Mt. Cuba Center, USA

It's always a high-risk strategy shooting a garden in a September heatwave. The spring rush of fresh new growth is but a distant memory and chances are a long dry summer will have taken its toll. Thankfully for this photographer, Mt. Cuba still had plenty of tricks up its sleeve. Not only was it looking immaculate for my visit, the formal gardens surrounding the house were firing on all cylinders. It helps when a garden specialising in native plants has the good fortune to be sited in one of the most botanically diverse regions of the world – with plenty of stars to choose from for that late summer blaze of colour. All of which is in sharp contrast to the beautifully curated woodlands, layered lush greenery providing welcome relief from the heat.