FROM THE EDITOR
My garden isn’t quite sure what’s happened to it over the last couple of months. Thanks to all the time I’ve been spending at home, it’s been lavished with more care and attention than it’s seen in a while and is now thriving as a result. The raised beds are planted up ready to deliver a bumper summer crop of veg, the out-of-control laurel hedge is (almost) back under control, the kids have been busy creating bug hotels from whatever bits of old wood they can find, and our plans for an outdoor kitchen are taking shape and will hopefully come to fruition once we can get hold of the materials.
Knowing how lucky my family is to have some outside space has made me appreciate my garden more than ever before, and I’ve taken a great deal of pleasure in things that might usually have passed me by. So much so that I’m determined to keep up my enthusiasm for all things garden related long after life hopefully starts returning to some sort of normality later in the year.
With the longer summer evenings and warm weather to look forward to, I’ve now turned my attention to my patio area. The leopard print outdoor cushions on page 15 had my name written all over them (I can never resist a bit of animal print), so they went straight in my trolley during a recent supermarket shop. There’s plenty more to swoon over in our round-up of the 50 hottest outdoor buys (page 47), and if you’re on the hunt for simple garden makeovers, you’ll find lots of great ideas for quick outdoor paint projects on page 52.
If you’re planning a bigger garden project, take a tour of Natasha and Gary Jackson’s pretty garden for ways to add interest to a suburban space (page 82), and don’t miss our guide to linking indoors and out (page 89), something our cover star Nikki Edwards achieved so successfully when extending her house (page 22). Having spent a sunny day photographing her beautiful home last year, I’ve been dreaming of having a similar window seat ever since. I’m not sure I can think of a better spot to have in my house where I could sit and enjoy views outside with a good book and a cup of coffee. I hope this issue gives you just as much inspiration for your own home and garden. Enjoy!