Lighting-up time

Originally a means of keeping a living record of garden plants, our 722 National Plant Collections–of everything from Abies to Zingiber –set the gold standard across the world. Charles Quest-Ritson meets some of the expert collection holders

When summer beckons, it is answered by a chorus of glorious roses that fill an enchanting Isle of Wight garden, created from scratch by Derek and Louise Ness

The gardens at Bledlow Manor, Bledlow, Buckinghamshire The home of Baron Carrington of Upton

This South West garden has gone from dark, shady and overgrown to lush and romantic

Tucked away beneath Ilkley Moor, Lyn Short’s hillside garden is a hidden sanctuary where moss-covered boulders, tumbling water and a tapestry of ferns create a landscape both wild and lovingly tended

Buying the property next door to their home allowed a couple to create a new garden filled with a mosaic of flower borders, lush lawns and tranquil woodland walks