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Essays, recipes, garden notes and design wisdom, gathered through the seasons. Quiet observations on the art of keeping a home, and the rooms, gardens and thresholds worth keeping well.
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The Hearth
August is the month to reset the home before September begins. From the garden and exterior to guest rooms, household systems and the small domestic details, this seasonal checklist keeps the house beautiful, functional and ready for late summer living.
At Lullingstone Castle, the world is held inside a wall. Beyond the Kent lanes, the gatehouse and the long rhythm of one of England’s oldest family estates, The World Garden…
There is a time that arrives in many gardens when you realise you are no longer the sole occupant. A blackbird begins inspecting the lawn with the seriousness of a surveyor. Bees drift lazily between flowers. And if you’re particularly fortunate, a hedgehog may appear one…
There is a moment in many gardens when the patio is finally completed. The paving has been laid with admirable precision, the furniture has been positioned, and yet something feels… slightly off. The…
ach year brings a new wave of gardening “trends”, often delivered with great enthusiasm and the quiet implication that your garden may already be terribly out of date. Scroll through social media for…
There is a particular moment in early spring when the garden seems to arrive all at once. Buds appear where bare branches stood only weeks before, the first green shoots push confidently through the…
Watering a garden is the first act of outdoor care most of us learn. As children we are handed a small green watering can and told to help. As adults we carry on much the same ritual, hose in hand…
Heavy rain isn’t a disaster in many cases, but it’s always better to prepare without fear and look for ways to prevent rain damage and issues before they arrive. After heavy rain, the most useful…
In the UK, where weather is unpredictable and growing seasons can feel short, preparation matters even more. A week of mild sunshine can be followed by a sharp frost or heavy rain that’ll…
The garden can be thought of as an additional room to your home, though it’s one you only use as a relaxation centre in nice weather. With that in mind, here’s some guidance on how to take care of…
Stewardship is about adding the garden on as an extra room; one without a roof or traditional walls, but one that still sits under your care. Garden maintenance is your ongoing record of care, not a…
If you want to understand Home Stewardship, don’t start with the house, start with the garden. Long before we had apps, schedules, or systems, gardens taught us how long-term care actually works. A…
The most compelling patio gardens in the UK today are those that accept hard surfaces as a given, but subvert the expectation that hard surfaces can’t be beautiful. This is how The Hearth elevates a…
To preserve a garden’s original intention is not to resist change, but to guide it. Thoughtful evolution allows a garden to feel both relevant and rooted, refreshed without losing its sense of self…
Introduction: Beauty in Abundance As nature prepares for dormancy, the edible garden reaches its magnificent finale—a crescendo of abundance that can be thoughtfully incorporated into sophisticated…
Introduction: The Enduring Framework As blooms give way to seed heads and foliage transforms, the underlying structure of a garden reveals itself. This seasonal shift offers an opportunity to…
Introduction: Beauty Beyond Summer’s Peak As summer’s exuberance fades, a thoughtfully designed garden reveals its more subtle charms. Creating a landscape that maintains interest and beauty into the…
The walled garden, once a standard feature of British country estates, is experiencing a remarkable renaissance in contemporary landscape design. These enclosed horticultural spaces—historically created to extend growing seasons, protect…
Water features have long been cherished elements in garden design, bringing movement, sound, reflection, and wildlife into outdoor spaces. From formal fountains to naturalistic ponds, the presence of water creates…
In the pursuit of creating homes that reflect our values, the materials we choose and how we maintain them represent some of our most significant environmental decisions. At House…
In an era where outdoor space is increasingly precious, container gardening has emerged as the definitive solution for those with limited gardening areas. Whether you have a compact balcony, a…
In the realm of garden design, perception often trumps reality. This is particularly true when working with limited outdoor spaces, where the art of creating gardens that feel larger than…
In the United Kingdom, where garden space is often at a premium, mastering the art of small garden design has become essential for homeowners seeking to create outdoor sanctuaries. Whether…
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The Hearth, published by the House of Willow Alexander
Weekly from the studios · Quarterly in print · Spring MMXXVI, No. XI