observer, I’ve always admired their spirit of determination and resilience, often in the face of adversity.

Along the way, I’ve stayed with so many inspiring people. None more so than flintknapper Will Lord, a historian who ‘lives� in the Stone Age, preserving many practices of the period. I spent a week in his earth house, deep in the Suffolk countryside. His lifestyle was as fascinating as it was thrilling. Like stepping back in time.

±õ’m always moved by those I get to meet. None of them have made their lives easier, but they have all made them happier.

And isn’t that the key, happiness? ±õ’d argue that the essence of life is happiness. A contentment at the quality of our lives. We’ve been reminded to value our health, family, friendships, community and nature. Sometimes you »å´Ç²Ô’t know what you have until ¾±³Ù’s gone, and lockdown reminded us of so many things we took for granted.

Many of the challenges I’ve undertaken over the years have been about taking myself out of my comfort zone and giving myself some perspective. I feel incredibly privileged to have seen the way. Not in a religious or even a spiritual sense, but in a practical, organic one. We have all been going too fast. We were losing control but we have the opportunity to learn and adapt.

Nature has always been my escape. Restorative and rehabilitative, it has the power to transform and heal. The Japanese and the Scandinavians have long been practitioners of the art of forest bathing, in which you lie beneath trees, basking in the theatrics of the canopy high above. ±õ³Ù’s a pastime that requires patience and time. The longer you immerse yourself in nature’s theatre, the more of the cast you will see. First the birdsong, and slowly your senses will be heightened to the flora and fauna that are normally invisible in our haste and speed.

Slow food. Slow travel. And now, finally, slow living.

Ben Fogle is a broadcaster, adventurer and author, and the presenter of C5’s ‘New Lives in the Wildâ€�. He has climbed Mount Everest, rowed the Atlantic and raced to the South Pole, and is also the United Nationsâ€� ‘Patron of the Wildernessâ€�.Ìý

Broadly speaking, ±õ’d group together the many verdant greens of trees, the myriad blues of the oceans, and every shade of the earth from ochre to burnt umber under ‘natureâ€� colours. Of course, this covers an enormous spectrum â€� consider the variation between the slender silvery foliage of an olive tree and the deeply saturated hues of a fir’s prickly needles. And what of the sky? Depending on your locale, its colour could encompass everything from perky Mediterranean azures to grizzly greys. Yet, when we refer to ‘the colours of natureâ€� ¾±³Ù’s always with an optimistic slant and a rosy eye. We picture the positivity of verdancy and growth, and quiet, calm and clear skies, not storms and tempest, drought or decay.

The seasons, too, affect perception. As the crispness of winter gives way to the freshness of spring before gently folding into the brightness of summer and then the glorious splendour of autumn, colours shift, subdue or bloom. However, the palette as a whole does not much alter. The reds and russets of October trees simply echo the rich tones of soil and loam from other times of the year. And the vivid skies of July often repeat in December.

But the ability of these colours to calm goes beyond mere psychological association. Blue is proven to affect us physically as well as cognitively. It makes us feel more comfortable because it lowers both pulse rate and body temperature. Green, sited in the midst of the visible spectrum, is seen more easily by our eyes than any other colour. This permits our nervous systems a degree of relaxation, engendering a sedative and calming effect. ±õ³Ù’s not for nothing that hospital wards are often painted this colour.

However, we cannot talk of the natural world without referencing its courtesans: flowers! Capturing the essence of pure pigment in their petals, they obviously bloom in every shade. Because of this, I think t³ó±ð°ù±ð’s something unapologetically optimistic about them. Whether weed or prized begonia, they speak of perseverance despite their delicacy, and triumph over adversity. So perhaps this is the real superpower of nature’s paintbox; proof that no matter what, roots anchor, all ground can nurture and clouds pass. And the colours that remind us of this, help us to channel the same strength.Ìý

Michelle Ogundehin originally trained as an architect and is the former editor-in-chief of ELLE Decoration UK. Michelle is now the head judge on the BBC’s ‘Interior Design Masters�, and the author of Happy Inside: how to harness the power of home for health and happiness, a game-changing guide to living well.

Look beyond a Sunday afternoon stroll with the dog through your local woods. Our ancient forests are places of mystical allure and profound nurturing, as interiors editor David Nicholls reveals.

Snelsmore, Savernake and Uffmore. Dibbinsdale, Wychwood and Hangingstone. The names alone seem to carry an incantatory force, as if to say them aloud is to conjure a spirit or cast a spell. Cultures throughout time and all over the world have had deep � if sometimes uneasy � relationships with the forests and woodlands that exist on the boundaries of their habitations. These dark and unknowable fortresses are the settings of mythologies and mysteries both real and imagined. Woods are where monsters lurk, bands of merry men hide from tyrants, and the balance of life and death can be held in whether one finds a trail of breadcrumbs. And yet we are drawn to them, captivated by their inscrutability, the unknown that lies within.

For many of us, 2020 was a year in which our relationships with our homes evolved. They became places where we ‘shielded�, we worked, we home-schooled, we opened the front door to clap for the NHS. Perhaps less consciously, we also began to re-evaluate the role that the world outside plays in our lives. Those places which, as our forebears who handed down legends and lore realised, we have less control.

We’re brought up with tales that warn us away from the woods. In Somerset, they told their children of the bloodthirsty dragon (the Gurt Worm) that slept in Shervage Wood. The woodwoses, or faun-like wild men, of Yellowsham Hill in Dorset would kidnap young women from local villages and take them to their lairs. In Kingley Vale, the ghosts of marauding Viking warriors would rise up from the silent grove of ancient yews.

Ìý

Ìý

“A walk in the woods is a salve for those who crave sensory stimulation. At this time of year, you might follow a procession of magic carpets made from fallen leaves. Shafts of sunlight, now better able to pierce the canopy above, are like slowly shifting spotlights drawing our attention to the natural drama unfolding before us.�

Perhaps these and other stories live on in humanity’s collective unconscious. Does that explain the heightened sensory perception we might experience when we cross the boundary from the cultivated and controlled into the wild and unknowable? As we enter the shadows, our pupils dilate, our ears prick at the faintest sound.

A walk in the woods is a salve for those who crave sensory stimulation. At this time of year, you might follow a procession of magic carpets made from fallen leaves. Shafts of sunlight, now better able to pierce the canopy above, are like slowly shifting spotlights drawing our attention to the natural drama unfolding before us. And who is the cast in this ever-changing theatrical production? The elusive wild boar in the Forest of Dean, the woodland red deer of Grizeland, the fairies of Furzey Gardens in the New Forest. Cock an ear at the sweet and rare song of the nightingale in Blean Woods. As a twig cracks under foot, the sound is followed by silence. The hidden woodland orchestra of chirps and clicks which you hadn’t been aware of is temporarily paused. That aural void is then filled by the smell of wet moss, the mustiness of fallen branches rotting back into the earth, a note of something sweet but unseen.Ìý

At a time when many things feel so very unnatural, we can find solace in the natural world. The forest is a place rich in symbolism far beyond tales of warning. Mighty oaks denote wisdom and honour, birch trees signify new hope and new beginnings, the sycamore is an emblem of strength and protection. It is a place to witness the cycle of nature, a place of constant rebirth and renewal.

Experiencing the forest like this is part of the Japanese practice of shinrin yoku or ‘forest bathing� which is a sort of eco-therapy developed in the 1980s. It has more recently found fans among nature-loving Britons, as well as those who simply want to de-stress in a natural environment. It encourages simply spending time, moving slowly among the trees to enjoy the sensory forest-based experience. What an antidote these wildernesses can provide at a time of such uncertainty and distraction.

Canadian-born David Nicholls is the deputy editor of House & Garden. He was previously design editor of The Telegraph.