John Massey’s garden in April

It is no wonder that John Massey begins every day with a stroll round his garden, his collies, Willow and Poppy, at his side. ‘I’ve planted my garden to try and create interest in every season, so there’s always something new to see,’ he says. Wrapped closely round John’s chalet bungalow — originally two Edwardian, canal-side cottages — it unfolds as a series of landscapes in miniature. The back garden opens with a series of winding beds filled with choice plants in captivating combinations, and the occasional surprise — woodland filled with white fritillaries, a pair of swans nestling amidst golden grasses, a small courtyard with table and stools made from a single tree trunk, or the statue of a young boy perched on a rock