Turning heads

From Belarus to Hong Kong, political uprisings were a feature of 2020. But 10 years on from the Arab Spring, it is clear that these heated movements don’t always result in real change. So what is the secret to success? And what can we expect in 2021?
Preparing for the worst

Whether you’re faced with an accident, a fire or a less expected natural catastrophe, it pays to have a plan. Meet the experts who are laying the groundwork to keep us safe and sound.
How to be a modern spy

As digital footprints have become easier to follow, the espionage game has changed. We track where it’s heading.
Shape of things to come

Although 2020 proved that some developments just cannot be foreseen, certain voices are better placed than most to predict the likely direction of the year ahead. We asked 10 experts in international and geopolitical affairs to stick their necks out and tell us which way the world will turn in 2021.
Streets ahead

Talk of a pandemic-induced exodus from city living has been overegged but there’s always room for improvement in even our most-treasured urban areas. Here we spotlight 10 initiatives from around the globe that could help to kick-start a fresh civic renaissance.
Changing of the guard

A new generation of bright and brave politicians, activists and educators are seeking to shake up those parts of Africa long beset by corruption, conflict and rank inequality. We cross the continent to meet five pioneers who are determined to transform their countries for good.
View from the top

Events of the past year have posed many questions as to how we move forward as a society. At Monocle’s The Chiefs conference – held in the Swiss Alps with special partner UBS – entrepreneurs and creatives came together to offer their take.
Cleared for takeoff

While many airlines panicked during the pandemic, others stood firm and respected passengers by sticking to schedules or even extending their networks. We flag up the carriers that are best placed to ride out the turbulence.
All in place

Thinking of relocating? Then head to an area offering fresh opportunities. That might mean anything from a building boom that enables architects to get creative to a well-connected rural community where entrepreneurs support each other. So where will your next move take you?
Art and soul

Smart collectors follow their taste and inclinations when they’re buying but they also have the nose to expand and explore new fields. We speak to four insiders about where the market is heading – and what sectors are piquing their interest.
Hot off the press

In Italy’s crowded media landscape, two new national newspapers – and one youthful stalwart – are playing against type to prove that print can still be a powerful and popular medium for journalists and public alike.
Work in progress

Fifty years ago architects started to reimagine the office, wondering how it could become a more inspiring, democratic environment. Half a century later, as we prepare for another shake-up of the workplace, we look at the ideas that stood the test of time – and visit the German company rethinking open-plan.
Made in milan

The city is no longer just a backdrop for the world’s design talent during the annual Salone del Mobile. It has reinvented itself as a place where young creatives can work, make and play. We meet the leaders of the pack.

Gardening / London

Status grow

There’s still space on the high street for cultivating optimism.

Photography: Lucy Pullicino

01_lucy-pullicino_nunhead-edit_-6.2.jpg — Signs of a retail revival

Staff, such as Jean-Michel Cretal, share their love of horticulture

Founders Alejandro Beltran (on left) and Peter Milne

It’s no surprise that gardening television shows across the globe clocked record viewer numbers in 2020. With many cooped up at home, neglected greenery suddenly had the attention it deserved. The garden beds and indoor pots flagged as projects for long weekends were planted, watered, pruned and fertilised. “Our homes are our sanctuaries,” says Peter Milne, co-founder of The Nunhead Gardener, a London garden centre that opened its second location – in Camberwell – in September. “The past year, and this summer in particular, has made people appreciate and value their homes more than ever.”

This shift has meant that although recent months were rough for retail, the climate is ripe for a new garden centre. Taking a punt on an unlikely south London high street (not far from its original outpost in Nunhead), Milne and his partner Alejandro Beltran have set up shop in a former bank. Nestled among coffee chains, bookmakers and small supermarkets, the space offers a wide collection of indoor and outdoor plants, homeware and garden supplies. It’s the first shop of its kind in the area, giving customers access to wares and horticultural advice. Judging by the constant flow of visitors, it’s a hit.

“The past year, and this summer in particular, has made people appreciate and value their homes more than ever”

“I’ve been in twice already this week,” says Lauren Hand, who lives nearby. “I have a bit of an obsession with plants and then there’s a lot of nice candles and soaps. I’ll be back all the time.” It’s this sort of relationship that The Nunhead Gardener intends to grow. It’s an ambition embedded in the layout. “You don’t even need to buy anything,” says Milne. “You can just wander in, have a browse and then walk out the back. It can be a distraction on your way to work, on your way home or at the weekend.” The outside is intentionally inviting with the big front windows appointed with lush plants and gentle lighting.

Red robin plant getting some attention before going on display

The Nunhead Gardener hopes to be a shop for stocking up on bulbs but also a meeting place and point of pride for the community. And in this regard it’s got a pretty good barometer for success – one that Milne and Beltran cultivated themselves. “We’ve been at our original Nunhead location for five years now and we feel that we’re really positioned at the heart of the community,” says Milne. “We’ve seen people start dating, get married and begin families, and we feel as though we have been on that journey with them.” Expect the green shoots of success to also take root in Camberwell soon.
thenunheadgardener.com

Tyler Brûlé on why 2021 should be the year when we leave no one behind

Peoples and places

Turning heads

Preparing for the worst

How to be a modern spy

Shape of things to come

Streets ahead

Changing of the guard

View from the top

Cleared for takeoff

All in place

Art and soul

Hot off the press

Work in progress

Made in milan

Think again

Home comforts

Knives out

Go north

Outside the box

Bright lights, small city

The Monocle Shop

Sound bites

Status grow

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