Editor’s Letter

ecorating a period home offers endless scope for creativity – there is such a rich archive of heritage designs to draw from, and when refreshed with a modern palette they beautifully reveal how the regular contributor Lee Bilson begins a new series uncovering the history of the rooms we live in, explaining how they have evolved over the centuries (page 88). He starts by delving into living rooms, and I find it fascinating that he believes we have come full circle – with early houses being open plan out of necessity, moving to separate rooms for different functions, then returning to the desire for open-plan living spaces once again. Staying with the history theme, National Trust head gardener Rosie Fyles continues her series exploring gardens through time, and focuses on the Victorian era (page 128). In the 19th century, sourcing unusual and ‘exotic’ plants was all the rage. Gardeners loved to embrace colour, while growing under glass became widespread. Whether or not your home is from this era, there are plenty of ideas to take for your garden. Whatever you have planned for your home and garden this spring, I hope you find to be a source of advice and inspiration. If you are a regular reader, then why not take out a subscription? You can save 50 per cent on the cover price with this month’s special offer when you sign up (page 62). I do hope you enjoy the issue.