Letters from the city

While staying put, we asked our bureau chiefs and editors to reflect on what they most value about their respective cities.
Civil action

In Europe, national volunteer forces are proving their worth.
Let’s get physical

With gyms closed for now, is this the final straight for the firms aiming to keep you fit without leaving your home?
Great shape

Good design brings joy at a time when home comforts have never been more important – and Fiskars has been leading the way in innovation and functionality for centuries.
Polling power

With the 2020 US elections on the horizon, we find out how the creatives behind the country’s most effective political adverts bring in the votes.
Full screen ahead

What’s next in this “golden age of television”? Streaming services are a boon to everyone – especially those confined at home now – but regional and niche broadcasters are taking up the challenge posed by the big players. The future of the small screen is a real cliffhanger.
Frontline reporting

In Italy’s worst-hit region, a plucky local newspaper is a lifeline for many residents. We meet its editor to learn about the challenges of covering a pandemic.
Domestic agenda

Never has the home been more important to us: an abode that’s functional and well designed is a sanctuary in uncertain times that can offer a huge boost to our quality of life. With this in mind, we’re here to help. As we all become more familiar with our interiors, allow our Home Manifesto to transform your living spaces on the advice of the planet’s finest furniture-makers, lighting specialists, gardeners and craftspeople.
Draw upon this

We might not see much of our cities for now but great design is everywhere. From toy building blocks to inspirational theatres, there is plenty to savour in 2020.
Artists in residence

An overlooked pioneer of mid-century modernism, Mario Pani filled Mexico City with spacious, meticulously designed apartments now cherished by the creatives who call them home.
New wave

Scattered among the dunes and beaches of a Portuguese coastal resort, a series of holiday homes capture the country’s golden age of modernist architecture.
Reputation building

Self-reliant and dismissive of fame, W Earl Wear was an unsung hero of modernist architecture. But his handful of sculptural homes command a growing band of devotees.
Feed your curiosity

Restaurants are off the menu for many but there’s no excuse for not eating well. Here we share some hearty, fuss-free and uplifting dishes that are simple to make and even easier to enjoy.
Sacred cows

How we produce and procure food is being scrutinised as panic-buying and uncertainty ensue. The onus on traceability and provenance at the Paris International Agricultural Show is a recipe we should all stick to.
Whetting the appetite

Hospitality has been hit hard by the unprecedented international lockdown – but brighter days will return. Here we ask our staffers, from all corners of the globe, about which restaurants they can’t wait to return to when service resumes.
House of style

We met founder of menswear brand Bode in sunnier times. But her message is for now: if you want to be resilient, keep production close to home.
Branching out

A blossom-season stroll in Tokyo calls for fine knits in fresh colours, utility-inspired outer layers and touches of soft tailoring.

What to buy / Global

Seeding change

Spring feels different this year. But the simple pleasure of caring for your patch (whether it’s a city window box or a lawn in the countryside) remains a powerful pleasure. Since so many people are cooped up at home, we’ve pulled together some sharp items to help you – as Voltaire suggested – to cultivate your garden.

Writer: Hester Underhill

Photography: Trisha Ward

Fork and trowel DeWit dewit.eu — Fork and trowel *DeWit dewit.eu*

Watering can Labour and Wait labourandwait.co.uk — Watering can *Labour and Wait* *labourandwait.co.uk*

Mini shears Niwaki niwaki.com; scp.co.uk — Mini shears *Niwaki niwaki.com; scp.co.uk*

Plant pot Northern northern.no — Plant pot *Northern northern.no*

Rust and sap eraser Niwaki niwaki.com — Rust and sap eraser *Niwaki niwaki.com*

Secateurs Opinel opinel.com; conranshop.co.uk — Secateurs *Opinel* *opinel.com*; *conranshop.co.uk*

Shears Niwaki niwaki.com; scp.co.uk — Shears *Niwaki* *niwaki.com*; *scp.co.uk*

Plant shops that deliver

While many plant shops are closing their doors right now, others are widening their online offerings and delivery options.

1.
The Sill
USA
Its shops in Los Angeles and New York are closed but The Sill is still delivering across the US.
thesill.com

2.
Wildernis
Amsterdam
Wildernis’s bikes and electric cars distribute plants city-wide.
wildernisamsterdam.nl

3.
Plantsmith
Melbourne
Melburnians can order a range of house plants and ceramic pots from this small shop in Preston.
plantsmith.net.au

4.
Plant København
Copenhagen
Order anything from palms and cacti to air plants and terrariums.
plantkbh.dk

5.
Limbo
Lisbon
Specialising in plants that are hard to find in Portugal, Limbo posts to anywhere in the country.
limboshop.pt

Trug Thomas Smith sussextrugs.com; labourandwait.co.uk — Trug *Thomas Smith* *sussextrugs.com*; *labourandwait.co.uk*

Plant pot Serax serax.com; earlofeast.com — Plant pot *Serax* serax.com; *earlofeast.com*

Garden scissors Niwaki niwaki.com; scp.co.uk — Garden scissors *Niwaki* *niwaki.com*; *scp.co.uk*

Trowel Niwaki niwaki.com; scp.co.uk — Trowel *Niwaki niwaki.com*; *scp.co.uk*

Gloves Briers labourandwait.co.uk — Gloves *Briers* *labourandwait.co.uk*

Watering can Haws haws.co.uk — Watering can *Haws* *haws.co.uk*

Snips Niwaki niwaki.com; scp.co.uk — Snips *Niwaki* *niwaki.com*; *scp.co.uk*

Tips for novice gardeners

Peter Milne, co-founder of London’s The Nunhead Gardener nursery, offers us five pieces of advice that he often imparts to rookie customers.

1.
Find the right plant for the right spot
If you put a sun-loving plant in a shady spot, you will end up disappointed.

2.
Make sure you have a few evergreens
If you fill your garden with perennials it will look bleak for much of the year.

3.
Keep the colour palette simple
If you just have a small space then this will help to create a more co-ordinated look.

4.
Don’t pick too many diverse varieties
Just choose a few different kinds of plants and dot them around your garden.

5.
Use big pots
Small pots dry out much quicker, while big ones give the roots more space
to grow.
thenunheadgardener.com

Seeds Piccolo piccoloseeds.com — Seeds *Piccolo* *piccoloseeds.com*

Pruners, fork and transplanter Fiskars fiskars.eu — Pruners, fork and transplanter *Fiskars* *fiskars.eu*

Indoor plant food Norfolk norfolknaturalliving.com — Indoor plant food *Norfolk norfolknaturalliving.com*

Gardening knives Opinel opinel.com; conranshop.co.uk — Gardening knives *Opinel* *opinel.com*; *conranshop.co.uk*

Model: Alexandra B

Editor’s Letter

The opener

Home truths

Letters from the city

Civil action

Let’s get physical

Great shape

Polling power

Full screen ahead

Frontline reporting

Domestic agenda

Draw upon this

Artists in residence

New wave

Reputation building

Feed your curiosity

Sacred cows

Whetting the appetite

House of style

Branching out

Affairs Briefing

Business Briefing

Fashion Briefing

Culture Briefing

Beach hub

Better than fiction

Seeding change

Ascend the throne

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