Editor’s letter
Many of the world's most beautiful gardens have evolved over decades, if not centuries. Brick pathways worn by generations of footsteps; stone and metalwork with a unique patina; trees and shrubs with idiosyncratic shapes evolved over many seasons – each adds a further layer of interest to a garden. Wabi-sabi, the ancient Japanese philosophy that celebrates the beauty found in imperfection, is becoming ever more popular in the West and there’s no doubt that – even on an unconscious level – the integrity of well-worn, natural materials bring character to your garden. But how can you give a garden a feeling of age when it’s relatively recently constructed? Designer Kristy Ramage offers her insights on page 56. Planting trees and shrubs is a great way to ensure interest throughout the seasons and we asked Matthew Biggs to visit specialist grower Bulk Nursery in the Netherlands to find out its owners’ recommendations for autumn colour (page 78). November is a good time to plant garlic and on page 72 gardener-cook Jojo Tulloh recommends her favourite cultivars and offers some deliciously garlicky recipes. In our Design Ideas series on page 90, James Alexander-Sinclair looks at clever uses for steel in the garden, and in particular Corten, a group of steel alloys that develop a stable, rust-like appearance, which works well in many different styles of garden. The rich colours of autumn leaves, dried seedheads and skeleton forms are found throughout the issue and serve as another reminder of the astonishing beauty to be found in decay. I hope you enjoy the issue.