The hanging gardens of Barbican

Many of London's great landmarks are easy to love. The architecture is straightforward, quite obviously attractive, easy to photograph and aesthetically pleasing without question. The Barbican is a place that my eyes aren't quite sure what to do with. I find it truly fascinating and it's one of my favourite spots in London. I love the …

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Misadventures with a wildflower window box

I had high hopes for our balcony when I started gardening in September last year. I saw our modest concrete enclosure through rose, tulip and poppy-tinted spectacles. It would become an urban jungle, I thought, filled with hanging baskets brimming with trailing ivy and big, beaming flowers, birds and bees making the glorious space their home. It would …