The Very British Edit: British Gardens Have Always Been Designed to Be Looked At. American Gardens Have Been Made for Living In. This Summer, Everything’s Changed

The Opening Note

As a Brit, it’s impossible to be fully immersed in the holiday weekend the US has just celebrated without making observations. My American friends and colleagues decorate outdoors in a way that simply wouldn’t occur to the British, with porches and yards, front and back, decked out in red, white, and blue – something we’d barely consider, even for a Coronation.

It speaks not just to patriotism, but to the way Americans inhabit their outdoor spaces. You expect to linger on the porch, seat 20 for a backyard dinner, or host pool parties. We expect rain to stop play. Our time in the garden is usually fleeting; our gardens are spaces to be admired through rain-flecked windows rather than treated as another room to be enjoyed and used.

The result? Your outdoor furniture and decor are confident in its starring role – bold stripes, earthy West Coast tones, crisp Hamptons blues, Miami pinks. Ours – pretty florals, subtle stripes, and plenty of teak and woven materials – has traditionally played a supporting role, complementing the one successful constant we could rely on: beautiful British blooms, reliably fed by rain.

Until this year’s unprecedented UK heatwaves. While not quite as intense as yours, they have nonetheless become our new normal, prompting a collective rethink of how we use, furnish, and decorate our outdoor spaces from now on.

All of which means – I predict – that there will be an enthusiastic explosion of new designs in outdoor furniture, upholstery, lighting, and decor in the UK. Some classic British brands you already know and love are already championing the English country garden in the US – think outdoor upholstery and decor in pretty florals from Morris & Co. These scalloped-edge parasols look as though they’ve been brought back from a Grand Tour of Europe, and muted British heritage colors straight from a Little Greene paint card. Dreamy.

My favorites, all with that straight-out-of-an-English-garden feel – and all available now in the US – are below. And you can bet your life there’s more coming your way, because we Brits love nothing more than making it in America.

The Edit: A Very British Summer

In the Queue

Next week on The Very British Edit, I'm thinking about something we often forget: the front of our homes.

It's funny, really. We spend months agonizing over paint colors, sofas, and kitchen hardware, yet the very first thing anyone sees is often treated as an afterthought. A tired doormat, an overgrown hedge, pots that have long since given up, and a front door we've stopped noticing because we walk past it every day.

I've always thought the entrance tells you almost everything you need to know about a home. Not because it has to be grand, but because it quietly sets expectations. Before you've stepped inside, you've already started imagining what the rest of the house might feel like.

The homes I remember most always seem to get this balance right. They don't necessarily have huge driveways or immaculate topiary, but they have a sense of welcome. A beautifully painted door, generous planting spilling onto the path, a lantern glowing as evening falls. It feels considered without feeling staged.

That's what I'll be exploring next week: the small, timeless ideas that instantly improve curb appeal without making your home look like it's trying too hard. From the plants that make an entrance feel established to the outdoor lighting, planters, and finishing touches that create a lasting first impression, these are the details that make coming home feel just that little bit better.

After all, if the front of your house is the opening chapter, why not make it one worth reading?

The Very British Edit is a shoppable guide to beautiful living with a distinctly British twist. From heritage patterns to timeless decor inspirations, each edition blends personal insight, design expertise, and a love of craftsmanship. It is stylish, trustworthy, and endlessly inspiring.