Visit this
Need a break from the bustle during a trip out in London? The roof garden at Soas’s Brunei Gallery, part of the University of London near Russell Square, is a hidden gem. Peter Swift’s design uses minimalist planting features, raked gravel and a raised meditation area to evoke the spirit of Japan. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10.30am-5pm, admission free; soas.ac.uk/soas-life/roofgarden for details.
Plant this
If you’re looking for flowers that will thrive in dappled shade and round off late summer with a flush of blooms, Japanese anemones are a fine choice; try pure white Anemone × hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’, dusty pink A. ‘September Charm’ or darker pink A. ‘Prinz Heinrich’. All need moist, fertile soil, and be warned: Japanese anemones will spread abundantly if happy. Height and spread: about 1m x 1m.
Install this
Water butts can be hard to accommodate in a small garden, and they’re ugly, too, but why let all that precious rainwater escape into the drains, especially when plants prefer it to the stuff out of the tap? Take a tour of your downpipes now; a wall-mounted water butt (I like the ones from waterbutt.co.uk) saves space and looks stylish.
