Welcome

Generally I consider myself very lucky and privileged to have this job. Spending the days immersed in gorgeous gardens and plants is clearly no hardship, but there is one in Burley, Rutland, and packing the borders at in Shropshire, where rosarian Michael Marriott gardens with his partner Rosie Irving. We also have designer Jo Thompson outlining some planting schemes for roses and hand-picking a selection of her favourite rose varieties (most of which are going straight on my list). In a similar vein, Anna Pavord is bringing out a new edition of her classic book about perfect planting partners, so we chat to her about that on page 113 and share two of her schemes (one involves a rubus that looks lovely – also now on the list), while Alan Gray is here to tempt us with an array of plants and tactics for brilliant, long-lasting summer containers.