The Dirt: A secret antique garden gets uncovered

Some vacationers may have cursed the heatwaves in Europe this summer, but the scorching days had a lowkey benefit. They revealed the outline of an ornate “lost” 17th-century formal garden at one aristocratic British estate, Chatsworth House, on 2,000 acres. The grounds were designed in 1699 for the very first Duke of Devonshire, and included the Great Parterre, a glorious lawn comprised of intricate swirling patterns. Sadly, the design was covered up by his grandson (as they say, there’s no accounting for taste) in the 1730s. The recent sizzling temperatures, however, caused the grass to burn enough to uncover the long-invisible, sinuous motifs below. How cool (or should we say hot) is that?

Speaking of heatwaves, take heart: One of the biggest plant studies of 2026 found that existing urban tree canopies already offset roughly half of the urban heat island effect across nearly 9,000 global cities. Bonus benefit: When researchers looked at human heat stress (not just air temperature), trees appeared to reduce dangerous heat exposure by about three times more than air-temperature measurements alone suggest. Time, perhaps, to add another sapling to your yard.

As trees grow, they get some help creating a forest-like vibe by some itty-bitty critters: earthworms. According to a new study, these natural wonders (or creepy-crawlies to the squeamish) can transport living moss via their digestive systems, helping to spread the velvety green stuff around the ground. Nice job!

The Scandinavian hygge (enjoying warm, cozy times) trend may be in the rearview mirror, but are you up to speed on the latest Nordic buzzword? It’s Hugelkultur, a traditional hill-gardening method. You pile up logs, branches, twigs, and soil to create raised beds with a sponge-y core that holds water and slowly releases nutrients. It’s one example of decay gardening, along with “chopping and dropping” (leaving the cut stems of annuals where they fall to enrich the earth). These low-effort moves can leave you that much more free time to hang out in your yard and admire your handiwork.

Time spent in the yard means interacting with birds of all feathers — the crows criticizing your digging technique, the cardinals picking off your sunflower seeds, or the chickadees sloshing around in your birdbath. May we recommend the recently published The Book of Birds by best-selling authors Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris? This field guide is more than a way to identify birds; it helps you understand and love them. These lyrical essays illuminate each bird’s habits and habitats and how their lives and ours intersect in nature. We’re all atwitter over it.