George Plumptre George Plumptre is an author, journalist and former gardening correspondent of The Times. Since 2011 he has been the chief executive of the National Garden Scheme. Horatio's Garden: The life-changing gardens that 'give you hope and take away the darkness' George Plumptre visits the extraordinary Horatio’s Garden in Salisbury, an 'inspirational place' that shows the power of gardening. Low Crag, Cumbria: A garden in perfect harmony within one of Britain's most beautiful places The garden of Low Crag, Cumbria — home of Mr and Mrs Chris Dodd — demonstrates a thoughtful approach to gardening that has brought about a great increase in the population of birds and animal life in this two-acre plot. George Plumptre explains more; pictures by Val Corbett for Country Life. The gardens at Ready Token, Gloucestershire: The new, gentler blueprint for rewilding that's yielding spectacular results Retaining the Arts-and-Crafts elements of a 1920s garden, the owners have added a sympathetic new terrace, as well as returning the surrounding fields to meadow, finds George Plumptre. Photos by Mimi Connolly. How Country Life helped change the face of modern gardening George Plumptre examines how Country Life championed the marriage of formal design with natural planting, changing the garden forever. Urchfont Manor, Wiltshire: From local council facility to 'inspired contemporary creation' The restoration of Urchfont Manor and its gardens has resulted in an exceptional creation that unites the formal with the informal in a modern garden that nods to the past. Even better, it's now joined the National Garden Scheme; George Plumptre, chief executive of the NGS, takes a closer look, with photographs by Claire Takacs. Rofford Manor: A derelict house and garden transformed into a harmonious haven George Plumptre is won over by a sympathetic and highly individual design that gradually reveals its string of secrets.