Escape to the garden with THE GLOSS.

There is a particular beauty to an Irish garden. Shaped by our rain-softened climate, everything grows with a quiet abundance. No two days are the same as hedges become thick and generous, lawns seem permanently dew-kissed and our eyes are met with verdant layers of glossy green. Our wildness shines through as huge swathes of open ground turn purple underneath big, billowing bushes of lavender humming with the sound of busy bees. It’s not just perennial garden lovers who love to potter and cultivate.

In THE GLOSS July/August issue, Sarah Macken writes about how gardening has become cool again, not just for the fashionably green-fingered, it’s become mainstream with garden heroes like Monty Don fronting ad campaigns for fashion brands.

Ruth O’Connor speaks to House of Hackney founder Frieda Gormley about how the future of her business is firmly rooted in the regeneration and protection of nature.

Deirdre McQuillan travelled to Ballyfin to speak to revered landscape designer Catherine FitzGerald about her ongoing work at the grand demesne. She is rewilding the estate with a deep reverence for the landscape and the garden designs that came before.

Out of the garden (for just a moment), Lynn Enright interviews the four fantastic Irish actresses about to take to the stage at The Gate Theatre in Conor McPherson’s new play The Brightening Air. Read her insightful conversation with Derbhle Crotty, Aisling Kearns, Kate Gilmore and Judith Roddy.

Kitty Coles packs the perfect picnic, and Julie Dupouy finds wine pairings to match. Ciara McQuillan recommends lunch menus where local produce is the star of the show, as ingredients travel directly from garden to plate.

Penny McCormick plans stargazing trips as astrotourism continues to soar, and Sarah Halliwell picks the best books for holidays.

There is so much to read this month and we hope you get to do so in whatever piece of magical garden heaven you find yourself in.