The past few years have seen a decided shift in lifestyle trends and one that is seasonally appropriate to explore now is gardening. While always floating around as a hobbyist favorite, recently it has become much more common to see your favorite influencer and celebrity sharing their new found passion in planting. Gorgeous gardens, glass green houses that look like tiny crystalline homes, and… is that a chicken in the corner? Yes, there certainly seems to be a return to Gaia. When life seems shaky personally, emotionally, familially, locally and even globally, humanity turns to the earth, the soil, to ground down, and find our stability, our roots, quite literally, in the firm foundation that is Mother Earth.
One of the lovely things about gardening is how it is such a reflection of your personality, no matter the size, from a ten acre field to a single flowerpot on the windowsill, nature is tailormade to fit you and your lifestyle. Think of your garden as a bespoke dress or suit, you can make it any way you want to fit who you are, and how and where you live. A beautiful and abundant vegetable garden for the chef who adores the freshest ingredients; think rich, ripe, red tomatoes, green glossy lettuces, stems of chives and bouquets of mint. An orangery greenhouse for those snowbirds who have to live in the north even though their heart yearns for the lemons of the Amalfi coast. A wildflower garden frequented by honeybees and butterflies for the free spirit that really can’t be bothered by rules and routines; let nature take its course as you dance around barefoot among the petals. For those of you who like to take your time and know that slow and steady wins the race, think financial advisors and engineers, you couldn’t possibly be able to walk away from the lifetime abundance that are fruit and nut bearing trees. One bite of your first apple or cherry and you know you’ve won the long game. Water lover, maybe you are a Pisces or Cancerian, surely waterlilies are in your future as you dip your toes into the fascinating world of aquaculture. And for those who believe in healthy boundaries you’ll appreciate the innate wisdom of cacti; thorns are not to be feared but respected as they are only there to protect what is precious and valuable, water. You know the secret that thorns on the outside mean a delicate, sweet heart, and even in the desert a million flowers bloom.
Perhaps you’re ready to join the trend or maybe you’re a steadfast caretaker of blossoms and buds, either way we have curated a lovely list of gardening must-haves to add a bit glamour to your daily stewardship.
We had the opportunity to chat with a couple of leading ladies in the gardening world, Beth Gregg of Claverton Cloches, and Sunshine Chapman of Garden Works who share some of their inspirations and tips. Enjoy!
CLAVERTON CLOCHES
Whether you are protecting your precious seedlings from lingering frosts, wild winds or the curious tastebuds of bunnies’ cloches provide an unbeatable tool for the northern gardener. We particularly love the craftsmanship, longevity and style of the Claverton Cloches. These cold frames are created of cast iron and then galvanized and powder-coated for a lifetime of garden propagation protection.
“I’ve always been obsessed with gardens, especially the romance and beauty of The English Garden and how colour, form, scent, sound all combine to create something magical. I founded Claverton Cloches as I wanted well-made tools and accessories for my own garden; the tools had to be beautiful and timeless in design, adding that English Garden sensibility. “
“Our products are inspired by heritage designs found in historic walled gardens. We have a workshop just outside the beautiful city of Bath, employing traditional skills, craftsmanship and best-in-class materials. It’s incredibly important to me that our products are built to last (so many garden products end up in landfill after just a few seasons – which feels entirely at odds with why we garden!).“
“We’ve supplied our cloches and hosepipes to some of the world’s finest gardens, including some of the very gardens that I originally drew inspiration from, like Highgrove House, Kew Gardens, The Newt and Holkham Estate.”
“I’ve heaps of plans for other gardening tools inspired by designs from historic gardens and have more launches planned for next year – all with the same original focus on craftsmanship, beauty and longevity.”
GARDEN WORKS
When looking for gloves, aprons, tools and towels, we love Garden Works for their top quality gardening accessories. In particular, we love their full leather rose pruning gauntlet gloves which are extra-long to cover and protect your forearms when you’re shaping and pruning your prized climbing vines. Sunshine Chapman shares a bit about her passion for gardening and her top choices for rose gardener’s.
“I come from a long line of gardeners, and I’ve always been passionate about creating beautiful spaces outdoors. Growing up in Virginia, my Father taught me how to hybridize daylilies, and we spent weekends at estate sales hunting for antique garden tools. I acquired Garden Works with my husband in August 2024, and these days, I’m loving the process of creating high-quality tools that make gardening more enjoyable. Garden Works provides gardeners with durable, well-crafted tools that stand the test of time, and I’m so proud to be the steward of this heritage brand.“
“When pruning roses, protection is key. Rose thorns can be sharp and unforgiving, making high-quality gloves a necessity. Our Deluxe Rose Pro’s leather gloves are designed specifically to provide superior thorn protection while maintaining flexibility and comfort. The cow grain leather gauntlet sleeve shields the forearm from scratches and punctures, while the goatskin leather palms offer excellent dexterity and abrasion resistance. This combination allows gardeners to work confidently and comfortably without worrying about injuries.“
“In addition to a great pair of gloves, rose gardeners should consider having a high-quality pair of pruning shears. Look for bypass pruners with sharp, precision blades for clean cuts that promote healthy growth.“
“Roses dislike having wet feet but need to be watered widely around the base of the plant to encourage root spreading as they reach for moisture. pH is also very important for roses, and this tool measures both“
“With the right tools, rose gardening becomes a much more enjoyable and successful experience!“
LIVLIG
The words lush and beautiful rarely go with the words garden hoses, yet Livlig of Germany has managed to turn the mundane into the magnificent. Living with Livlig gardening hoses and accessories is a lot like living with garden jewelry. The beautiful golden brass spray nozzles and the chic colorways of their irrigation watering hoses are are a pleasure to work with. And, impressively each hose is pressure, temperature and UV-resistant, free from harmful substances (phthalates) and made from 60% recycled materials, which gives us peace of mind that we are using only the best when caring for our garden. We love Livlig and you will, too.
“As a lifestyle brand for home and garden, we want to inspire people to design their homes authentically and according to their ideas. We focus on quality and functionality while handling resources consciously and responsibly to create products that embody Livlig and provide sustainable joy!”
“We strive to create a community that shares a joy for life, a connection to nature, and an appreciation for quality with us. With Livlig, we contribute to the idea that joy in life is not just a product but is recognized as an authentic life philosophy.”
HOLLAND COOPER
We particularly like the British fashion brand Holland Cooper for their outdoor footwear that begs to be skipping around the hedgerows and splashing in the rain.
These easy slip ons are100% waterproof, easy clean, vulcanised rubber, and sherpa lined to keep your feet cozy and warm as you stroll through your trellis’s and navigate the rows of rosemary.
We also love the Sherpa lined Regency Wellington for those rainier days where mud is sure to be involved. You can certainly get a lot accomplished in a pair of these boots.
DAVID AUSTIN ROSES
If you don’t know, you should know that when it comes to classic English style garden roses one of the first places to look for your newest addition should be David Austin. This world class hybrid rose breeder is a cornerstone in the world of rose gardens. With a wide variety of award winning rose varieties you’re sure to find something you love.
May we suggest the spectacular variety of James Galway. This English climbing rose is a real showstopper and the pale pink outer petals dive into a deeper hue towards the center making for a striking reveal.
The sweetly scented buttercup yellow blossoms of this shrub rose of Chares Darwin variety adds a soft lemony dream to any garden. Easily grows in containers so even small garden decks can enjoy this little jewel.
We would like to introduce you to the Princess Alexandra of Kent rose, this shrub rose is a powerful punch of color and a prolific bloomer. Large full petaled cups and a delicious lemony scent slowly moving to hints of blackcurrant over time this rose will be a favorite treasure in your rose garden.
HAPPY GARDENING!
- Photo Credits: Claverton Cloches; Livlig; Garden Works; Holland Cooper; David Austin Roses