Editor’s Letter
Arts and Crafts is an enduring design movement that feels as relevant today as when it was conceived in the late 19th century. Reacting against the Industrial Revolution and declining standards in decorative arts and craftsmanship, leading luminaries such as William Morris and Philip Webb sought to recapture lost traditional skills. But more than this, they wanted to create a positive, healthy environment for the suffering workforce, believing people could take pride in making things by hand. While the movement’s principles and aesthetics for home design are widely recognised and aspired to today, there is less of an understanding of how the style translated to gardens. In this issue, National Trust head gardener Rosie Fyles reveals how the movement still has a surprising influence on the way we garden today…