REGULAR visitors to Bloomsbury may have noticed a particularly fine pair of wrought-iron gates set between 20 and 21, Montague Street, WC1. Emblazoned with the Duke of Bedford’s crest (he owns much of the land around these parts) and topped with some gloriously exuberant gilded lilies, they mark the entrance to Montague Street Gardens —although little can be seen of the oasis within. That all changes later this month, when the gardens, together with more than 100 other private and hidden spaces, will open for London Square Open Gardens Weekend, a rare opportunity to explore some of the capital’s secret Edens.
The open weekend dates back to 1999 and the opening of a handful of private residents’ squares. Under the aegis of the London Historic Parks & Gardens Trust—more commonly known as the London Gardens Trust (LGT) —it has grown into one of the capital’s bestloved events, attracting crowds in their thousands. A single ticket gives you access to as many gardens as you can physically manage in a day—community allotments, wildlife havens, rooftop plots, contemporary gardens and more. ‘There’s something for everyone,’ says Nathan Oley, chair of the event and a trustee of the LGT. ‘We have passionate amateur growers raising tomatoes in tins and rice bags, alongside gardens of real horticultural excellence, such as Mona’s Garden in Highgate, N10, which is home to [the National Plant Collection of] corokias.’
Denne historien er fra June 01, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra June 01, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prÞveperiode pÄ Magzter GOLD for Ä fÄ tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century oldâdense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Diorâs last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
