I have been reading Sue Stuart-Smith’s very wonderful book, The Well-Gardened Mind, about the therapeutic value of gardens to all forms of disease, misanthropy and melancholia while sitting on the verandah of our back garden, gradually realising that I was myself living through the experience of one of the chapters of her book: the benefits of close observation of flowers, particularly in the fierce light after heavy rain, surrounded by a wealth of natural forms, which I have not necessarily have paid attention to in the past given my general botanical ignorance, but will obviously need to more closely in the future:-
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
We had our garden shed – designed by Studio Bark and self built by us – open today for London Open House. We did nothing more than open the door to people and offer cake while the architects did the hard work of explaining the complexities of the build to about sixty groups of visitors (around 150 people we think). What was striking was the number of young people who – passing back through our kitchen – told us that they have no outdoor space. In fact some of the younger visitors plonked themselves down at our garden table to while away some time. It’s easy to forget just what a privilege it is to have a garden to observe.
I wish I had known. I would have come. Yes, a back garden – and a front one – is a great privilege. Charles