WILD BEAUTY

Provence-based garden designer James Basson and his wife, Helen, prefer landscapes to gardens, as can be seen from James’s series of four Gold-medal winning gardens at recent RHS Chelsea Flower Shows. One of his favourites is Plateau des Caussols, which, at an altitude of 3,608 feet, is large, open and flat. “The plateau,” says James, “is incredible when the wild peonies are in flower. To see how beautiful untouched landscape can really be is constantly inspiring.” 06460 Caussols, beyond.fr/ sites/caussols.html.