While you may not yet have faith in the imminence of summer, if you find your way to the Sanderson Hotel's new Garden of Live Flowers, the scent of jasmine enveloping a towering living tree in the middle of the courtyard might make you heady enough to believe some sunshine is around the corner.
For this, you would have floral designer, stylist and horticulturist Kitten Grayson's dramatic installation to thank - the perfect prelude to Chelsea's annual Flower Show, which runs between the 23 and 27 May this year.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The usually inaccessible space in the centre of the hotel's courtyard has even been made available for private bookings for up to six guests.
Alternatively, should you arrive when it is raining, the hotel's iconic Long Bar has also taken on the horticultural theme, temporarily renamed the Bar of Nature, with a new menu that is, by its own admission, "Not as Nature Intended".
In collaboration with the famed Epernay champagne producer, drinks master Stuart Bale, of 69 Colebrooke Row and Strange Hill Calibre, has produced a summery menu which includes the aptly named Front Runner, combining Belvedere and lemon-scented herbs with classic Perrier-Jouet Brut NV.
Sample each of his concoctions at will, but you'll know it is time to call it a night when you see the lush vines that adorn the central bar begin to climb the walls and you hear Alice in Wonderland saying: "I only wanted to see what the garden was like, your majesty."
The Garden of Live Flowers is at the Sanderson Hotel in partnership with Perrier-Jouet
-
The EU’s war on fast fashionIn the Spotlight Bloc launches investigation into Shein over sale of weapons and ‘childlike’ sex dolls, alongside efforts to tax e-commerce giants and combat textile waste
-
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast: a ‘highly entertaining ride’The Week Recommends Mystery-comedy from the creator of Derry Girls should be ‘your new binge-watch’
-
The 8 best TV shows of the 1960sThe standout shows of this decade take viewers from outer space to the Wild West
-
Hotel Sacher Wien: Vienna’s grandest hotel is fit for royaltyThe Week Recommends The five-star birthplace of the famous Sachertorte chocolate cake is celebrating its 150th anniversary
-
Rock Villa, Bequia: a hidden villa on an island epitomising Caribbean blissThe Week Recommends This gorgeous property is the perfect setting to do absolutely nothing – and that’s the best part
-
Villa Treville Positano: a glamorous sanctuary on the Amalfi CoastThe Week Recommends Franco Zeffirelli’s former private estate is now one of Italy’s most exclusive hotels
-
The Oberoi Beach Resort, Bali: a calm retreat in the heart of SeminyakThe Week Recommends Tradition meets modernity at this serene beachfront resort
-
Six sensational hotels to discover in 2026The Week Recommends From a rainforest lodge to a fashionable address in Manhattan – here are six hotels that travel journalists recommend for this year
-
Four Seasons Seoul: a fascinating blend of old and new in South KoreaThe Week Recommends Located right in the heart of the action, this classy hotel is the perfect base to explore the capital
-
Upper House Hong Kong: a serene sanctuary in the bustle of the cityThe Week Recommends Panoramic harbour views and super-stylish interiors elevate this luxury hotel to another level
-
Step into a fairy tale at San Ysidro RanchThe Week Recommends This historic Californian hideaway is pure magic
