MARCH 2019 £4.75
DECORATING CRAFTS HOUSES GARDENS FOOD TRAVEL HEALTH
Ideas for
SPRING DAYS Bring new life to your kitchen Stay in a boathouse Bake treats for afternoon tea Find peace of mind
GET GROWING PLANT HEAVENLY HELLEBORES
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A GLORIOUS SPRING GARDEN TO VISIT
ALL ABOARD! TRAVEL BRITAIN BY RAIL
COME-BYE! THE TALE OF A SHEEPDOG CALLED BESS
Kate Humble
ON LONELINESS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
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March 2019 issue 399
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154
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Contents 30
Houses & gardens 11 30 46 60 114
122 128
EMPORIUM New ways to introduce elements of country style to your home IN FULL BLOOM Use buds and blossom to create fragrant accessories to enjoy A ROOM FOR ALL REASONS How the right furniture, storage and tools can make your kitchen work for all your needs A STITCH IN TIME Turn charming flea-market finds into Scandi-style makes ECHOES OF THE PAST The former inhabitants of Barrie and Jo Stewart’s historic home in Rye have been rich material for its sensitive renovation MAKING THE MOST OF SPRING Rosemary Alexander’s garden is a lesson in seasonal planting A COLLECTOR’S LOT An 18th-century converted farm cottage in Somerset is filled with the owner’s carefully curated treasures
countryliving.com/uk
136 143
HEAVENLY HELLEBORES These elegant flowers are the stars of the show in spring GARDEN NOTES Everything you need to know to get the most from your plot
Features 25 27 38 68 78
TALES FROM THE BLACKSMITH’S COTTAGE Octavia Lillywhite discovers that her father has unexpected plans for his next home THE GOOD LIFE Practical ideas and good advice for would-be smallholders A SHEEPDOG CALLED BESS Lake Districtbased James Rebanks explains what’s involved in the making of a great working dog A BRUSH WITH MAGIC Under the eaves of her home in west Wales, Jackie Morris produces beautiful work with a touch of the otherworldly TURNING THE TIDE At The National Lobster Hatchery in Cornwall, marine biologist Carly Daniels helps to support crustacean stocks
ON THE COVER Ideas for spring days pages 46, 17, 154 and 165 Get growing pages 136 and 122 All aboard! page 86 Come-bye! page 38 Kate Humble page 186 CL Fair tickets page 112
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Contents 38 136
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March 2019 issue 399 86 104 106
ON THE RIGHT TRACK Take advantage of Britain’s historic railways to enjoy beautiful landscapes without braving the elements WILD WONDER Frogspawn FORGOTTEN CRAFTS… The cordwainer
Food & drink 146 154
A FLAVOURSOME FEAST Favourite seasonal recipes from Irish chef and restaurateur Clodagh McKenna SWEET INSPIRATION Home bakes that are perfect for springtime celebrations
Health & beauty 165 171 06
PEACE OF MIND For an all-day sense of calm, discover the benefits of mindfulness with our easy-to-follow guide HEALTH NOTES Our regular round-up from the world of health and beauty
MARCH 2019
News & views 17 173 174 186
A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY What to do, where to go and simple pleasures in March WHERE TO BUY Stockist details NEXT MONTH IN COUNTRY LIVING LOVE OF THE LAND Kate Humble
Reader offers & events 67 76 96 97 112 169
THE CL COLLECTION AT CARPETRIGHT SUBSCRIBE TO COUNTRY LIVING WOULD YOU LIKE TO BECOME A COUNTRY LIVING ARTISAN? Sell your products in our Pavilions at shows this year COUNTRY LIVING HOLIDAYS Hand-picked trips and tours COME TO THE COUNTRY LIVING FAIR ORDER THE NEW EDITION OF MODERN RUSTIC
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STYLING BY ALAINA BINKS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY PENNY WINCER (MOODBOARD) AND ALUN CALLENDER (PORTRAIT). LINEN, DE LE CUONA. DASHI (STRIPE) LINEN IN PEONY; WILLOWHERB (FLORAL) LINEN UNION IN POPPY AND FADED DUCK/PINK; COCO (SMALL SPRIG) LINEN IN PEONY; ALL SARAH HARDAKER. NARCISSUS PAPERWHITE BUNCHES, PULTENEY BRIDGE FLOWERS. PENCILS, PAPERCHASE. RIBBONS AND PAPER TWINE: JANE MEANS AND PIPII. PAPER JUG, JENNIFER COLLIER. CHERRY SPRIG LINEN IN BLUE/PINK, MIMI PICKARD. BEESWAX CANDLES, THE FUTURE KEPT
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March is a time of indoors and out… Sunshine might tempt us to get gardening or take a bracing walk, but cutting winds and sudden showers can soon drive us back inside, where there is much-needed spring cleaning to be done. No matter – there’s pleasure to be had in both. On our cover this month, we say ‘Bring new life to your kitchen’. This space around which daily life revolves is the most important room in the home: for ideas on how to create your ideal style and atmosphere, turn to page 46. We follow this with ‘Stay in a boathouse’ (page 20) and suggest where to find these quirky buildings, but anywhere you book for a country stay will bring joy as you escape the everyday and watch spring start to unfold. Then comes ‘Bake treats for afternoon tea’ – get your favourite recipe out (see page 154) and soon the comforting aroma of cake will bring a sense of wellbeing to all who encounter it. That leads nicely on to ‘Find peace of mind’. Mindfulness has become the watchword of today and our piece on page 165 provides a beginner’s guide to meditation. Let’s make March a calm month.
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NEXT ISSUE ON SALE 27 FEBRUARY
Extendable kitchen table with reclaimed fir top and painted legs, £845, Loaf
A lino-cut gooseberry print by Sarah Jefferies decorates this cotton picnic blanket (backed with a waxed cotton), £95, Folksglove
Plant up narcissus bulbs into rustic terracotta pots and group together for impact
Screen-printed by hand, this lampshade (26.4cm diameter) is available as a pendant or table lamp fitting, £44, Lush Designs
Cornwallbased artisan Esther Smith handcrafts automata using patinated copper, enamel and reclaimed wood – this piece has a detachable hare brooch and is £164
Open-knot weave basket handwoven from water hyacinth fibres, £85 for two, Habitat
emporium Combine interesting prints and textures with duck-egg blues, gentle pinks, spring greens and fresh yellows COMPILED BY ALAINA BINKS This French enamel Gamelle tin makes the perfect lunchbox, £24, RE
Cowslip lino print by Jane Kendall from her hand-printed collection of native wild flowers, £8, Striped Pebble
countryliving.com/uk
Hand trowel and fork set, which comes presented in a beautiful box decorated in a chrysanthemum pattern from the RHS Lindley Library archive, £22.50, Burgon & Ball
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Women’s cotton dress with floral print, £65, Seasalt Vintage-style green enamel wall light with dark- brass arm, £80, Dyke & Dean
CL writer Caroline Atkins paints beautiful still-lifes, such as this Summer in a Blue Jug oil on board (30cm x 40cm). Similar paintings, with handmade frames, from £400
Take colour inspiration from the bright contrasting tones of chard with its rich green leaves and vibrant stems
Devol has a collection of charming one-off vintage pieces, such as this stool, £65, available at its Cotes Mill showroom
Lavender soap made by hand in small batches using the cold-process method and beeswax from a local beekeeper, £4.25, The Dartmoor Soap Company
Rose ceramic pitcher by John Derian and Astier de Villatte, £270, Designers Guild
Digitally printed cushion featuring vintage-style, hand-drawn illustrations of flowers, £40, Katie Hipwell
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For stockists, see Where to Buy
Large absorbent cotton doormat* (60cm x 85cm), which is machine washable and can also be tumble dried, £49.95, Turtle Mat
PRICES AND AVAILABILITY CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. PHOTOGRAPHS BY SIMON BEVAN. STYLING BY LAURA VINE. *AVAILABLE FROM MID-FEBRUARY
Mike and Kim of Abbott and Ellwood handmake individual hand-printed stainless-steel brooches in Cornwall, from £45
Cotton lampshade with Lottie Day’s handscreen-printed hare illustration, £80-£100 (stand C34; madebylottieday.com)
Textile artist Paula Robinson creates pretty embroidered pieces with a nature theme, from £33-£100 (stand E24; thelittlebunnystudio.co.uk)
SPRING FAIR ALEXANDRA PALACE
28-31 MARCH
Left: Rabbit kit; mouse pincushion kit (stand A42; coolcrafting.co.uk). Bird house; cards; flower and peg doll (stand G28; papersam.co.uk). Embroidered picture (stand B23; jobutcher. co.uk). Hare jug (stand W55; janehogben terracotta.co.uk) Egg cup (stand A20; mosneymill.co.uk)
Allium seedhead wooden printing block, £10 (stand C49; theartycrafty place.co.uk)
This linen-cotton union cushion features a hand-drawn blue tit design by Emma Sutton, £35 (stand A20; mosneymill.co.uk)
Hand-stamped vintage cutlery by Allison Brook. Knives, £14 each (stand W52; hello lovelyshop.co.uk) Side table handcrafted from reclaimed scaffold boards by Mike Vincent, £150 (save 10% at the fair – stand B26; vincenttrading.co.uk)
Hand-painted egg cup with Kim Thompson’s Retro Chicken design, £5 (stand D23; littlefarm ceramics. com)
For more information and to book tickets, visit countrylivingfair.com
Find a selection of ethically made children’s clothing at Rosie & Cooey. This polka-dot pinafore is £30 (stand G20; rosieandcooey.co.uk)
STYLING BY ALAINA BINKS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATO WELTON. PRICES, STAND NUMBERS AND AVAILABILITY CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. PRICES QUOTED MAY INCLUDE OFFERS AVAILABLE AT THE FAIRS ONLY; ONLINE PRICES MAY DIFFER
Discover unique crafted pieces made by independent artists and artisans
Lisa Smith handdecorates earthenware pieces, from £25-£45 for a plate (stand E35; thehandmade mugcompany.co.uk)
W H AT T O S E E A N D D O I N M A R C H TAKE PART IN WALK ALL OVER CANCER
IN THE FIELDS THIS MONTH
COMPILED BY ANAM ALAM, SARAH BARRATT AND LAURAN ELSDEN
Track the baby boomers The simple act of putting one foot in front of the other can work wonders for the mind, body and soul. Regular walking helps reduce stress, increase energy levels and improve sleep – and throughout the month of March, Cancer Research UK is encouraging us to Walk All Over Cancer, by taking 10,000 steps each day (the equivalent to around five miles) in the name of charity. Whether you stroll to work, take the family for a countryside ramble or meet friends for a weeknight wander, it’s a wonderful way to step into spring, discover new places and raise money for a worthy cause. For more information, visit cancerresearchuk.org. countryliving.com/uk
BROUGHT TO OUR SHORES BY BOTH THE ROMANS AND THE NORMANS, the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) can be spotted in numerous habitats around the UK: from heathlands to hedgerows, woodlands to wetlands. Starting in March, baby rabbits – or kits – venture above ground for the first time. Aged between four and five weeks old, the youngsters feed on vegetation alongside their ever-watchful mother. Once common (much to the ire of farmers and gardeners), disease and habitat loss are thought to have contributed to a decline in numbers in recent years. As wild populations are hard to monitor, help record sightings on a Mammal Mapper. Download one at mammal.org.uk.
Before lambing season starts in earnest, farmers need to get their ducks – or, rather, their sheep – in a row. Ewes are sorted into groups, according to how many lambs are expected, before being vaccinated and having their feet treated against rot. Birth often happens in the fields, but an eye is kept out in case any problems arise.
QUIRKY COUNTRYSIDE Newark Penny Loaf Day During the English Civil War, the lives of alderman Hercules Clay and his family were saved when a dream forewarned him that his home was going to be set ablaze. In gratitude, he left money in his will to be used to distribute penny loaves to the poor on the Sunday nearest the anniversary of the fire on March 11. Four hundred years on, the tradition continues. MARCH 2019
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A simple make...
VINTAGESTYLE CASE Upcycle an embroidered placemat into a pretty purse for travel essentials MAKE & STYLING BY CATHERINE WORAM
SISSINGHURST CASTLE ESTATE WALK, NEAR CRANBROOK, KENT Visit the Sissinghurst Estate in early spring and you’ll be rewarded with crocuses and daffodils dotted across the vast woodland and surrounding fields. This three-mile walk will lead you around the castle, which was little more than a run-down Elizabethan mansion until acclaimed poet and writer Vita SackvilleWest bought it in 1930, transforming its grounds into a world-renowned garden. The route takes you along the moat, until you reach the gazebo. Built as a memorial to Vita’s husband Harold, it has wonderful views of the wider Wealden countryside. After circumnavigating the lake and taking you through Park Field, the return leg leads you through Bull and Birches Wood, the Orchard and across the vegetable patch before a hop over the stream brings you back to the castle (nationaltrust.org.uk).
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3
4
5 6
cloths at flea markets and antiques markets. Placemats make the perfect choice, because of their rectangular shape. Measure one long edge and roughly divide the measurement by five. With the wrong side facing, fold up the bottom long edge two-fifths and pin in place. This will form the purse section. The top remaining part of the cloth will become the flap. Machine stitch along the two edges of doubled cloth, where it is pinned. Fold over the top edge and press flat with an iron. Sew a snap-fastener in place
PHOTOGRAPH BY SUSSIE BELL
A WALK TO TAKE
1 Find vintage embroidered
– one piece to the top flap (in the centre, just above the edge of the cloth) and the other to the front of
the pouch, so they are in line when pressed closed. 7 Sew a crochet flower on by hand to hide the fastener.
An ingredient to enjoy HERRING Designer, cook and author Sophie Conran shares her favourite seasonal flavour The herring or ‘Silver Darling’ was once a staple of the British diet – abundant in our cool coastal waters and teeming with prosperous properties due to its superior omega content. Recently, however, it’s fallen from grace and is now missing from most fishmongers and supermarkets. With a little grilling, the herring makes a delightfully buttery, smoky breakfast dish, which I for one relish, especially if it’s from one of our fine Scottish smokehouses. It can also be pickled as rollmops to be enjoyed served with boiled potatoes, sour cream or pickles. To me, though, the best way to enjoy herring is to coat a fresh fillet in beaten egg, roll in oatmeal, then fry in bubbling butter. Eat with a peppery watercress salad and homemade tartar sauce. For more information, see sophieconran.com.
countryliving.com/uk
A BOOK TO READ
Root to Stem (Penguin Life, £9.99) Plants are vital, not just for our health but for that of the planet, too. This book, by medical herbalist Alex Laird, guides us through the seasons while exploring the natural ingredients that help treat everyday ailments.
Moss (Michael Joseph, £14.99) Damp and shade-loving, moss is often overlooked, but cast a second glance and you will realise it is vividly coloured and primevally beautiful. In this illustrated guide, Ulrica Nordström teaches readers about the world’s most ancient plant.
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STAY IN… A BOATHOUSE
For tranquillity For romance
For nature
The Boathouse, Sennowe Park, Norfolk Through a gatehouse and a mile down a private road sits this wattle and daub building with a luxurious interior featuring a mezzanine bedroom, king-size bed and open fireplace. Outside, you can even take to the water in your own rowing boat (top). Sleeps two. From £525 for three nights (blakeneycottagecompany.co.uk).
The Boat House, Belford, Northumberland Set amid 30 acres of wonderful woodland, the Boat House offers the perfect opportunity to watch wildlife close up, whether it’s otters frolicking in the lake or roe deer roaming through the trees. Afterwards, head inside to unwind in the rolltop bath. Sleeps two. From £493 for three nights (exploremiddletonhall.co.uk).
The Boathouse at Knotts End, Lake District, Cumbria Perched on the western shores of Ullswater, this secluded sanctuary is perfect for a relaxing weekend away. Step out onto the Juliet balcony for spectacular views out and across the lake to the mountains beyond. Sleeps two. From £195 per night (theboathouse atknottsend.com).
NEWS YOU CAN USE FOREST LIVE MUSIC FESTIVALS Fancy a dance in Delamere Forest or a sing-a-long in Sherwood Pines? Hosted by the Forestry Commission England, Forest Live – now in its 19th year – is a series of seven music events hosted in beautiful woodland locations across the country. Renowned for their informal and relaxed atmosphere, each concert raises funds to maintain forests sustainably. Last year’s acts included Blondie, UB40 and Simply Red, and 2019 promises similar talent, such as Paul Weller who will be performing at Bedgebury Pinetum in Kent. To find out more and book tickets, visit forestryengland.uk/music. countryliving.com/uk
Our property of the month
BALHOMIE, CARGILL, PERTHSHIRE £950,000
THERE’S SOMETHING FAIRY TALE-ESQUE ABOUT THIS GRAND TURRETED ABODE IN THE HEART OF PERTHSHIRE – and, indeed, the story of its creation is a rather romantic one. Built in 1901, it’s said the location was chosen during a picnic: when Lady Emma Moon admired the views stretching across the River Tay, her husband, Lord Ernest, vowed to build a house on the exact spot. Now this Scots Baronial ‘C’-Listed property sits amid its own orchard, former kitchen garden, original glasshouses and stables. Inside, in addition to five bedrooms, is a galleried landing centred around an open fire, where you can thaw out after a chilly morning spent on the slopes of Glenshee snowsports centre, less than one hour away.
For details of more rural houses for sale, visit countryliving.com/uk. Enjoy the latest home and property features, plus much more, in the CL free weekly newsletter. To sign up, go to www.countryliving.com/uk/newsletter.
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INFORMATION CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALAMY; GETTY IMAGES. ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOANNA KERR. HAND-LETTERING BY RUTHROWLAND.CO.UK
F I N D YO U R D R E A M C O U N T RY H O M E
C O LU M N
Tales from the Blacksmith’s Cottage While helping her ageing parents move out of her childhood home, OCTAVIA LILLYWHITE discovers that her father has some unexpected – and unrealistic – plans for their next home n the manner of most elderly neighbours, Stamford comes over embarrassingly early; he’s dropping off the first of the rhubarb. This is thrilling, not just because I love rhubarb but because we don’t have any other option available for Saturday’s pudding. So I’m grateful, even though the household is still in pyjamas. Stamford is now 90, which gives him nearly 20 years on either of my parents. Despite their relative youth, however, neither has ever taken to rhubarb-growing, or any other kind of growing, for that matter. Granny was our chief gardener. Her speciality was roses – she loved pinks and blues but hated anything yellow. So forsythia, St John’s wort and Scotch broom, all of which she was far too frugal to get rid of, were relegated to one corner next to the orchard scathingly named ‘The Yellow Bed’. But what was a labour of love for her was just labour for the rest of us. “What I’d like,” says my father, musing on where to move next, “is a really small garden. And no lawn.” So it’s a bit of a surprise when the first property we view comes with five acres, a river and two independent cottages, plus a vague plan that we could all move in together in order to afford such extravagance. The perimeter fence is nearly half a mile long. “I keep meaning to get our fence redone,” I tell Mama as we’re beating the bounds with my husband, the Lawyer, on a reconnoitre, “but fencing is so expensive, isn’t it?” She agrees. “How long is your fence at home?” I ask. “Seven foot.” The house turns out not to be the one. The second place is a dream, with a dappled brook at the bottom of the garden and ducks on the lawn. But it has no parking – not even streetside – which is a great lesson to city folk who assume that, once they flee the double yellows of suburbia, they’ll never have
to worry about finding a space again: parking in rural villages is often a nightmare. Not just that: the house has a single entrance – a modest doorway at the front. This means that everything – bins, lawnmowers, felled trees – has to come through the house and through that door. Too tight. Still, the picture is getting clearer, in a kind of Three Bears way. We (they) are after a large/small, spacious/compact, three/ four-bedroom place with nice/no garden and parking space. Characterful but not exhausting. Central but secluded. Forty years in a 400-year-old thatch puts a new-build out of the question; it also puts a thatch out of the question. All in all, I’m pretty sure that what they’re looking for doesn’t exist. I’m making the crumble topping for the rhubarb when my father comes in from walking Eric the Manchester terrier with a triumphant look. He will buy Stamford’s barn, knock it down and build the house of their dreams on the plot. He’s grasping some blueprints in his fist, which he lays out over the dining-room table and begins to pore over with a pencil, calling me from the crumble continually to review his plans. It sounds like the worst of all possible worlds: months (if not years) of planning and building to end up in a plot that will still need mowing and, crucially, is still in the same isolated hamlet three miles from the shop – thus not giving my ailing mother the independence that motivated the move in the first place. He’s jubilant, Mama is confused, I’m sceptical; the Lawyer, wisely, has his head in last Saturday’s Times. The scheme doesn’t last much longer than the crumble: Stamford’s family decide the barn is not for sale and that is the end of it. I’m slightly disappointed only when I realise that his rhubarb patch would have been included.
ILLUSTRATION BY CLARE MELINSKY
All in all, I’m pretty sure that what they’re looking for doesn’t exist
Read next month’s issue of Country Living for more true-life village tales countryliving.com/uk
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Inspiration and advice for aspiring smallholders
How to...GROW HERBS AND SPICES INDOORS Many plants that provide great seasoning grow well on warm windowsills, where they can happily wait until the temperature picks up outside, or stay put if you’re limited on space. As you need only a few leaves or seeds for each dish, you can have a ready-to-pick selection at arm’s reach.
FENUGREEK You’re probably familiar with the seeds that form the basis of many curry dishes, but fenugreek’s fresh leaves (above left) also have a delicious sweet, nutty flavour. Scatter the seeds in pots of moist compost now, or sow direct outside when the weather warms up. Treat the leaves as cut-and-come-again and sauté with garlic, add to dhal or steam like spinach.
CHILLIES It’s best to get a head start on sowing chilli seeds early in the year to optimise the amount of fruit countryliving.com/uk
Grow edible ‘house plants’ – the leaves of kaffir lime have a vibrant citrussy flavour and look attractive, too
and the time it has to ripen in summer. They will germinate best in a heated propagator (28°C) or you can just cover with a plastic freezer bag secured with an elastic band and put on a warm, sunny windowsill. Take off the cover the minute they start to sprout. Chillies such as Apache and Prairie Fire are happy indoors (you’ll need to do the job of bees and pollinate by dabbing flowers with a soft paintbrush), but they’ll survive the summer outside in a sheltered, sunny spot. Try seeds from seaspringseeds.co.uk.
THAI BASIL With more of an aniseed flavour than its Mediterranean cousin, Thai basil is great in Southeast Asian curries and soups, but also salads, too. Sprinkle seeds (try chilternseeds.co.uk) over a tray of moist compost, and cover. When they germinate, remove MARCH 2019
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the cover, and, when the seedlings are big enough to handle, move them to their own pots (three or four per pot). Wait until pots feel light before watering.
CORIANDER This starts to lose its aromatic oils as soon
LEMONGRASS You can sprout plants from the fresh sticks you get in the supermarket. Simply scrape away the dry outer layer at the base of the stalk and pop it in a glass of water. When roots emerge, plant an inch deep in a pot of gritty compost. It needs to be warm, so is best kept on a windowsill. Although you’re unlikely to get new stalks, the leaves are also fragrant and will add a zing to dishes.
BREED OF THE MONTH Araucana Attractive-looking Araucanas are available in 12 colours including lavender, crele (barred golden brown, black and grey), cuckoo and spangled. Many hen-keepers choose them not for their plumage but for their eggs – the blue-green shades of the shells look wonderful in an egg box. Originally from Chile, the hens can be ‘rumpless’ (thought to have evolved to make them harder to catch by predators) or with a tail. They have a triple pea comb and some have quirky ear tufts, too.
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Go on a course:
SPOON CARVING
SET DEEP IN THE HEART OF DORSET WOODLAND, it’s hard to think of a more apt place to learn about carving green wood. But while the setting – beneath a parachute awning and beside a woodburning stove – is tranquil, it turns out that the craft of spoon carving is more energetic than I’d imagined. “Let that axe really swing!” says course tutor Adam Hawker, as he directs me on how to transform my small log into a roughed out spoon shape. Slightly fearful of my fingers, I can’t chop away as freely as Adam, but under his instruction I gain more confidence in using various axe techniques. After lunch we move on to the next step, using knives and gouges to finesse the handle and create a bowl in the spoon. Sat by the fire, whittling away, it’s a surprisingly mindful experience as curls of wood drop to the floor. The end result is a slightly wonky cooking spoon. “I prefer asymmetric designs,” Adam says, tactfully. His sculptural creations (available at adamhawker.com) celebrate the grain and character of native wood far better than my effort, but I still look forward to stirring a pot. Guy Mallinson’s Crafty Camping & Woodland Workshop, Dorset; one-day spoon-carving course, £150 (mallinson.co.uk).
OTHERS TO TRY… FOR MAKING A STOOL Aaron Sterritt Woodwork, Forres, Moray; £180 for two days (aaronsterrittwoodwork.co.uk). You’ll be taught how to craft a ‘Highland stool’ from green wood in a woodland workshop overlooking the River Findhorn. FOR WOODTURNING Woodland Skills Centre, Bodfari, Denbigh; £150 for two days (woodlandskillscentre.uk). Discover how to use tools and a traditional pole lathe to turn a wooden bowl with techniques that date back to the Iron Age. FOR CARVING BIRDS The Big Tree Society, Jedburgh, Scottish Borders; £60 for one day (thebigtreesociety.co.uk). Learn knifework and carving techniques to create Inuit-style birds and bears.
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WORDS BY KATE LANGRISH. PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALAMY; GETTY IMAGES
as it’s cut, so is best used freshly picked. Like basil, it is easily grown from seed (use the same technique) – you can even use the ‘micro-greens’ to add flavour to salads. Alternatively, make supermarket plants last longer by separating into three or four smaller clumps and re-potting. And don’t worry if the plants start to bolt – the seeds can be used in curries.
IN FULL
BLOOM
As buds and blossom begin to emerge in this fresh new season, use them to create fragrant accessories to enjoy WORDS AND STYLING BY BEA ANDREWS
PHOTOGRAPHS BY EVA NEMETH
FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS PART 4
Spring
S E A S O N A L I N S P I R AT I O N
Lay out your selection of chosen varieties, along with wire, florist tape and ribbon
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SEAS ONAL INSPIR ATION Find ideas for floral accessories in charming vintage nature books, then take a selection of
flowers and foliage, including blossom cuttings, for their seasonal colour and form
BEA ANDREWS
ith winter rolling into spring, the pace of change is quickening and the garden awakens from its slumber. The hedgerows erupt in an abundance of blossom and the air is full of scent. As we welcome back the warmer and longer days, the arrival of the new season sees the emergence of spring bulbs taking centre stage. Making the most of this glorious time of year with small floral projects and involving children in these creative sessions will add a special touch to any spring festival, family party or Easter celebration. Although flowers are mostly worn at weddings nowadays, in the past they used to be popular fashion accessories – a tradition we could revive and incorporate into seasonal events. A few simple blooms wired into a circlet, worn as a hairpiece or tied with a ribbon around the wrist, as well as a little buttonhole posy, are the simplest ways to wear them. Gathering them to use is as easy on a family walk as picking spring blooms from your garden or selecting a few long-lasting stems from your local florist’s. The star ingredient in these projects here is the humble grape hyacinth, or muscari. The bulbs (mainly M. armeniacum) are readily
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available to plant in the autumn, will flower from early spring and make enduring cut flowers. I grow a variety called ‘Valerie Finnis’, with an exquisite powder blue shade and fantastic scent. Its smaller form is perfect for making posies and wired designs. The name grape hyacinth comes from the round flowers being tightly packed together like tiny bunches of grapes, creating a shape that resembles hyacinths. Unlike many bulbs, muscari set plentiful seed, which germinate and grow rapidly if undisturbed and therefore naturalise easily. I also used blackthorn blossom (Prunus spinosa), wallflowers (Erysimum cheiri ‘Sunset Apricot’), spiraea and rice flower blossom, double white Persian buttercups or ranunculus, small spray roses, rosemary and pittosporum sprigs. See overleaf for instructions on how to create pretty spring floral accessories.
Bea is a horticulturalist by heart. “I have been working with plants and flowers for more than 20 years, but using them in floral displays has opened up a whole new world that I am still passionately exploring,” she says. She also worked as head gardener with Sarah Raven at her Sussex farm, Perch Hill, where she had the opportunity to indulge her enthusiasm for growing a wide variety of flowers and experiment with design. More recently, she set up Botanika, a small independent floral design studio based in Hassocks in West Sussex, where she creates displays that reflect the seasons, using natural elements, interesting textures and pleasing colour combinations. Find out more at botanikafloral.co.uk or follow Bea on Instagram @botanika_floral.
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MAKING FLORAL ACCESSORIES 1. Floral bracelet or crown
2. Floral buttonhole
3. Muscari necklace
HOW TO MAKE Cut a piece of florist’s binding wire long enough to go around your wrist or head. Cut all flowers and foliage to 5cm, then make a small hook at each end of the wire, cover it with florist tape and start adding and taping stems along the whole length. Attach ribbon at each end. I made a short half-moon head piece, but try a longer length for a full flower crown.
HOW TO MAKE For this project, I used 8cm sprigs each of pittosporum, blackthorn blossom and grape hyacinth. Simply make a tiny posy and tie together with green florist tape. As you stretch the tape, it becomes adhesive and will stick to itself, holding the blooms securely in place.
HOW TO MAKE Cut a piece of wire long enough to go around the neck of a toy or person. Cut the stems of the grape hyacinths very short and prepare some small leaves – I used the leaves of Eucalyptus cinerea. Thread them onto the wire, alternating flowers and leaves. Secure the necklace by twisting the wire ends together or by attaching florist tape as before.
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FA R M I N G
A sheepdog called
BESS
Lake District-based shepherd and award-winning author James Rebanks explains what’s involved in the making of a great working dog PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALUN CALLENDER
THIS PAGE Shepherd James with Bess; hitching a ride on a quad bike; traditional drystone walls line the fields, where daffodils herald the arrival of spring OPPOSITE Bess will soon be taught how to round up sheep on the open fells, where James keeps his Herdwick and Swaledale flocks
t was blowing a snowstorm outside when they were born. Ten slick black-and-white pups wriggling in a box by the fire in the farmhouse. Their mother, Floss, licked them and snuffled them towards her teats, doing her best not to roll on them. The pup’s father, Tan, and I worked outside bringing the sheep down from the worst of the blizzard. When I got back to the house, my children had named two of the pups Stormzy and Apple Chunk. I explained that they would get their ‘proper sheepdog names’ at their new homes. They are meant to have monosyllabic names that can carry in the wind or rain on the fells. I think they should have a different-sounding first syllable than their workmates, so they know a command is for them on the ‘B of the Bang’. Why my neighbours have a sheepdog called Rhubarb remains a mystery to me. Floss doted on the puppies for the first few days, and then grew tired of them constantly feeding and crawling all over her. She begged to go with me to work each day. And after a week or two, I gave in. When we got back, the pups would be sleeping in a warm heap. Floss would jump in and the pups would explode in all directions and probe the darkness with their noses to find her milk. From a few days old, one of the pups stood out for me. I called her Bess. She had a white face, wrinkly ears that folded over the top of her head and skyblue eyes. She would sleep on my lap in the evenings while I watched TV or read a book by the fire, and when I spoke, she would hold her head on one side as if trying to work out what my words meant. When they were four weeks old, we moved the pups to a stable, and they got their first experience of the farm. Most of them were disinterested, preferring to play rough and tumble in the straw,
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Sheepdogs are meant to have monosyllabic names that can carry in the wind or the rain countryliving.com/uk
FA R M I N G but Bess would listen to my every move. I would peer over the stable door and she would be sitting up, looking at me, head cocked to one side. And when I opened the door, she would barge through it and follow me wherever I went. She was determined to be my dog. When she was six weeks old, we met a curious sheep in the doorway of the barn. Bess crouched down and crept towards it, barking gently with the most intense look I have ever seen in a puppy. The sheep bolted and Bess gave chase; before I knew it, she’d stopped it in its tracks, fixing it with her steely blue gaze. She seemed quite surprised at what she had done and ran back to me to see what I thought. I made a fuss of her, and she looked at me as if to say, “Should I go and do that again?” and I said, “Yes, but not until you’re a bit bigger.” I love a dog to have the ability to control sheep through a determined stare. We call it having good
‘eye’. It is a sheepdog superpower. Bess had that sheep mesmerised with her ‘eye’ and she barely came above its knees. The experts say that most puppy selection theories are old wives’ tales. Most pups from good parents can become good working dogs. Perhaps, but all I knew was that no one else was having Bess. The other pups went to farms at eight weeks old, and Floss seemed pleased to get a rest. I started ‘training’ Bess early, teaching her to come to me when I called her name, building trust with her and showing her how to earn praise. Every sheepdog has been different. Floss was the quickest to train – she came almost pre-programmed and I simply had to show her what I wanted for each command. A sheepdog is, to me, a very different thing to a pet. The work gives them an outlet for their energy, agility, intelligence and instincts. They live to work, and many of them are fairly disinterested in
FA R M I N G
A sheepdog is, to me, a very different thing to a pet. The work gives them an outlet for their energy and intelligence
FA R M I N G
Bess is a very talented teenager now, capable of acts of brilliance – and silliness playing. (I believed this sincerely until I got back from a trip away two years ago to see Tan playing catch with a shepherdess friend. He looked a bit sheepish, as if caught in the act of slacking off work.) When Bess was four or five months old, I started working her with sheep in controlled settings. Sheep can rough-up a young dog and ruin their confidence, so we like them to learn to chase and gather, and feel their instincts rise in them, in a setting where we can stop them, if needed, and protect them from harm. We make a circular pen in a large field, and put in half a dozen sheep; the pup then races around the outside, chasing the sheep without being able to grab them or get knocked down by them. I turn the sheep back the other way and block the dog to stop it going round and round endlessly. We use this to teach the dog some basic commands, particularly ‘away’ and ‘come bye’, which are basically go left and go right. The art of training a young sheepdog is about converting their wolf instincts into a disciplined, controlled and useful thing. If you stop them obeying their instincts to chase sheep, they will stand confused, with plummeting self-esteem, and may become afraid to work. If you’re too soft, and let the urge to chase get too strong, they become too rough for the sheep and a danger to themselves. We ABOVE, FROM LEFT James with his three sheepdogs, Floss, Tan and Bess; outside
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the farmhouse with wife Helen, daughters Molly and Bea, and son Isaac
try to find a happy medium – slowing a keen and strong dog down is, in my experience, easier than getting a cautious or shy one to work. Bess is strong, and keen, and in her early lessons was a bit like a loose cannon on the deck of a ship, going off in all directions. If I took my eye off her for a moment, she would dart under a gate and gather up two ponies, or the hens, or 200 ewes belonging to my neighbour. She is a very talented teenager now, capable of acts of brilliance, but also moments of silliness and lapses of judgment. When she does something wrong, as young dogs do, the temptation is to get cross, but I scold her gently, and give her a cuddle and use my tone of voice to let her know that what she just did was clever, but not what I wanted. I’m slowly but surely persuading her to chill out a bit. As the days pass, she listens more and more. She means to be my top dog. She already tries to beat the older dogs in gathering the sheep and is disgusted if they get praise from me. She loves me in the way that great dogs do, beyond reason, like it is the meaning of her life. In the next few months, she will learn even harder skills, such as how to gather in the open spaces of the fells. I suspect Bess and I will have our moments, but I believe she is special. They say a shepherd only has two or three great dogs in their lifetime. I have a feeling in my gut that Bess is one of those superstars in the making. James Rebanks is the author of bestseller The Shepherd’s Life (Penguin Books). Follow him on Instagram at @herdyshepherd1. countryliving.com/uk
D E C O R AT I N G
A ROOM FOR ALL
reasons
Once purely functional, the kitchen now plays lots of different roles – social space, dining room and a creative hub for the serious cook. Here’s how the right furniture, storage and tools can make it work for you WORDS BY AMY BRADFORD
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FROM FAR LEFT A sunny yellow wall gives this open-plan kitchen-diner and living room a distinct identity; in this spacious beach house, a kitchen ranged around two sides of the room has attractive implements and cookware on display
D E C O R AT I N G
The SOCIAL kitchen Open-plan kitchens are an increasingly familiar feature of British homes. As rooms have become less formal and we now prefer much larger spaces, we’ve knocked down dividing walls, moved the dining table into the kitchen and got into the habit of eating, socialising and relaxing there. It’s the heart of the home, and that is reflected in our growing desire to add more comfortable elements. No longer just for eating, the dining table needs to play multiple roles. It’s a good idea to choose one with extending leaves so it can be used for everything from grabbing a quick snack in the week to a big family roast on Sundays. What goes around the table has changed, too – built-in banquettes or benches with cushions instead of chairs can make it feel like somewhere to linger. Island units with breakfast bars are another way to make your kitchen more social, allowing you to cook, eat and talk all in one place. Perhaps the biggest evolution, though, is the trend for bringing soft furnishings into the kitchen – sofas, armchairs and even rugs – transforming it into an extension of your living room. Think about the way you position furniture and key kitchen features. For example, it helps to have the sink, hob and some workspace on an island, so you can talk to other people while you cook rather than facing a wall. Tables and sofas should frame views of the kitchen that you want to show off or the garden to bring the outdoors in.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT A blue-painted Shaker style has a freestanding, partly open work table, separating it from the dining room; the top of an old scored butcher’s block has been reworked into a central island; a built-in wine rack inside a walk-in larder; bar stools make this Somerset kitchen a companionable space OPPOSITE Airy and open-plan, this streamlined Cornish kitchen integrates into a living area countryliving.com/uk
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS As well as sofas and armchairs, consider other decoration you can bring from the living room into the kitchen – such as artworks, mirrors and sideboards – to make the space feel more convivial. Make sure the area is still easy to navigate, as this will encourage people to spend time there. Sofas and tables need space around them, and there should be a clear path from the hallway to the kitchen and the garden beyond. Good lighting makes a kitchen more sociable. Have mood lighting on walls and tables, and put overhead lights on dimmer switches so you can easily change the atmosphere. Think about ways to let in more natural light. Skylights work really well and if they’re recessed into the ceiling, they’re less obtrusive and more in tune with a country interior. Use uplifting colours to draw people to key areas – perhaps an island unit in a contrasting hue to the rest of your cabinets, or a sofa with bright cushions. Invest in appliances that make socialising easier. Think fridges with ice dispensers, builtin wine coolers and boiling-water taps so you never have to wait for the kettle to boil.
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS Variety is key for kitchen lighting. Warm LED strips beneath wall cabinets and under worktop edges are ideal for when you really need to see what you are doing. If you go for spotlights, choose the angled type so you can direct them where needed and avoid glare. In the middle of the room, a row of pendants is better than one, as it will distribute light evenly. Have them on adjustable cables to quickly change the mood. If you don’t have space for a separate pantry, consider a larder cupboard instead – it will keep all your dry goods and spices in one convenient place. A built-in one is more streamlined, but a painted freestanding design adds a cheerful note to a room. Committed cooks should invest in dividers for the drawers next to the cooker so your
utensils will be organised and save you scrambling for things in a hurry. Look for individual elements that you can customise rather than one-size-fits-all trays. Professionals favour cast-iron and copper saucepans for results as well as looks, but they’re not all suitable for induction hobs. For these, go for 3-ply stainless steel – Le Creuset makes a good range. To protect your worktop, have a selection of chopping boards to hand. Wooden ones carved in interesting shapes or marble blocks look good enough for serving dishes at the table. Consider a butcher’s block for heavy tasks, such as carving joints, and storing extra tools. If it’s on wheels, you can move it closer to the cooker or dining table as needed.
D E C O R AT I N G
The COOK’S kitchen If you do a lot of cooking and entertaining in your kitchen, you need it to function like clockwork. Key to achieving this is organisation. Divide the room into zones: one for dry goods and storage (a larder cupboard is useful here, so you can reserve cabinets for your kit); and another for wet preparation, ideally with the fridge well positioned between the two so you can locate everything with ease before you start cooking. Have deep drawers at floor level for storing small appliances and cookware (an overhead view helps you see things quickly). Functional worktop materials are crucial. Those that strike the right balance between practical and pretty in a country kitchen include granite (it’s longlasting, but bear in mind its heavy weight), quartz composite (scratchproof and has a similar timeless look), wood (maple, beech and oak last for ever and can be sanded back if they scratch). Keep heat resistance in mind – if you’re always putting hot pans on the counter, a tiled area around your hob is a great idea. There’s nothing to stop you mixing a couple of different worktop materials to suit your needs, and it will add interest to the overall look. The oven is the heart of a multifunctional kitchen. An Aga looks good in any period property but requires an understanding of how best to cook on one. Many serious cooks will use a range of sources, such as innovative range cookers with ‘domino’ hobs, combining different fuel types and incorporating specialist cooking surfaces such as griddles and teppanyaki grills. You might combine gas and induction hobs with a combi oven (professionals love ones with warming drawers for proving dough and heating plates). countryliving.com/uk
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT A freestanding table can extend your working area; regularly used tools above a stainless-steel range cooker and knives on a magnetic strip (far left) are safe and easily accessed; a range cooker with double oven and composite stone worksurfaces are versatile and hardwearing
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D E C O R AT I N G A combination of concealed and open storage is most flexible
D E C O R AT I N G
The MULTIPURPOSE kitchen So many things can take place in a kitchen – cooking, cleaning, children’s homework and even running your business – that organised storage is more important in such a space than in almost any room. It’s not just about planning enough cabinets into your design, but also thinking creatively about how to best utilise the area. For example, if you have a lovely set of saucepans that are worth showing off, hang them on a rack above the cooker or over an island instead of taking up valuable space in cupboards. Above or either side of a window or door, there might be space for extra shelving. Use these for things you don’t need all the time, and, if they are high up, get a sturdy wooden ladder that you can also use for kitchen linens. Be strategic with your main cabinets, too. Look for narrow cupboards you can squeeze into corners between units (these often have pivoting doors and hold much more than you think). Similarly, niches for chopping boards can be built in between cabinets – and a plate rack above the sink will save you sorting through precarious stacks of crockery. Think about the usefulness of drawers versus cupboards. Deep drawers at ground level are useful for storing heavier items you don’t want to lift, or bulky things such as tablecloths; cupboards are better for smaller items (keep objects organised in labelled baskets). Utensils should be in drawers near the cooker; crockery and glass are best near the sink or dishwasher to save time when putting them away. Lastly, if space means the kitchen also doubles as the laundry room, hide big appliances behind doors – look for ones that feature the Quiet Mark, so you don’t have to talk over the rumble of a noisy washing machine.
CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW A slender part-glazed antique cupboard utilises ‘dead’ space beside stairs; a well-considered larder is ideal; pigeon-hole drawers can be good for storing small sundries and a collection of cookbooks
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D E C O R AT I N G ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS Kitchens get used for other things than cooking, so factor this into your layout. Have some surface space on an island where you can sit down to work with a laptop, and if you don’t have a laundry room, create a dedicated area away from the cooking zone with an extra sink, a washing machine hidden behind cabinet doors, and space for storing laundry products. Used cleverly, storage can make your kitchen feel more personal. Repurpose antique cabinets or armoires as pantry cupboards or use a vintage glass-fronted display cabinet for your best china. If your freezer’s always filling up and you don’t have space elsewhere in your home for a chest freezer, think about adding extra
freezer drawers into a kitchen island. If they’re cabinet depth, they’re ideal for bulkier items. Open shelves on the walls can be a lovely way to store and display favourite things, as well as making a small kitchen feel airier. If you are worried about things collecting dust and grease, though, glass-fronted cabinets give a similar look. Wherever space is tight, use folding cupboard doors rather than ones that open outwards, so you have more space to move around. Don’t forget access to storage. D-shaped handles are more practical with wet hands than fiddly knobs. The end of an island or run of cabinets is a great place to add open shelves for cookbooks, so they are easily accessible.
A simple white kitchen from Howdens with classic fieldedpanel doors and cup handles has a slender shelf for display
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D E C O R AT I N G
KITCHENS
BRITISH STANDARD (020 7870 7688; britishstandardcupboards.co.uk) Timeless, traditional-meets-modern cupboards and worktops, handmade in Suffolk and supplied ready to paint. Prices from £8,000. DEVOL (01509 261000; devolkitchens.co.uk) Classic English and Shaker kitchens, all handmade in painted timber. Also a range of antique accessories, such as storage and lighting. Prices from £12,000. JOHN LEWIS OF HUNGERFORD (0700 278 4726; john-lewis.co.uk) A wide range of styles, from country classics to contemporary and quirkier looks. Also freestanding storage and appliances. Prices from £25,000. MARK WILKINSON (01380 850007; mwf.com) Bespoke kitchens in luxurious materials, made in Wiltshire. Also has a complete design service for flooring, lighting and appliances. Prices from £50,000. MARTIN MOORE & CO (0845 180 0015; martinmoore.com) Custom-made kitchens, hand-built in its family-run Yorkshire workshop. Has its own stone company and mixes its own paints for an individual look. Prices from £35,000. NEPTUNE (01793 427300; neptune.com) Traditionally made timber kitchens in classic Shaker styles. They can be painted in any of its many shades, from greys and whites to sage green and deep blue. Prices from £10,000. PLAIN ENGLISH (020 7486 2674; plainenglishdesign.co.uk) Georgian and Shaker-style kitchens, handmade in Suffolk. Can also make bespoke elements, such as glazed and metal partitions to divide your kitchen space. Prices from £45,000. SMALLBONE OF DEVIZES (020 7589 5998; smallbone.co.uk) Kitchens celebrating various English architectural styles, including 18th-century Pilaster and the ‘unfitted’ kitchen for a less formal look. Precious woods such as macassar and walnut are a focus. Prices from £50,000. TOM HOWLEY (0161 848 1200; tomhowley.co.uk) Hand-painted oak and walnut kitchens in a classic, pared-down style, crafted in the UK. Lots of bespoke elements, including pantries and islands. Prices from £40,000.
APPLIANCES
AGA (0800 111 6477; agaliving.com) Traditional range cookers in an ever-expanding range of colours, plus new energy-efficient and space-saving models. Also cooker hoods and Rayburn stoves.
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SUB-ZERO & WOLF (020 7858 3480; subzero-wolf.co.uk) Professional-style fridge-freezers, wine storage and hobs, plus gadgets such as built-in, barista-standard coffee makers.
LIGHTING & ACCESSORIES
BRITANNIA (0344 463 9705; britannialiving.co.uk) Streamlined range cookers in stainless steel and coloured enamel. Plus a range of specialist hobs and ovens. EVERHOT (01453 890018; everhot.co.uk) Classic range cookers in various colours, as well as sizes for smaller spaces (right down to 60cm wide). ILVE (0845 548 3130; ilveappliances.co.uk) Range cookers in classic and modern styles, which can be matched to more than 200 RAL colours. Also a range of professional and domino hobs, with mix-and-match functions and fuel sources. LACANCHE (01202 733011; lacanche.co.uk) Classic and modern range cookers in a wide choice of bright and neutral colours. Plus specialist cooking accessories, such as
griddles, wok rings and rotisseries. LA CORNUE (lacornue.com) Fine French range cookers with a decorative, statement look and ornamental details, such as brass controls. MARSHALL SCOTT (01621 858255; marshall-scott. co.uk) A great place for cutting-edge gadgets, from wine fridges to innovative hobs and extractor designs. Also worktops in granite, quartz and Dekton, a high-tech stone-like material. QUOOKER (0345 8333 555; quooker.co.uk) Boiling water taps for maximum convenience in a working, multifunctional kitchen. RANGEMASTER (0800 8046261; rangemaster. co.uk) As well as its signature range cookers, this brand has a range of fridges, stainless-steel sinks and kitchen taps.
BRITISH IRONMONGERY (0845 257 1147; britishironmongery.co.uk) Simple, classic cabinet handles, hooks and shelf brackets in polished brass and cast iron. THE COTSWOLD COMPANY (0333 200 1725; cotswoldco.com) Freestanding pantry cupboards in painted wood, kitchen shelving and ladders, islands and butcher’s blocks in various sizes. DAVID MELLOR DESIGN (01433 650220; davidmellordesign.com) Purveyor of the most stylish designer kitchenware, including highend French Mauviel saucepans in copper and stainless steel, elegant glass storage jars and drawer organisers. HECTOR FINCH LIGHTING (020 7731 8886; hectorfinch.com) A wide range of glass and metal pendant lights, plus pendants on rods that are suitable for hanging over islands. HOLLOWAYS OF LUDLOW (020 7602 5757; hollowaysofludlow.com) Lighting in various materials and styles, including adjustable brass spotlights on rods. Plus sinks in ceramic, copper and cast iron, and traditional and modern taps. LE CREUSET (0800 373792; lecreuset.co.uk) Besides its signature cast-iron cookware, this brand sells stylish and colourful stoneware storage jars with wooden lids, plus professional kitchen knives. MARK LEWIS INTERIOR DESIGN (020 3490 1140; marklewisinteriordesign.com) As well as remodelling your kitchen, this London-based interior designer sells elegant brass pan racks, hooks, D-shaped cabinet handles and other accessories in his online shop. ORIGINAL BTC (020 7351 2130; uk.originalbtc. com) Ceramic, metal and glass pendant lights with a simple, traditional-meets-modern look, all handmade in the UK. RETROUVIUS (020 8960 6060; retrouvius.com) Wonderful vintage storage furniture, reclaimed timber for worktops, kitchen fittings and more. SOHO HOME (020 3819 8199; sohohome.com) Simple, traditional range of enamel kitchenware, storage jars and linen tablecloths. WATERWORKS (020 7384 4000; waterworks.com) Kitchen taps, wall lighting and a huge selection of tiles and worktops, plus hardware. countryliving.com/uk
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAN BALDWIN; CHARLIE COLMER; BRENT DARBY; DAVID GILES; CATHERINE GRATWICKE; BRIAN HARRISON; HUNTLEY HEDWORTH; LINA IKSE; DEBI TRELOAR; HENNY VAN BELKOM; RACHEL WHITING; PENNY WINCER
Directory
A stitch in
TIME
Turn charming flea-market finds or timeworn treasures into Scandi-style makes to cherish WORDS BY CHRISTIANE BELLSTEDT MYERS PHOTOGRAPHS BY CAROLINE ARBER
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CRAFT
Fabric bunting Nothing says ‘celebration’ better than row upon row of bunting fluttering in the breeze. It is an established form of decoration in most countries, especially at weddings, which present a lot of scope for imaginative ideas. Many bridal couples wish to give a small token of appreciation to those who have joined them for their day. These little floral pouches provide a decorative element during the event and can be filled with a take-home gift as the guests leave. Simply remove the peg that holds the pouch and take it away. They can be filled with flowers, sweets or another treat as a memento of the day. YOU WILL NEED Friction pen Pieces of old plain quilt Scissors Needle and matching thread Cord or ribbon Pieces of floral fabric Wooden pegs
1 Draw as many triangular bunting pieces as you need onto pieces of quilt. Cut out. 2 Fold over the top of each bunting piece and stitch along close to the fabric edge to create a small channel. Thread a length of cord or ribbon through each one. 3 Collect several floral fabrics to create a variety of simple pouches of different shapes and sizes – see left for the ones I used. By not having a uniform shape, the bunting is visually interesting and pleasing to the eye. 4 Cut out your shapes and sew right sides together, leaving the top open. You could also stitch different fabrics together in a patchwork. 5 Turn right side out and press neatly. 6 These are now ready to be pegged onto the cord or ribbon of the bunting and filled with your choice of gift – avoid using anything too heavy.
This is a lovely tradition that can be used for special days
Hanging tin vase Surprise loved ones with a beautiful posy of seasonal blooms hanging from their front door handle. Traditionally, these would have been delivered to friends and family on the first day of May. I think it is a lovely tradition, and one that can be used for other special days, too, such as Mother’s Day, birthdays or anniversaries. YOU WILL NEED Tin can, washed and labels removed (including the glue) Cream-coloured water-based eggshell paint Paintbrush Tape measure Piece of old lace fabric Scissors Needle and thread in matching tone to the lace Flowers of your choice
1 Make sure your tin can is clean and dry. Then carefully paint it inside and out with an even layer of paint. Leave to dry completely. 2 Measure the circumference and double the height of your can and cut a piece of lace fabric to wrap around it, so it covers the entire circumference (and folds over to create a loose ‘skirt’). 3 Using a needle and thread, sew the two ends of the lace fabric together, so the tin slips into the fabric sleeve but doesn’t fall through (you want it to fit fairly tightly). 4 Cut a strip of fabric and shape into a hanging loop. Sew this to the top of the fabric sleeve where the seam is. Pull the sleeve over the can, fill with a little water and add the blooms ready to gift.
CRAFT
Gardening apron Gathering the tools needed to complete simple gardening jobs is always the first tick on my list. As any gardener knows, it’s useful to have more than two hands. This prompted me to create an apron especially for outdoors with pockets to hold secateurs and plant labels but also a pocket with a hole in for string. The pocket holds the ball of string and the end can then be pulled through the hole and cut to any desired length with ease. YOU WILL NEED Length of strong reversible fabric (approximately 76cm x 43cm) countryliving.com/uk
Needle and matching thread Embroidery scissors 204cm strong woven ribbon for the apron ties Small piece of red gingham fabric (20cm x 5cm)
1 Start by folding and stitching a double hem about 1cm along each side of the fabric. Fold the bottom half of the fabric up to create a pocket that is 23cm deep. Sew down both sides, leaving the long edge open at the top. Sew a seam down the pocket to create two sections. I sewed one 13cm from one edge, which is perfect for a pair of secateurs. 2 Using sharp embroidery scissors,
cut a small hole in the larger pocket, making sure it is just wide enough for a piece of string. Sew around the edge of the hole using buttonhole stitch. 3 Cut the woven ribbon to create two 102cm lengths. Sew a length in place to each side of the apron at the top edge. 4 With the gingham fabric, fold and press the short sides by 5mm. Fold each long edge in towards the centre and fold in half lengthways to hide the raw edges. Stitch it closed. You will be left with a piece of fabric resembling a thick ribbon. Fold in half and attach to the outside of the apron to create a loop to hang things through, such as a cloth, as seen above. MARCH 2019
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CRAFT
Lavender pillow The thought of re-using a much-loved and worn quilt to make something delicate and charming in this throwaway world is very pleasing to me. It is also lovely to give as a present. I made one for my mother’s 85th birthday and included little pockets where I placed small notes for her to find. YOU WILL NEED Piece of old quilt Backing fabric Embroidery thread Needle and matching thread
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Scraps of fabric Buttons Toy stuffing Pins Dried lavender Scissors
1 Decide on the size you would like your lavender pillow to be. Cut a piece from the old quilt to this size, adding 1cm on all edges for seam allowance. Cut the backing fabric to the same size. 2 Using two strands of embroidery thread, stitch simple designs such as flowers, hearts and cross-stitch motifs
onto the quilt. I also added buttons and scraps of fabric cut into squares. 3 Once you’re happy with your design, pin the backing fabric to the quilt piece, right sides together. Stitch the pieces together with a 1cm seam allowance, leaving a gap at one short end. Turn the pillow right side out. 4 Fill the pillow with dried lavender. I added a little stuffing, too, to give it a better shape, especially in the corners, but it is up to you. 5 Turn the edges under at the opening and slip-stitch the opening closed. Shake the pillow to distribute the lavender. countryliving.com/uk
Button jars Collections of old buttons can be found at every flea market or thrift shop. There was a time when nothing was thrown away, the thinking being that, in time, they would be needed once again. While admiring my button collection, I wondered how I could use them so I could admire them on display and this was the result.
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YOU WILL NEED Buttons Old jars Flowers
1 Pour a handful of clean buttons into each old jar. You only need to fill a couple of inches in each. 2 Add clean water and a few seasonal blooms and that’s it. These are lovely displayed in small groups – a quick and simple project.
CL BOOK OFFER Adapted from Seasonal Scandi Crafts by Christiane Bellstedt Myers (CICO Books, £12.99, published on 12 March 2019). CL readers can order a copy at the special price of £10 including free p&p (UK only) until 31 May 2019 by quoting the offer code SEASONAL10 when ordering online at rylandpeters.com.
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PHOTOGRAPHY © CICO BOOKS. CHRISTIANE MYERS IS ON INSTAGRAM AT @THECOZYCLUBX
CRAFT
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ensure the carpets look better for longer, with subtle shades bringing texture and tone. Free samples can be ordered online, plus there is a room visualiser tool, enabling you to see how different designs could look in your home before you buy. Thaxted and Dakota, £34.99 per sq m; Natural Haze, £36.99 per sq m. Carpetright is offering 20% off all Country Living carpets from 6-19 February 2019. Visit carpetright.co.uk/country-living/carpets to view the collection, order swatches and find out where to buy. MARCH 2019
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RU R A L A RT I S A N
A brush with
MAGIC
Under the eaves of her home in west Wales, acclaimed painter, illustrator and author Jackie Morris produces beautiful work with a touch of the otherworldly WORDS BY KITTY CORRIGAN
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY NATO WELTON
otoring along narrow roads hedged with blackthorn blossom is a study in nature when Jackie Morris is at the wheel. She’s scanning the sky for the first swallows, which arrive early here in Pembrokeshire. Seconds later, she brakes to watch a buzzard swooping down on a young rabbit. As a result, it can often take a while to reach home – a white cottage, sitting on a hilltop on the west coast of Wales. Swallows and buzzards are just some of the birds that provide Jackie with constant inspiration. “It’s the shape of them, their flight, their soul,” she says, explaining why they appear with such regularity in her illustrations, notably in The Lost Words, her award-winning collaboration with writer Robert Macfarlane, which celebrates the goldfinch, kingfisher, magpie and other marvels of the natural world that were omitted from the Oxford Children’s Dictionary. Hares are another favourite of Jackie’s: “They are elusive, magical and fierce. The first one I saw was in Wiltshire as a child with my father, who took me for
THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE Jackie takes inspiration from her countryside and coastal walks, and draws and
paints ethereal pictures of birds and animals in her attic studio in a cottage by the sea. Hares and otters are particular favourites
RU R A L A RT I S A N
“I can pull otters out of my head – their shape and muscle strength fascinate me”
walks and taught me how to find a skylark’s nest. It was early one frosty morning, the earth crusted with mist. A barn owl floated silently above the surface, then, suddenly, hares erupted from the ground. They live in a different world. We have separated ourselves from that world and are no longer in tune with nature.” There’s a stuffed hare in her attic studio, a reminder of her 2013 book Song of the Golden Hare, one of more than 30 titles she’s written, including The Snow Leopard, The Ice Bear and Tell me a Dragon. Her most recent release, Mrs Noah’s Pockets, came out last year, and is based, she says, irreverently, “very loosely on a book called the Bible”. The hare is joined by various other stuffed creatures – owls, a duck, a heron, as well as sundry feathers and wings; all study pieces for reference. There’s a drawer full of sinuous otter countryliving.com/uk
sketches of all shapes and sizes, swirling across the page. These are drawn in Sumi ink (used by scribes since the seventh century), which she grinds on an inkstone and mixes with water, then applies with a brush made from squirrel, sable or weasel hair. Some swim on smooth Arches paper, others dive on roughtextured, cotton-based sheets made with well water at the 400-year-old Two Rivers paper mill in Somerset. “I can pull otters out of my head,” Jackie says. “It’s their shape and muscle strength that fascinate me.” Now in her fifties, Jackie knew from the age of six that she wanted to draw, “to conjure birds from paper and colour” after her father had magicked up a lapwing for her on a scrap of paper. She uses, appropriately, Blackwing pencils, with paper stumps for smudging, Winsor & Newton watercolours, and a panoply of MARCH 2019
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RU R A L A RT I S A N
“I don’t do books for children. I do books for people” pens with a range of coloured inks – “Sepia creates a lovely effect”. Often labelled a children’s author, she explains: “I don’t do books for children. I do books for people. They have to appeal to children, parents, illustrators.” Initially, however, she was told she was too working class to pursue a creative career – presumably because she didn’t have a private income – but was determined to go to art college. At Exeter University, her tutor said, “Your attitude is as substandard as your work.” She transferred to a different course at Bath, where another tutor recognised that she was hungry to learn – “which is good, as you don’t have much talent”. She proved both of them wrong after graduating, when she was commissioned by national magazines including Radio Times, New Statesman and Country Living, supplementing her income by working on a cheese stall while living in a farmhouse on the edge of Bath, saving money; and walking, always walking. She drew illustrations for Greenpeace, Amnesty International and Oxfam, and it was when her greetings cards were spotted by children’s author Caroline Pitcher that she was encouraged to work on storybooks. A few years later, she started writing them, too: “I have always loved chasing words, seeing them in my mind’s eye. Writing is like drawing words.” When asked if it’s difficult to create both the words and the images for a book, she says no, “because you use different parts of the brain. And you get paid twice”. What’s surprising – and encouraging – is that Jackie couldn’t read fluently until she was 12, and her spelling was atrocious. But her advice to other aspiring artists and authors is: “Read everything. If you’re not enjoying it, put it down. You might pick it up again in ten years’ time.” In Jackie’s case, the words start on a Remington typewriter that belonged to her father: “He was a policeman and used it to write up murder reports. Now I write poems on it.” Despite being highly regarded – “The Lost Words has taken on a life of its own and brought new audiences to Robert Macfarlane and to me” – she is never content with her work. In fact, she doesn’t like it. While other art, including Tamsin Abbott’s folkloric stained-glass Jackie also likes to focus on magical and mythical themes, dreaming up fairy tales for her storybooks; in
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keeping with this, she paints pebbles found on the shoreline with labyrinth designs in gold leaf
RU R A L A RT I S A N
Jackie spends hours watching, writing and drawing in the open air pieces, hang in the low-beamed, slate-floored kitchen and sitting room, very little of hers is on display. “It’s not the finished product I like, but the process. That’s what keeps me going – it will be better next time.” She says in the past she’d be in tears sending off her work, thinking it wasn’t good enough, and she still gets nervous. “Then, when I see it in print, I usually decide it’s okay.” Jackie spends hours watching, writing and drawing in the open air, in fields fringed with snowdrops or on clifftops punctuated by gorse, to get natural features exactly right; for The Wild Swans she spent days observing them at Slimbridge Wetland Centre. On her daily walks with Ivy the lurcher cross, Pi the cocker spaniel and Elmo the ginger moggie (the two Bengals, Lady Spittifer and White Boy, remain at home in the comfiest chairs), she collects large pebbles and small stones. Taking them home, she decorates them with gold leaf in a labyrinth design before placing them by running water to be re-found. Her current regime is to work on the beach alone for two hours before a 10am dip in the icy water off St David’s Head with her regular swimming group, the Bluetits. She then dons her Dryrobe and
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returns home to carry on. A collection of wooden sand timers, measuring from 15 minutes to one hour, nag her to settle down to work: “I fool myself that if I turn two of them, I will get double the work done.” Her son Tom, 26, who lives with her, keeps the hearth stacked with logs (the woodburner is her only source of heat). He used to live in Plymouth, where daughter Hannah, 24, is based, but came back to west Wales: “He says I make life too comfortable for him.” In quieter moments Jackie says she likes to “watch a good film under a blanket of cats”, but, with a deadline for her next book looming, as well as requests pouring in for her to speak and live-draw at literary festivals, visit schools and tutor on creative writing courses, she can’t afford to let time slip away. So, for now, she’ll be heading back upstairs to the attic to transfer today’s natural wonders onto the page. For more information, visit jackiemorris.co.uk. Numerous campaigns are crowdfunding to buy a copy of The Lost Words (Hamish Hamilton, £20) for every primary school in the UK. countryliving.com/uk
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C O N S E RVAT I O N
TURNING
the TIDE
Through her pioneering work at The National Lobster Hatchery in Cornwall, marine biologist Carly Daniels helps to support sustainable crustacean stocks, aiding coastal communities in the process WORDS BY LAURAN ELSDEN
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID CHARBIT
C O N S E RVAT I O N
ou wouldn’t ordinarily think of lobsters as charismatic but, according to marine biologist Dr Carly Daniels, they’re actually quite charming. “They have their own distinct personalities,” she says, “and, as much as people might say they look fearsome, I think they’re rather beautiful.” Able to taste with their feet and regenerate lost legs, antennae and claws, there’s no doubt that these crustaceans are remarkable. Carly certainly thinks so and, as head of production, science and development at The National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow, she’s working to help ensure native lobsters continue to walk the seabeds around Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. In a bid to avoid the same fate as Mediterranean and Scandinavian stocks – which have never fully recovered from overfishing – the charity was set up in 2000 when lobster numbers showed signs of decline in Cornish waters. “Lobsters are known as a ‘keystone species’,” Carly explains. “Not only are they a coveted food, they also play a crucial role in the underwater ecosystem. They feed on the likes of starfish and sea urchins, which, if left unchecked, can affect the abundance and balance of other marine life.” On the quayside overlooking the Atlantic, The National Lobster Hatchery conducts important research and education projects. Most notably, Carly works tirelessly to raise young lobsters through their vulnerable larval stages before using Aquahive® systems – hexagonal trays that sit within a cylinder of water where feeding can be done in situ – to rear the juveniles. The team nurture the lobsters until they are around three months old, by which time they have developed a natural survival instinct, including learning how to hide in the sediment on the seabed, and can be released into the ocean. This important conservation work couldn’t be done without the help of local coastal communities. “Fishermen bring female lobsters in to us when their fertilised eggs are between two to four weeks away from hatching,” Carly says. “In the wild, the babies released from their mother’s tail would float around as plankton; fish food basically. Only one in every 1,000 might ever make it through to adulthood.” It’s also the fishermen, along with local divers, who release the young lobsters back into the sea with OPENING PAGE Newly hatched lobster larvae CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT The harbour at Padstow; The National Lobster Hatchery; Carly with research countryliving.com/uk
assistant Emma Theobald – an increasing number of women are now pursuing a career in aquaculture; Carly prepares to release a lobster into the wild
C O N S E RVAT I O N
With oceans covering more than 70 per cent of the earth’s surface, Carly rightly points out that caring for them is paramount
the hope they’ll grow into sizeable adults. “It’s great for it to go full circle and for the fishermen to get something back at the end.” After studying marine biology at the University of Plymouth, Carly started to volunteer at the Hatchery. This marked the beginning of her fascination with lobsters, and in 2004 she was offered a permanent job. “I love that there’s always something new to learn about them,” she says. “Every time you’re trying to find the answer to a question, you’ve got to turn around and ask ten more.” Having woken up in the early hours, Carly has made the journey from Padstow on the north coast to Par Docks on the south before sunrise. “My schedule varies drastically,” she says. “One day I’m in the office from nine to five writing funding applications, another I’m presenting our research to international audiences.” But today she’s doing what she loves most. Pulling on yellow waterproofs and a life jacket, she’s about to set out onto St Austell Bay. Diversification is a key part of the Hatchery’s work, and, as part of an innovative ‘on-growing’ project* (whereby juveniles are reared in containers in the ocean before being released back into the wild once they’re larger and more experienced), it has teamed up with Gary Rawle, founder of West Country Mussels of Fowey. Using the existing infrastructure of his operation – which includes an area of water that extends to the size of 40 football pitches – lobster containers are secured to vast ‘long lines’ that run two metres PREVIOUS PAGE The Hatchery uses a vessel owned by West Country Mussels of Fowey FROM TOP LEFT Carly (pictured centre with Emma Theobald and Charlie Ellis) has worked
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at the Hatchery for more than 15 years, and each day is different; at just a few months old, lobsters are ready to be released into the wild, where they will hopefully thrive
under the sea’s surface and are used to grow mussels. “People are realising that rearing just one animal isn’t necessarily the way forward. It’s all about harnessing a multi-species system,” Carly says. After a 15-minute boat journey – luckily today’s fine weather makes for smooth sailing – Carly and the team reach their destination. With help from the ship’s crew, the containers are hauled from the murky depths below: treasure troves brimming with jewel anemones, pink scallop shells, skeleton shrimps and delicate brittle stars. With a heavily gloved hand (those claws can give quite a nip), Carly carefully lifts out a medium-sized lobster. “They’re scavengers, so will eat anything,” she says. “The on-growing system mimics their natural habitat, providing them with wild food sources and an ecological conditioning step, which allows them to grow larger and healthier.” The crustaceans will be assessed to determine whether this sea-based on-growing has been a success before they are transported under dampened hessian sacks to where they will be released. With oceans covering more than 70 per cent of the earth’s surface, Carly rightly points out that caring for them is paramount: “We’ve got to be respectful of what we’ve got. We’ve lived off the land for so long and in some ways have destroyed it. We need to make sure we don’t do the same thing to our seas.” Spending her spare time kayaking, paddle-boarding and walking Cornwall’s coastal paths (The Lizard Peninsula is a favourite), she can trace her love of water back to childhood: “I remember looking over the side of my parents’ boat with a sense of awe,” she says. “Not being able to see the bottom and wondering what was down there in that vast expanse. It makes you realise there are bigger powers out there than us.” To find out more, visit lobstergrower.co.uk. countryliving.com/uk
*THE LOBSTER GROWER 2 PROJECT WAS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE NATIONAL LOBSTER HATCHERY, WEST COUNTRY MUSSELS OF FOWEY, THE CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES & AQUACULTURE SCIENCE (CEFAS), THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER AND FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY
C O N S E RVAT I O N
Best for dramatic scenery…
SNOWD ON M O U N TA I N R A I L WA Y THE JOURNEY This plucky little rack and pinion railway winding 4.7 miles up Mount Snowdon takes the puff out of scaling Wales’s highest peak – with diesel and steam services both setting off from Llanberis station. On the way, the single carriage climbs past gorges, rock formations, tumbledown stone dwellings and fields dotted with sheep. It provides a cocoon from the March mountain chill, especially at Halfway station, from where you watch walkers on the trackside footpath braving the cold. Everyone is heading upwards – and visitors have been able to buy a cup of tea on Snowdon’s top, the ultimate destination, since the mid-19th century. Visit snowdonrailway.co.uk. T H E D E S T I N AT I O N From Clogwyn station, 45 minutes and three-quarters of the way up, you can enjoy dramatic views of Snowdonia National Park in all its emerald spring finery.
T R AV E L
On the right
TRACK The first signs of spring might be on the horizon, but there’s still a nip in the air, so take advantage of Britain’s historic railways and enjoy some of our most beautiful landscapes without braving the elements WORDS BY ANNA MELVILLE-JAMES
Best for sea views…
EXETER TO PENZANCE THE JOURNEY Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the South Devon Railway was planned as an ‘atmospheric’ stretch of rail and, thanks to its geography, trains still have to slow down along parts of it; this makes it great for watching the scenery, which is as impressive today as when the line was first built. Past the Exe Estuary, the tracks lead into Dawlish, where the train sweeps along the seafront, metres from the water. In spring, the horizon meets huge blue skies, and high spring tides water-pattern the windows and break over the tracks. Breathe in the seaweed tang before you clatter on through Plymouth to Cornwall, where the route
ducks inland, popping out to the sea at St Austell and finally again at the UK’s westernmost tip. It’s a reasonably long journey – around three hours – but the Night Riviera sleeper from London also runs along this line if you want to see the sights by moonlight before bed. Visit gwr.com and search ‘Exeter to Penzance’. T H E D E S T I N AT I O N Walking trails take you from the Land’s End signpost past Bronze Age burial mounds and an Iron Age hill fort to cliffs above the churning Atlantic – to look for America in the distance, or at least seals playing in the waves below.
T R AV E L
There’s no scenery that can’t be improved with a round of dainty sandwiches and a cup of Darjeeling
Best for foodies…
GROSMONT TO PICKERING THE JOURNEY Little is more civilised than afternoon tea in a Pullman carriage, and this journey offers beautiful moorland scenery to boot. The North Yorkshire Moors railway’s steam and diesel trains take in the quiet drama of this heather-coated landscape sculpted by shadows on a 24-mile, hour-long moveable feast. Of course, you don’t have to dine – and non-dining day
tickets can take you even further along to Whitby – but there’s no scenery that can’t be improved with a round of dainty sandwiches and a pot of Darjeeling. Or indeed gin tasting, wine tasting or even fish and chip nights, which are also on offer. All are served in carriages of bouncy upholstery, chrome fittings and white tablecloths, the way train travel was surely intended. Visit nymr.co.uk.
T H E D E S T I N AT I O N The round-trip afternoon tea ticket only stops in the ancient market town of Pickering long enough for a 15-minute leg stretch before returning you to Grosmont. But this is no great loss as the sleepy Esk Valley village is delightful for a stroll, especially during late spring when the local woods fill with expanses of bluebells. MARCH 2019
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T R AV E L Best for wilderness…
INVERNESS TO KYLE OF LOCHALSH THE JOURNEY Rolling out from Inverness into wild expanses of natural drama, presided over by the formidable Torridon Peaks, the untamed beauty of the Kyle Line is hard to beat. Cutting across the Northwest Highlands, this two-hour-long journey skirts the still waters of Lochluichart and Loch a’Chroisg, passing mountainside forests and abandoned crofts before stopping at a series of quaint villages. Along the route, you can enjoy a panorama of moors, red deer, weather-hewn rock
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outcrops and peaks, often with the added drama of the changeable Scottish weather. Visit scotrail.co.uk and search ‘Kyle Line’. THE DESTINATION Kyle of Lochalsh village sits right at the end of the Lochalsh Peninsula, across the water from Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye. A ferry used to connect the two villages until 1995 when the Skye Bridge was built, making this the perfect jumpingoff point for a trip to the island.
countryliving.com/uk
T R AV E L Best for nostalgia…
AV O N VA L L E Y R A I L WA Y THE JOURNEY Beeching’s axe fell on this three-mile stretch of branch line between Bristol and Bath in the 1960s, but it survived thanks to volunteers who began restoring and re-laying it just a decade later. Today, it’s as if the 1950s never left, with the huff and whistle of steam sounding in the valley – the heritage engines make the hour-long journey daily between Bitton, a restored Victorian station, Oldland Common and Avon Riverside. The railway shares its route with the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, a 13-mile pedestrian and cycle track that runs alongside it and connects the two city centres. In spring, this wildlife corridor is alive with nature waking up, full of unfurling leaves, dappled sunlight and birdsong – year-round, though, you can spot artwork from the sculpture trail along its route. Visit avonvalleyrailway.org. T H E D E S T I N AT I O N Take to the waters in Bath’s ancient natural thermal spa (below) like the Victorians did – the city is a short distance further along the Railway Path from Avon Riverside station and the Thermae Bath Spa’s openair rooftop pool is the modern soak; then hunker down for a traditional afternoon tea at The Country Living Hotel Lansdown Grove.
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Best for embracing the season…
OX F O RD T O L E D B U RY THE JOURNEY For many of us, the cheery sight of daffodils bobbing in the breeze is the first sign spring is finally here. And no more so than in the ‘Golden Triangle’ of the Gloucestershire-Herefordshire border, where swathes of wild daffodils mark the season as they have done for centuries. Back in the 1930s, the Great Western Railway even put on special day trips – “Daffodil Specials” – from London to Ledbury for people to admire them and gather bunches
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to take home. Today, you can enjoy the perennial show as you travel along the Cotswold Line that winds for two hours through some of the UK’s most bucolic landscapes and honeycoloured villages, including Moretonin-Marsh and Chipping Campden. Visit gwr.com and search ‘Oxford to Ledbury’. T H E D E S T I N AT I O N Pick up a map from a local shop and walk the Daffodil Way, a ten-mile
circular route that takes you through meadows and woods lit with nodding yellow blooms. If you prefer a more manageable stroll, there are plenty of marked short cuts, and be sure to stop for a ‘daffodil tea’; many village churches run them from mid-March onwards. See page 100 for details of an exclusive Country Living reader four-day railway tour in the Scottish Highlands, travelling on the iconic Jacobite steam train.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALAMY; ANDREW MONTGOMERY; SHUTTERSTOCK. INFORMATION CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS
T R AV E L
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Country Living
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Sell your products around the UK in our CL Pavilions – contact us now to find out how COUNTRY LIVING IS ON THE ROAD! We are travelling the country, taking our popular CL Pavilions to some of the most prestigious and fun events around the UK this summer. At eight different shows in 2019, from the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival to Burghley Horse Trials, the Pavilions are sought-after shopping attractions. Every event features small businesses selling beautiful items, and each one is hand-picked by us to be part of this unique Country Living retail showcase. We are always looking for new talent and products, so if you have a small business, are a maker or producer and are interested in becoming a CL exhibitor, we would love to hear from you!
FIND COUNTRY LIVING PAVILIONS AT: O Badminton Horse Trials O RHS Malvern Spring Festival O RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival O The Great Yorkshire Show O RHS Tatton Park Flower Show O The Game Fair O Burghley Horse Trials O CL Christmas at Ascot
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HOLIDAYS We’ve hand-picked a selection of wonderful trips and travel experiences we know you will enjoy. Book them before they’re gone!
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HOLIDAYS E XC LU S I V E TO U R
See Japan in bloom Experience the beauty of Japan’s cherry blossom on this exclusive 17-day tour that includes Tokyo and a luxury cruise along the Pacific coast Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto
See the magnificent Mount Fuji by bullet train
THE HIGHLIGHTS
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o visit Japan in spring, when the iconic cherry blossom covers the country in beautiful pink blooms, is sure to be an experience on many people’s lists of travel destinations. This wonderful bespoke tour takes in the very best of the sakura (blossoms), as well as the rest of Japan by land and sea. You’ll stay in neon-lit Tokyo for three nights in a four-star hotel, and enjoy two exclusive day trips. One will take you to the best spots in the city for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) and the
other will whisk you to see majestic Mount Fuji on one of Japan’s famous bullet trains. You’ll then board luxury ship Celebrity Millennium for an 11-night round-trip cruise from Tokyo, including stops at Osaka for Kyoto, Kochi Castle and Busan, the second largest city in South Korea. With April being peak cherry blossom season, this perfectly timed tour is simply not to be missed. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the magic and mystery of Japan at the very best time of year to go.
TOKYO’S CHERRY BLOSSOM
MOUNT FUJI BY BULLET TRAIN
The flowers are deeply symbolic in Japan, and their short-lived existence taps into a long-held appreciation of the fleeting nature of life. You’ll get the most fabulous panoramic view of the blossoms from the dizzying heights of the Tokyo Tower, as well as visit some of the prettiest and mostphotographed cherry trees in the world. More than a million visitors enjoy the delicate pale pink flowers that symbolise new beginnings. You can admire them in the Zojoji Temple and Chidorigafuchi and Kitanomaru national parks.
You can’t visit Japan without seeing Mount Fuji or travelling by high-speed bullet train. So we’ve included a wonderful day trip from Tokyo to Japan’s most iconic mountain. Enjoy the scenery of rural Japan as you travel to Mount Fuji’s fifth station, 2,300 metres above sea level, and stop for lunch. Take a cable car ride on the Komagatake Ropeway, which boasts great views of the Hakone National Park, and a scenic boat cruise on Lake Ashi. Keep an eye out for the bright red torii gates that span the lake shore, too.
OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS Cruise Direction specialises in luxury tailor-made cruises and escorted tours to destinations across the world. Tripsmiths partners with the world’s leading tour operators and select media brands to deliver exclusive travel experiences. countryliving.com/uk/holidays
17-DAY TOUR
INCLUDES A LUXURY CRUISE
YOUR ITINERARY DAY 1 Fly overnight from London to Tokyo DAY 2 Tokyo DAY 3 Tokyo’s best cherry blossom spots Tour DAY 4 Mount Fuji and Hakone tour on bullet train DAY 5 Transfer to Celebrity Millennium DAY 6 Shimizu, Mount Fuji DAY 7 Osaka for Kyoto DAY 8 Kobe DAY 9 Kochi DAY 10 Fukuoka DAY 11 Busan, South Korea DAY 12 Day at sea DAY 13 Aomori, Japan DAY 14 Day at sea DAY 15 Tokyo DAY 16 Flight departs DAY 17 Arrive in UK
Tokyo’s Chidorigafuchi Park resplendent in blossom
WHAT’S INCLUDED Return flights and private airport transfers Free airport lounge pass Three nights’ fourstar accommodation in Tokyo Tour of Tokyo, taking in the best cherry
Enjoy luxurious cabins on the ship
SAIL IN STYLE The Celebrity Millennium (right) will be your home for a luxury full-board 11-night cruise around the coastline of Japan. You’ll board at Tokyo’s port at Yokohama and sail to Osaka, Kobe – home of the famous beef – and Busan in South Korea. With a capacity of 2,158 passengers, the ship is small enough to still feel intimate but large enough to support multiple
countryliving.com/uk/holidays
restaurants, Jacuzzis, outdoor pools, an adults-only solarium and a big Broadway-style theatre. You can choose from six different cabin types and upgrade to oceanview or balcony cabins and suites.
blossom spots Full-day Mount Fuji and Hakone tour including lunch, Lake Ashi cruise and bullet train journey 11-night full-board cruise on the Celebrity Millennium All port taxes and fees
THE PRICE From £3,199pp* THE DATES 6-22 April 2020 TO BOOK OR DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE DATES OR ITINERARIES, call 01462 323738, quoting CLJAPAN For more details and to see the full itinerary, go to countryliving.com/uk/japancherryblossom *Based on two people sharing a cabin. Subject to availability. Regional flights may be available at a supplement and are subject to availability. Single cabins are available on request and at a supplement. Ask about upgrades to allinclusive packages including drinks. This promotion is exclusive to Hearst UK and may be promoted by other Hearst UK brands. This trip is ATOL-protected
HOLIDAYS E XC LU S I V E TO U R
Explore the Scottish Highlands by steam Experience breathtaking scenery by paddle steamer and the iconic Jacobite steam train TAKE ONE OF
THE WORLD’S GREATEST RAILWAY JOURNEYS
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or hundreds of years, the wooded hills and glens and the crystalclear lochs of the Trossachs have inspired visitors from all over the world. On this exclusive four-day holiday, you will travel over land, sea and loch – all powered by steam. Travelling on the famous Jacobite steam train, the paddle steamer The Waverley and the SS Sir Walter Scott, you will take in the impressive sight of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, enjoy a unique experience on the world’s first rotating boat lift, and pass over the spectacular 21-arch Glenfinnan Viaduct, as seen in the Harry Potter films. VOYAGE BY PADDLE STEAMER Aboard the world’s last ocean-going paddle steamer, The Waverley, you will set sail across the Firth of Clyde, enjoying the gentle beauty of the Argyll hills and the Kyles of Bute from the deck. The SS Sir Walter Scott has been piloting tourists over Loch Katrine for more than 100 years and is one of only a few surviving screw-driven steamers in service. She retains her original engines, now using smokeless solid fuel, and many passengers enjoy pressing their noses against the viewing pane to watch the triple-expansion steam engine. The scenery around the loch is breathtaking – at its northern end is Glengyle, the birthplace of Scottish outlaw and folk hero Rob Roy.
THE FALKIRK WHEEL As part of your boat journey, you will experience the world’s first rotating boat lift – the Falkirk Wheel – before sailing along the Union Canal below the Antonine Wall to its visitor centre. This UNESCO World Heritage Site marked the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire, some 99 miles north of Hadrian’s Wall. A STEAM JOURNEY The Fort William to Mallaig line is frequently voted the world’s greatest railway journey. Aboard The Jacobite, you will puff past rugged scenery, craggy coastlines and inland lochs. After a stop for seafood or fish and chips at Mallaig, you will return to Fort William with Champagne and chocolates. S TAY I N G I N L U X U RY Your base for three nights is the four-star Macdonald Forest Hills Hotel & Spa in The Trossachs, where the 55 classically styled bedrooms are inspired by the landscape.
YOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1 Falkirk Wheel DAY 2 Fort William to Mallaig (return trip) on The Jacobite DAY 3 River Clyde on The Waverley DAY 4 Checkout/Loch Katrine on the SS Sir Walter Scott WHAT’S INCLUDED Three nights’ dinner (with wine), B&B at the four-star Macdonald Forest Hills Hotel & Spa, Aberfoyle Return flights from London Stansted to Edinburgh A ride on the Falkirk Wheel boat lift A journey on the Firth of
Clyde on the PS Waverley A trip on the Fort William/Mallaig line on The Jacobite steam train (with Champagne and chocolates on the return) Sailing Loch Katrine on the SS Sir Walter Scott The services of a Brightwater Holidays tour manager
THE PRICE From £1,095* per person THE DATES 27-30 June OR 16-19 August 2019 TO BOOK OR DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE ITINERARIES, CALL 01334 441826, quoting code CLSTEAM For more details and to see the full itinerary, go to countryliving.com/uk/scotlandbysteam *Based on two sharing a room and flying from London Stansted. A £30pp supplement applies for August. Regional flights and/or overnight accommodation before/after tour are available and at a supplement. A discount for no flights is also available. Single rooms are available on request at a supplement. This trip is ATOL protected. This promotion is exclusive to Hearst UK and may be promoted by other Hearst UK brands. For full terms and conditions, visit countryliving.com/uk/scotlandbysteam
OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS Brightwater Holidays is an award-winning travel operator specialising in garden and specialistinterest escorted tours worldwide. Tripsmiths partners with the world’s leading tour operators and select media brands to deliver exclusive travel experiences.
HOLIDAYS E S C O R T E D TO U R
Learn the secrets of the English country garden with Sarah Raven Enjoy dinner and afternoon tea with the garden designer, writer and broadcaster, as well as private tours of Sissinghurst, Perch Hill and LIMITED other renowned gardens in Kent and Sussex
PLACES BOOK TODAY!
YOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1 Great Comp Garden and Lullingstone Castle DAY 2 Pashley Manor, Great Dixter and Sissinghurst DAY 3 Scotney Castle and Sarah’s garden at Perch Hill DAY 4 Marchants Hardy Plants and Parham House
Hear Sarah Raven’s knowledgeable talks
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ew things in life can compare with the joy of strolling through an English country garden at the height of summer, when roses, sweet peas and clouds of azaleas are all spectacularly on show. This four-day trip, exclusively for readers of Country Living, features private visits to world-class gardens in Kent and Sussex, plus two special events hosted by the inspirational Sarah Raven. Anyone with a passion for gardens and gardening will delight in the itinerary. Highlights include the shrubs and perennials of Great Comp Garden, Scotney Castle, magnificent Lullingstone Castle, the roses and lavender of Pashley Manor, another classic English garden at Great Dixter, the nursery at Marchants Hardy Plants and the herbaceous borders at Parham House. What’s more, you will have the chance to join Sarah Raven for talks and a flowerarranging masterclass during a special event at her garden, Perch Hill, plus an exclusive dinner at Sissinghurst, one of the most admired flower gardens in the world.
VISIT SISSINGHURST You will go on a private afterhours tour and three-course dinner at Sissinghurst, the famous Kent garden created by the writers Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson in the 1930s. TALKS AND TIPS The following day sees a trip to glorious Scotney Castle, then on to Sarah’s garden at Perch Hill, for a private afternoon event. YOUR STYLISH HOTEL You will stay throughout at the four-star George in Rye. This stylishly renovated hotel is ideally located at the heart of the charming town, and has its very own Georgian ballroom.
WHAT’S INCLUDED Three nights’ bed and breakfast at the fourstar George in Rye hotel Two dinners at the hotel Comfortable coach travel throughout Special talks and events with Sarah Raven, including Sissinghurst dinner and afternoon
tea at Perch Hill Visits to the gardens of Lullingstone Castle, Great Comp, Pashley Manor, Great Dixter and Parham House, Marchants Hardy Plants nursery and garden Services of a Brightwater Holidays tour manager
THE PRICE From £1,195* per person THE DATES 16-19 JULY 2019
TO BOOK OR DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE ITINERARIES, CALL 01334 441835, quoting code CLGARDENS
For more details and to see the full itinerary, go to countryliving.com/uk/gloriousgardens *Based on two sharing a room. Single rooms are available on request at a supplement and subject to availability. Timings of Sarah’s events are subject to change and there may be slight alterations to the itinerary due to operational restrictions. This trip is ATOL protected. This promotion is exclusive to Hearst UK and may be promoted by other Hearst UK brands. For full terms and conditions, visit countryliving.com/uk/gloriousgardens
OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS Brightwater Holidays is an award-winning travel operator specialising in garden and specialist-interest escorted tours worldwide. Tripsmiths partners with the world’s leading tour operators and select media brands to deliver exclusive travel experiences. countryliving.com/uk/holidays
STRAPLINE HOLIDAYS E XC LU S I V E O F F E R
Enjoy the ultimate gourmet getaway at Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons Escape to the country with a luxurious overnight stay at Belmond Le Manoir and enjoy a fabulous dinner at Raymond Blanc’s two-Michelin-star restaurant
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ucked away in the Oxfordshire countryside, the creepercovered Belmond Le Manoir is one of the country’s most luxurious hotels. Surrounded by manicured gardens, the honey-coloured stone manor is the ultimate countryside retreat, with perfectly groomed lawns, a vegetable garden that feeds the kitchen, cosy corners and friendly staff. But, with Raymond Blanc at the helm, it’s the Michelin-starred restaurant that takes centre stage, which is why we’re thrilled to offer Country Living readers this exceptional gourmet stay. Each of the individually designed guest rooms draws inspiration from Raymond Blanc’s extensive travels, and you will enjoy complimentary Champagne while you settle in. Spend
the afternoon relaxing in the manor house or explore the delightful local area, before returning to the hotel for what promises to be an unforgettable dining experience. Sample exquisite flavours from any of Raymond Blanc’s celebrated fine-dining menus, before retiring to bed. An extensive breakfast spread awaits the following morning, while you savour the final moments of your five-star getaway. Treat yourself to an indulgent escape
YOUR ITINERARY WHAT’S INCLUDED One night’s accommodation based on two people sharing a room Half-bottle of Champagne in your room on arrival Full English breakfast Dinner from any of Raymond Blanc’s menus* Signed copy of Raymond Blanc’s book A Taste of my Life
THE PRICE FROM £538PP** THE DATES 10 JANUARY31 MARCH 2019† TO BOOK, CALL 01325 271549 quoting code CLBELMOND For more details and to see the full itinerary, go to countryliving.com/uk/ belmondlemanoir Terms & conditions *Wine not included. **From price based on two sharing. Subject to availability. †Valid Sunday-Thursday until 31 March 2019. Selected dates subject to availability. This promotion is exclusive to Hearst UK and may be promoted by other Hearst UK brands. For full details of the itinerary and terms and conditions, visit countryliving.com/uk/belmondlemanoir
OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS Tripsmiths partners with the world’s leading tour operators and select media brands to deliver exclusive travel experiences. Belmond Ltd is a hotel and leisure company that operates luxury hotels, train services and river cruises around the world. countryliving.com/uk/holidays
wild d wonder
WORDS BY KATE LANGRISH. PHOTOGRAPH BY ALAMY
N AT U R E
Frogspawn IT MAY BE COLD OUTSIDE but, across the country, ponds and waterways are quietly springing into life. Look carefully among the reeds or at the water’s edge and you could be rewarded with the sight of glistening frogspawn lying just below the surface. While toads create long strings of eggs that drape over pond plants, frogs lay their jelly-like clutch in big clusters. Over the coming weeks, the tiny black dots at the centre of each egg will transform into wriggling comma shapes before emerging as tiny tadpoles. Once they have hatched, it takes around 14 weeks for the astounding metamorphosis to take place. The tadpole’s tail shrinks and its body becomes less rounded; its legs grow;
lungs and eardrums develop; and, finally, it transforms into a froglet that can leave the pond. Incredibly, it’s a process that tadpoles can control; slowing it down if the weather is too cold or speeding it up if threatened by a pond full of predators. Although it’s fascinating to observe, especially for children, frogspawn needs very specific conditions and care, so, unless you have a Field Studies Council chart (details below), it’s best to watch it in the pond rather than taking it home. The FSC Keeping Frog Tadpoles chart is available at field-studies-council.org.
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Forgotten CRAFTS
The cordwainer
Once found on every high street, traditional shoemakers are now in short supply. But Alison Hastie and her team, based in a busy workshop on the edge of Dartmoor, are bringing the skill back WORDS BY HESTER LACEY
PHOTOGRAPHS BY PENNY WINCER
CRAFTSMANSHIP Unlike commercial factories, which can produce thousands of pairs of shoes per day, Green Shoes makes between 15 and 30 per week
CRAFTSMANSHIP
magine stepping out in a pair of shoes, made just for you, that really fit, that accommodate your high arches or narrow heels, your long, slender bones or extra-wide feet; and even (whisper it) work around a bunion. This level of expertise and comfort sounds like the preserve of the very highest end of the bespoke market but, perhaps surprisingly, handmade shoes are not that much more expensive than off-theshelf footwear. And, unlike mass-market purchases, such shoes are made with longevity and repair in mind. “This pair is on its third set of soles – I made them in the 1990s,” says shoemaker Alison Hastie, pointing to a rather fine-looking pair of Chelsea boots on the resoles shelf. They are one of several pairs handmade by the team at Green Shoes, based in the Devon market town of Moretonhampstead, which have been brought back by customers to be rejuvenated. “How long shoes will last depends on how much wear they get and how carefully you look after them,” says Alison, adding that you can expect at least four to five years of use and often up to ten or more. Once you start looking at cost per wear, a pair of handmade shoes starts to look like quite a bargain. However, you are lucky if there is an independent shoemaker in your town – the days when the cordwainer, who made shoes, and the cobbler, who repaired them, could be found on every high street are long gone. The art of shoemaking, which has been around since prehistoric times, has dwindled to an all-time low. Alison co-founded Green Shoes in 1981 – one of half a dozen start-ups sharing premises in a Georgian house in Totnes, Devon. When Country Living
first visited nearly ten years ago, the business was already an established champion of the handmade, ethically produced and long-lasting. Since then, it has come on in leaps and bounds. Last year it won the Heritage Crafts Association Made in Britain Award, and has recently been listed among the 15 top shoemakers in the world for its ethical standards. In 2013, Green Shoes also relocated to larger premises in a listed former Wesleyan chapel. Today, its beautifully high-arched etched-glass windows look down on a thriving workshop. Piles of leather stacked under a sturdy wooden workbench are graded from chocolate and conker browns, caramels and tans through to blues and greens to jazzier shades of pink, yellow, silver and gold. The temperamental squawk of the zig-zag sewing machine blends with the whirr of the more docile top-stitchers; the press adds its hefty thump as the Green Shoes logo is stamped into another pair of insoles. Customers can view this hive of activity from the shop, upstairs in the chapel’s mezzanine. “For me, it’s all about the craft,” says Alison, who began making shoes after seeing the process in action at the Hood Faire, a festival with a focus on crafts, held near Dartington in the 1970s and 80s. “I hope that by allowing access to what we do – letting people look at the process – more will get the bug. There’s no reason why it can’t be replicated in every town.” It’s a strategy that appears to work. Alison regularly takes on apprentices and two of her current trainees joined the company after getting a taste for shoe-making at one of Green Shoes’ workshops. Apprentice Polly Collins grew up nearby and returned to Devon after graduating in 2013 with a first-class degree in jewellery and silversmithing from Edinburgh College of Art, where she experimented with texture and grain – “I was interested in making metal look like leather,” she explains. Supported by an award from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), Polly started in 2015 and learned
THIS PAGE Using traditional skills, methods and tools, the company has a sustainable ethos, keeping energy, waste and packaging to a minimum and it also employs local people. Past customers
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often return to get their shoes repaired and resoled, increasing the longevity OPPOSITE Alison Hastie is proud that her company has organically become a femaleled establishment countryliving.com/uk
Piles of leather are graded, from conker brown, caramel and tan to blues and greens
CRAFTSMANSHIP
“I love making something that is both beautiful and functional” how to make a pair of shoes from start to finish. The process begins with selecting the leather (Green Shoes are made from high-quality surplus leather commissioned by larger brands but not used, thus making good use of otherwise redundant material) and cutting out the pattern pieces from the hide using an ultrasharp ‘clicking’ knife, then gluing in a lining of soft pigskin. Skiving in shoemaking terminology doesn’t involve sneaking a long lunchbreak, but carefully shaving away the edges of the leather to ensure a smooth seam that won’t rub the wearer’s foot. “The most satisfying thing is when all the 3D elements come together,” Polly says. The sole is attached using a chunky, heavy-duty sewing machine, then the shoes are steamed on a last to achieve their final shape. Like Polly, Sarah Spicer’s first experience of shoemaking was at a Green Shoes workshop. She moved from Yorkshire to join the company as an apprentice in 2012 and her current Saturday-only working hours fit around her two-year-old son. Today, Sarah is working on bootees for toddlers, made in soft grey suede, with ABOVE Customers value the perfect fit, good looks and green ethos – some have purchased from the company for the past
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30 years or so. While Green Shoes already offers footwear made of vegan microfibres, Alison is keen to explore entirely plant-based ‘leather’
orange leather stars, and destined for the shop upstairs. Around half of the Green Shoes output goes to personal visitors, and the rest goes by mail order or online – the company’s website shows how to draw and measure your feet. When Sarah joined Green Shoes, she fulfilled a long-held ambition. “I had always wanted to live more rurally while learning a useful skill,” she recalls. “Now I love making something that is both beautiful and functional for a specific person. When you make shoes, you recognise them when they come back for repair – and are thrilled to give them a new lease of life.” There was never any specific policy to have an all-female team, it just happened, says Alison, who estimates she has employed around 45 women over the years – currently three full-time and two part-timers: “There was a time when women’s businesses were rather under the radar, with a feeling that we couldn’t do practical stuff, but we can be loud and proud now.” A recent round of interviews for their latest apprentice has left Alison optimistic about the future: “When Green Shoes started out, there was barely a glint of interest, but this time I was seeing highly qualified young women with practical skills, very up on social media – and living locally.” She hopes some of them will take over when she eventually steps aside, but hopefully that won’t be for a good few years yet… Green Shoes (01647 440735, greenshoes.co.uk). countryliving.com/uk
CL PROMOTION
Walking on air With quaint villages, mountain scenery and accessible hiking routes, the Swiss Alps make for a relaxing yet rejuvenating escape
Ancient paths take you through sublime scenery as you travel between villages, exploring the Alps at your leisure. Larger historic settlements include the lakeside city of Locarno, which you can visit as part of an Inntravel self-guided holiday
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risp mountain air, the gentle clang of cowbells and acres of unspoilt meadowland – the Swiss Alps are a walker’s haven. And, while the craggy slopes and crystal-clear lakes might seem a million miles away from your everyday, it’s actually surprisingly easy to reach them – thanks to Switzerland’s famously efficient network of trains, boats, cog railways and cable cars. A short journey from Zurich, cutting straight through the countryside, will have you high up in the hills – eating raclette in a charming mountain restaurant, before heading out for an invigorating hike. From meandering trails in the foothills to steeper ascents for the more seasoned trailblazer, there are routes to suit every pace and preference. A stint in the Swiss Alps offers a wonderful way to slow down, unwind and reconnect with nature. To ensure total relaxation, Inntravel carefully crafts itineraries, selects characterful family-run hotels and offers detailed route notes, so you can enjoy a self-guided walking holiday without having to worry about the legwork. Inntravel offers a wide range of carefully curated self-guided walking trips to suit all abilities. Visit inntravel.co.uk to learn more and book today.
THIS PAGE The decorated lid of a sailor’s trunk, bought in Turkey, hangs above an 18th-century Irish oak console table in the dining room OPPOSITE Barrie outside the property in East Sussex
ECHOES of the past The former artisan inhabitants of Barrie and Jo Stewart’s historic home in Rye have been rich material for its sensitive renovation WORDS BY JO LEEVERS
PHOTOGRAPHS BY PENNY WINCER
INTERIORS
INTERIORS
hen Barrie and Jo Stewart opened the front door to their new home in Rye, East Sussex, they were greeted by a curious parcel of papers. “In the middle of the floor was a package wrapped in white cotton and tied with red ribbon. It contained the original deeds and also documents relating to the house, which date back to 1703,” Barrie says. Interestingly, those handwritten records also detailed the various professions of the property’s former inhabitants. Over the centuries, ‘The Mint’ (so called because money was once coined on the street where it sits) had been home to tallow chandlers, sailors, wheelwrights, cordwainers and linen wrights, while a wig maker, a hairdresser and tailors had used its leaded windows as a shop front. The house, parts of which date back to Tudor times, also held its own clues to other, off-the-record occupants. “We found a tiny smugglers’ door in the eaves,” Jo says. “If there was a raid, smugglers could swiftly vanish through to the attics of neighbouring houses and emerge at the other end of the street.” Reading about the artisans and craftspeople who had lived within its walls helped to inspire the couple’s renovation of the Grade II-listed property. “When it came to decorating the rooms, we included some references to the tradespeople who have lived here over the centuries,” Barrie says. So a vintage mannequin head in one of the bedrooms is a subtle reminder
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BELOW, FROM LEFT The characterful property is set on a road that runs from the town’s high street down to a riverside quay; original beams divide the
dining room from the kitchen’s working area; in previous centuries, the rear outside space was a working yard, but it’s now a paved seating area
of the wig maker, while beeswax candles provide a nod to the chandlers who worked here. With such a creative tradition among the house’s former occupants, it’s fitting that Jo and Barrie also work in the world of textiles and fashion. Vintage linens dotted around the bedrooms are the couple’s tribute to the tailors and linen wrights of bygone times. “Using textiles to add texture to the spaces was particularly appealing,” Barrie says. Vintage French sheets, softened with wear, have been hemmed and hung as curtains. Striped mattress covers have been given a new lease of life as bedcovers and old linen shirts are hung as decorative items. “The detail and fine needlework – even on everyday workwear – is incredible,” Barrie says. But before the couple could start trawling local shops and fairs for these finishing touches, there was a lot of careful restoration work to do. While ideas for the house’s redesign came from delving into its artisan past, rebuilding it sensitively required the expertise of modern builders and craftspeople. “We liked the idea of creating something that felt bespoke rather than off the peg
countryliving.com/uk
The vintage French farmhouse table in the dining room had its legs lengthened for modern-sized diners by a local furniture restorer
“We liked the idea of creating something that felt bespoke rather than off the peg�
INTERIORS
“The goal was to put back authentic character but with our modern eye for simplicity”
OPPOSITE AND BELOW RIGHT A stack of historic documents relating to the house sits on an antique bench on the landing. Hungarian mining bottles decorated with fuse wire and an artist’s vintage palette add colour to the pale-shaded space
by using local artisans and experts,” Barrie explains. “The aim was to bring the house back to life in an authentic style that took its lead from the building itself.” Early on in the project, the couple visited a forge in nearby Robertsbridge to find replacement backplates for the large inglenook fireplaces. “They were the things we loved about the house, so we wanted to reinstate them as faithfully as possible,” Barrie says. The forge was “like a graveyard of old fireplace ironware” and the couple had their pick of original and recast pieces. But, having made contact with the blacksmith, they also commissioned him to make other pieces for the house, such as the curtain rods and rings. “He combined a simplicity of shape with the slightly rough, visibly hammered finish that we wanted,” Barrie says. A local carpenter, with experience of working in listed buildings, was employed to make a bespoke kitchen and sets of simple, rustic shutters from salvaged planks. “We wanted someone who understood the quirks of the building and would approach the work in a sympathetic way,” Barrie adds. A seamstress ran up the curtains from French linen sheets, which give privacy without completely obscuring the leaded windows and frames. During the renovation, the couple also visited other old properties for inspiration (Cotehele in Cornwall was a favourite) but they didn’t want to create a look that was “preserved in aspic”. Instead, Jo says, the goal was “to put back its authentic character but with our modern eye for simplicity”. In the upstairs bathroom, the walls had to be taken back to the original wooden laths and reconstructed with increasingly fine layers of plaster, mixed with horse and goat hair, as the couple were keen to replace like for like. “An unforeseen benefit was that because the exposed laths were made from chestnut timber, they filled the house with an amazing rich smell,” Barrie says. Then ABOVE RIGHT Beneath the stripped-back beams in the living room is a vintage armchair from The French House, reupholstered in old linen sheets for a deliberately unfinished feel. Paintings by Luke Hannam provide a contemporary balance LEFT An antique wooden side table, also in the living room, brings warmth to the white scheme
INTERIORS LEFT Ornate antique wooden carvings hang above the roll-top bath BELOW This cosy bedroom is decorated in reds and creams. The chest came from Goose Home and Garden, with a duck decoy adding a whimsical touch. Jo and Barrie found the oil painting on ebay
there were the original beams, which were still sound but had more recently been painted a thick, dark brown. “As the house is listed, there was no way we could sandblast them,” Barrie explains. “We started stripping them back by hand, but it was a huge and messy job, so we got two local chaps in to help. There are a lot of painters, collectors and creative people around Rye and bringing The Mint back to life introduced us to lots of them.” The couple also enlisted the help of a dealer in medieval and primitive oak furniture in nearby Herstmonceux and a furniture restorer, who seamlessly added inches to an 18th-century farmhouse table’s legs to make it comfortable for modern diners. Alongside the antique pieces are smaller curios and vintage items with a contemporary feel, including the paintings by Luke Hannam in the living room. When they aren’t in Rye, Barrie and Jo rent out The Mint: “It’s lovely when guests appreciate the artisan details that we’ve worked into the property,” Barrie says. “There’s a real sense of the history in this house.” For holiday rentals or to buy Barrie and Jo’s vintage finds, visit themintinrye.com.
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Now a dressing room, the attic has a secret smugglers’ door, which was once an escape route into the lofts of neighbouring houses
“It’s lovely when guests appreciate the details we’ve worked into the property”
GARDENING
STYLE Quintessential English country garden SEASONS OF INTEREST All year round SIZE Two acres SOIL TYPE Thin, well-drained, sandy
Rosemary Alexander’s garden is a lesson in seasonal planting, combining beautiful bulbs with carefully chosen shrubs, trees and perennials WORDS BY PAULA MCWATERS
Making the most of spring
he prospect of a garden visit to the home of the founder and principal of The English Gardening School could seem daunting. After all, Rosemary Alexander is one of Britain’s gardening gurus. She has headed up the internationally renowned school since 1983, written six books – two of them award winning – and lectured all over the world. So it is good to find that she is not only warmly welcoming but also refreshingly honest about her own garden. “Oh, that’s a mess,” she’ll say, waving a hand dismissively over a bed that needs attention. “This all needs to come out” or “We need to make changes here”. These are statements guaranteed to encourage any gardener, for if Rosemary Alexander can’t always get it right, there is hope for us all! Of course, to a less discerning eye, her garden – particularly in early spring – looks to be brimming with successful plant combinations and design techniques. Analysis and evaluation are second nature to Rosemary, so in the 18 years she has lived at Sandhill Farm House, near Petersfield in Hampshire, she has constantly refined and improved it. An excess of conifers was the first thing to go, enabling Rosemary to devise a delicate woodland area that perfectly frames the 17th-century farmhouse. Some existing trees – a mature, multi-stemmed Amelanchier lamarkii and twin Betula utilis var. jacquemontii – have had room to shine since the conifers went. The amelanchier is reassessed every spring so any new growth that might spoil its elegant, open framework or threaten to shade the planting beneath can be judicially pruned. A ladder is leant against the white birch trunks, which are then scrubbed with a scourer and bucket of water (plus a tiny drop of washing-up liquid) until their barks seem to glow, just like freshly exfoliated skin – a trick that Rosemary learned on her travels in Japan. Beneath them comes an under-storey of early flowering shrubs – equally carefully pruned and many sweetly fragrant – including spike witch hazel Corylopsis spicata, with pale yellow flowers hanging like delicate tassels from its naked branches, and white-flowered evergreen Osmanthus x burkwoodii, which wafts its scent right across the garden. One of Rosemary’s favourite witch hazels, Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Vesna’, forms a goblet shape of twiggy growth, dotted with deep orange-yellow flowers. Rosemary has banked up the borders in the woodland area by piling up peat blocks and back-filling with soil. This was done 18 years ago, and although the use of peat has since come into question it has proved an effective device here, raising the beds almost three feet higher in the middle than the edges, so the plants appear to spill down towards the paths and are easier
THIS PAGE, FROM TOP Glistening white birches and Helleborus foetidus are reflected in the pond; the green and white border, with ‘Spring Green’, ‘Maureen’ and ‘Exotic Emperor’ tulips
and ‘Thalia’ narcissi, greets visitors as they arrive OPPOSITE, TOP In the woodland garden, the juneberry Amelanchier lamarkii is pruned regularly to maintain a graceful open shape
GARDENING
“Use every inch – you can have two or three things in one area”
to see and admire. The ground is carpeted with hellebores and pulmonaria, erythroniums, narcissi and honesty, and dotted with early tulips including rich orange ‘Ballerina’. Tulips ‘Maureen’, ‘Exotic Emperor’ and ‘Spring Green’ are stars in the green and white border, which is an area that strikes visitors as they arrive through the gate. It looks particularly effective in the evening, so supper guests are greeted by a luminous planting scheme. Among the tulips, Rosemary grows white bleeding heart Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Alba’, fluttery white ‘Thalia’ narcissi and summer snowflakes Leucojum aestivum. “For years we had roses here but they never did well, so eventually out they came,” Rosemary says. She adds to the bulb numbers every year, as tulips, unlike the more reliable narcissi, don’t always re-flower. Irish yews provide structure all year round, along with box balls, which Rosemary has pruned into nimbus cloud shapes either countryliving.com/uk
FROM LEFT The terrace, framed by box and euphorbia, offers a welcome place to sit; Rosemary Alexander
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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT A decorative beech archway; tulips, narcissi, euphorbia, muscari and box balls lead the eye to the South Downs beyond; hellebores are always reliable OPPOSITE A sheltered bench under Prunus serrula acts as a focal point on the path
Sandhill Farm House, Rogate, Petersfield, Hampshire, opens for the National Garden Scheme on 13 and 14 April, and 28 and 29 September, 2-5pm (also 10 February, 10am4pm, for snowdrops). See ngs.org.uk or rosemaryalexander. co.uk for details. Rosemary’s classic, The Essential Garden Design Workbook, written with co-author Rachel Myers, is in its third edition (Timber Press, £25). For details of The English Gardening School, see englishgardeningschool.co.uk.
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TIPS FROM SANDHILL FARM HOUSE Regularly reassess your trees and shrubs and cut out any branches crossing or casting too much shade.
snapdragons eg Antirrhinum majus ‘Admiral White’ and filigree-leaved umbellifer Ammi visnaga.
Choose scented spring shrubs – Osmanthus x burkwoodii, witch hazels, Corylopsis spicata and Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’.
Semi-evergreen berberis, eg Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Dart’s Red Lady’, makes a useful low hedge for defining areas.
To keep back soil from gravel paths, edge beds with plants such as glossy-leaved wild ginger Asarum europaeum, London pride (Saxifraga x urbium) and evergreen ferns. Select the best varieties of old favourites such as pulmonaria. ‘Blue Ensign’ has plain green leaves and gentian-blue flowers; ‘Diana Clare’ has silvery-green leaves and violet-blue flowers. Follow white tulips with long-lasting, showy
To decide planting positions for clumps of tulips, dot the borders with upturned plastic pots of the appropriate height to represent them and stand back to assess any gaps. Honesty (Lunaria annua) is much underrated. Use it for its pretty purple flowers followed by translucent papery seed heads. ‘Chedglow’ and ‘Corfu Blue’ are varieties to look out for. Source Cyclamen hederifolium in pots, as bare corms have often dried out when you buy them.
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY ABIGAIL REX/GAP GARDENS
side of the path to the front door. As part of her constant reassessment, Rosemary has been breaking up the lines of what she calls “the motorway” – a wide gravel path that runs right across the front of the house – with low-growing grey-leaved helianthemums, Dianthus cruentus alpine pinks and several varieties of Bowden lilies Nerine bowdenii, which should thrive in the gritty, welldrained soil here and give a wonderful show of colour in autumn. Rosemary has made fine use of vertical space, too. “You can never have enough walls in a garden,” she says. “Make the most of every inch – you can have two or three things in one area”. Her climbing roses include the very early primrose-yellow Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’ and pink Rosa ‘Eden Rose’, which flowers three times a year. “Its only snag is that the blooms are so heavy they tend to hang their heads.” She also grows Clematis ‘Princess Diana’ and star jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides: “The trick with trachelospermum is to cut it hard back after flowering.” In the rear garden the spring colour palette is more jewel-like. Rosemary and her gardener plant hundreds more tulips every year in magenta and pink in a double rose and peony border that embraces views over the South Downs. Grape hyacinths Muscari armeniacum and Alchemilla mollis provide ground cover. Recently, Rosemary found the structural elements wanting, so she whipped out two lines of variegated standard Italian buckthorns and replaced them with silver weeping pears, Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’, which she will prune into balls. Nothing in this garden stands still for long.
A collector’s LOT In the heart of a pretty Somerset village, an 18thcentury converted farm cottage and sheds are filled with the owner’s carefully displayed treasures
WORDS BY JANE STACEY PHOTOGRAPHS BY HUNTLEY HEDWORTH STYLING BY BEN KENDRICK
INTERIORS
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INTERIORS
he artistic eye of Susie Smith is evident in every corner of her 18th-century farm cottage in the Somerset village of Batheaston. Vivid paintings hang on the walls, floors are scattered with brightly coloured rugs, and open cupboards and shelves are home to carefully curated displays. “I like surrounding myself with pieces that aren’t worth anything but are precious to me, picked up over the years in junk shops and while on holiday. I deliberately put different objects and textures together. A ceramic sheep bordering on kitsch and a beautiful piece of coral, for instance,” Susie says, pointing to a curio-filled shelf above the dining table. “I love the serendipitous juxtaposition of pieces. I’ve got cupboards full of stuff that I’ll wheel out to change things around occasionally.” As a calm backdrop to her “installations”, as Susie jokingly calls them, she has painted the whole house in pale colours. “I wanted the rooms to flow into each other, so I’ve chosen white, neutrals and soft greys, adding colour with rugs, chairs and cushions.” She follows the sunlight around her house as each day progresses, spending the morning painting in the kitchen, before moving on to her sitting room to read, and then changing position again to enjoy the late afternoon sunshine that floods the top of the house. “It is so peaceful and quiet,” she says. But this former farm cottage hasn’t always been so light or so colourful. When Susie first viewed the property in 2007, it was still part of a working farm, and the outbuilding that now forms her kitchen was just a tractor shed. “The top part of what is now my garden was hard-standing for the tractors and we had to drill down quite a way to get to the soil beneath,” she says. The countryliving.com/uk
OPPOSITE Susie made the coffee table from a workshop bench, cutting down its legs and painting it THIS PAGE, FROM TOP Staffordshire dogs keep guard on top of glazed cupboards, which display Susie’s collection of Victorian pottery and plates. The pale woodwork
is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Pavilion Grey and the darker unit in Mole’s Breath. The dolls’ house, purchased from a junk shop in Bath, is for Susie’s grandchildren to play with when they visit; rooflights and new, larger windows give the old farmhouse a more airy feel MARCH 2019
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INTERIORS
Various paintings by Susie, her family and friends adorn the wall above the table. The chairs, some of which Susie painted in Farrow & Ball’s Pavilion Grey, are gifts from her daughter. Colourful Indian rugs are scattered on a travertine floor from Mandarin Stone
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“I wanted the rooms to flow into each other, so I’ve painted in neutrals throughout”
INTERIORS
main farmhouse was built in the 17th century and added to over the years, with Susie’s cottage an 18th-century addition. “It was a bit of a rabbit warren inside; lots of small, dark rooms leading into one another. But I could see that there was actually a lot of space, especially downstairs,” Susie says. “It had been rented out to a series of tenants, so perhaps inevitably it had an unloved, neglected feel.” With her grown-up children in homes of their own, she saw the scope for a house that would provide space for painting, reading and entertaining. “There was a large, sad-looking piece of south-facing land, which I knew I could shape and turn into somewhere special over time,” she adds. The first space Susie tackled was the kitchen. The original one was divided from the dining area by a huge wall containing a fireplace with a mezzanine floor – a set-up that Susie initially thought charming. “It felt enchanting and cosy when I moved in, but it soon became apparent that it just didn’t work. Both the dining room and the kitchen were dark because there was only one small window in each room,” she says. An architect friend THIS PAGE The downstairs splashes of bright colour give way to gentler shades of blue upstairs. In this guest bedroom, striped cushions are arranged on the window seats, and swags of fabric soften the tops of the
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Georgian windows, lending the space a tranquil air OPPOSITE The collections continue in Susie’s bedroom, where a display cabinet houses pieces from an old French blue and white dinner service
helped her develop ideas for the two rooms, which were knocked through into one large space. The mezzanine floor was removed, the kitchen window enlarged and a French window installed in place of the old dining room window. Roof lights were also added to bring in even more daylight. The existing solid-wood kitchen cupboard carcasses were kept because they were well made, but were repainted and given new handles; a couple of the doors were also removed to create some open shelving. “The wood worksurface was a bit rough, but we just sanded that down and it’s fine,” says Susie, who also added glazed wall cupboards made from windows that were salvaged when work was done on a friend’s cottage – another opportunity to artfully display the collections of items that delight her. “I prefer making do and taking on any changes gradually,” says Susie, who, over the years, has had the roof retiled and a staircase opened up to the top floor, where she has created an extra bathroom. Now, her own paintings hang on the walls, alongside those of her artist son and friends. And, in every room, she has added shelves or display cabinets – or found little nooks – to add pops of colour with much-loved objects – a row of orange paperbacks lined up in the crook of the stairs; a vintage blue and white dinner service in the bedroom; yellow china on the hall table that complements the linen toile curtains; even a group of stuffed birds and figurines in the downstairs cloakroom. These are the clever curated touches of someone who understands colour and shape – and how to use them to create a character-filled home. countryliving.com/uk
In every room, Susie has added shelves or found little nooks to bring bursts of colour
HEAVENLY
hellebores
A love for the Lenten rose has led to a new-found career for one woman, resulting in elegant flowers that are stars of the show in spring WORDS BY STEPHANIE DONALDSON
PHOTOGRAPHS BY CLIVE NICHOLS
MAIN PICTURE: APPLE BLOSSOM DOUBLE
GARDENING
Picotee double
Cream spotted anemone
Picotee semi-double
Small-flowered picotee
There is a variety and colour of hellebore hybrid to suit every situation
White double
Yellow double
Apricot single
Pink-red single
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n the dark days of winter when garden flowers are scarce and generally modest in appearance, hellebores (Helleborus x hybridus) emerge to delight the eye and lift the spirits. Seemingly unperturbed by anything the weather may throw at them, their flowers unfurl from among the deeply divided evergreen leaves, in shades that range from purest white, through yellows, pinks and reds, to smoky black. Hellebores are flowers of infinite variety, encompassing single colours, bi-colours, spotted, freckled and picotees with petals edged and veined in a contrasting colour. There is variation in their forms, too – single, semi-double, fully double and the anemone-flowered hybrid that features a ruff-like central boss. Once you awaken to the charms of the hellebore, they are hard to resist and choosing which ones to grow becomes a pleasurable dilemma. Before you know it, you will have started a collection – and your winters will be brighter for it. Lorna Jones of Hertfordshire Hellebores certainly started small. “My sister gave me my first plant – a native stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) – that was not in flower, so it must have been the shape of the leaf that attracted me,” she says. “It was later on that I came across the hybrids with their wonderful colours and shapes, but I didn’t make a conscious decision to start growing and selling them – I just fell into it.” In the early days, it was very much a case of trial and error but – encouraged by some early successes – the number of plants Lorna potted up each year gradually increased. Over time she has developed more than 60 different breeding lines within a collection of several thousand individual plants, each line with their own unique characteristics. “It has taken me decades of work to reach the point where I am today,” she says. “This has been achieved through ‘line breeding’ where similar plants are THIS PAGE, FROM TOP LEFT This heavily spotted single has golden nectaries at its centre; a small-flowered torquatus picotee single; a
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length of red wool denotes a pollinated flower OPPOSITE The dusky tones of this red single with dark foliage glow in low winter sun
BREEDING HELLEBORES If you’re patient and would like to try breeding your own plants, you’ll find that the large flowers make the transfer of pollen to the stigma relatively easy. The bud should be just opening with a little gap at the end of the petals. Peel the petals back carefully and pick an anther that has visible, ripe pollen on it, then, holding the filament of the anther, transfer the pollen to each individual stigma of another plant (not the same plant – inbred hellebores don’t do well) before gently pushing the petals back in place. Tie a length of wool round the stem (see above) to mark the pollinated flower. Harvest the seed in May and sow fresh in pots of gritty soil-based compost. Stand the pots outdoors in dappled shade, protected from birds and mice with wire netting. The seedlings will germinate in winter and should be potted on until they reach flowering size, in about three years.
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GARDENING GROWING HELLEBORES IN THE GARDEN
Hellebores prefer deep soil, high in humus, moist but not waterlogged; they also do very well in clay. Improve light soils with garden compost and leaf mould They do best in a cool, semi-shaded position provided by a house or garden wall, or when shaded by shrubs and small trees Hellebores survive on surprisingly little feed, but given the chance they will benefit from a good feed. Apply pelleted plant food annually and mulch with leaf mould Lorna removes all the old foliage around Christmas – the leaves can look tatty beyond a certain point and any black spot may be passed on to new foliage, but you can leave a few healthy leaves to frame the flowers Mature hellebore plants have extensive leaf canopies that can obscure companion snowdrops, cyclamen and wood anemones – they will gain from the removal of some of this foliage at flowering time Lorna does not recommend dividing hellebores – they are slow-growing and rarely get too big; it’s better to buy new plants or grow some from seed IN POTS
Hellebores develop an extensive root system, and require a large pot to allow for growth and space for companion planting, eg ivys, grasses or spring bulbs Plant in a gritty soil-based compost and mulch with gravel Move pots into prime position close to the house when they are in flower Do not neglect them once they have finished flowering. If you tuck them away, remember that they will need regular water and liquid feed through the summer if they are to continue to thrive Stand potted hellebores in dappled shade when they’re not on display
OPPOSITE Hellebores need a large pot with room to grow
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT Petal edges of this picotee double countryliving.com/uk
are distinctly marked; this pink semi-double and pale pink anemone-flowered hybrid both have outwardfacing flowers
cross-pollinated over a number of generations to produce increasingly consistent results. Individual strains now yield reliable results, but only if hand-pollination is used.” Lorna explains that with garden-grown, insect-pollinated hellebores, results will always be unpredictable. This can be one of their joys, as they will all be slightly different, but can also be a source of potential disappointment. Double flowers only produce similar offspring if both parents are double, and some colours – such as pink, red or white – will dominate, but she thinks it is worth allowing some seedlings to develop, if space permits. The biggest advantage of purchasing a hybrid hellebore in bloom is that it is possible to see just what the plant will look like. And it’s not just the flower shape, colour and form that should be considered. The apparent vigour and health of individual plants, the way the flowers are held and the angle of the stem (some grow at an awkward 45 degrees) are also factors. One of Lorna’s aims has been to develop plants with blooms that face outwards rather than down. There is a variety and colour of hellebore hybrid to suit every situation. The whites and yellows are the most visible when planted in shade; large, bi-coloured doubles create an extravagant show; while doubles derived from H. torquatus are ideal for windy, exposed positions as they tend to be short, and the greens help to blend and unite a mixture of brighter colours. For Lorna, the most exciting moment of the year is when she walks down the rows of new flowering plants. “Most are nice enough,” she says, “but my real hope is for an exceptional specimen that is better than any of the existing plants in my collection. The search for perfection is never-ending – there is always something that could be improved upon.” Hertfordshire Hellebores is open to the public on plant sale days in February. Visit herts-hellebore.co.uk or call 01920 438458 for dates. Hand-pollinated seed can be bought online. MARCH 2019
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Eastern promise Japanese flowering quinces (Chaenomeles) have long been spring favourites, but the bright pink and red shades can prove too showy for some gardens. C. speciosa ‘Geisha Girl’ (left) is altogether more subtle with double flowers in a deliciously creamy apricot. It flowers later than other varieties and can be kept nice and compact, so is ideal for training against a wall or a trellis. Prune after flowering to keep it in trim. A three-litre pot costs £16.99 from Crocus (01344 578111; crocus.co.uk).
garden notes Everything you need to know to get the most from your plot in March
WORDS BY PAULA MCWATERS
WHATEVER THE EARLY SPRING WEATHER THROWS at us, it’s time to get busy if we’re to have a chance of keeping up with all the jobs that are coming our way. There are borders to be tidied and mulched, cornus and buddleja to be hard pruned and, most pressing of all, flower seeds to be sown. A light, portable potting tray with a wide, flat working surface and high-sided surround is ideal as it can be moved to wherever you have space to work, whether in the shed, greenhouse or even at the kitchen table. Compost mix needs to provide good countryliving.com/uk
aeration and free drainage – Dalefoot wool compost for seeds has a good texture (dalefootcomposts.co.uk), as does Sylvagrow sustainable growing medium (melcourt.co.uk). Keeping it somewhere warm for a few days before sowing will give seeds a cosier start. Once everything is to hand, fill clean pots and trays with compost and tamp them down so it sits beneath the rim, then sow seeds onto the surface and cover with a fine layer of horticultural grit, which prevents mosses forming. With tiny seeds, it’s easier if you empty them onto a white plate first. Label, date and very gently water using a watering can with an upward-facing rose. Put them in a cold frame or propagator and keep an eye on them while you wait for results. The promise of things to come.
A GOOD READ Houseplants are in full-scale revival and if you’re new to their charms, are rediscovering them after a long while or want an indoor gardening book to give to a young friend, The Little Book of House Plants and Other Greenery by Emma Sibley (Quadrille, £8.99) could prove useful. It’s an easy guide about 60 popular plants, with advice on light and watering, and notes on how to propagate them. Concise and accessible, it will have you growing elephant’s ears, ponytail palms and devil’s ivy in no time.
WHAT TO DO Source hazel beanpoles and twiggy peasticks (coppiceproducts.co.uk has suppliers) Prune winter jasmine after flowering Rake out dead foliage from ornamental grasses or cut to 10cm, depending on variety Dig in any overwintered green manures Sow tomato and pepper seeds in a heated propagator Lift and divide clumps of summer-flowering perennials Plant out chitted early potatoes towards the end of the month Prune autumn-flowering raspberries Cut down winter seedheads and stems from perennials to make way for new growth Tackle overgrown climbers – honeysuckle and ivy can be cut back hard
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STRAPLINE
Tip Choose varieties named after famous plantspeople, eg Bergenia ‘Eric Smith’ or Phlox ‘Bill Baker’ – they tend to be ‘good do-ers’
Under the arches
1 HOUR to make a difference
A side return on a house can seem like dead space but framing it with a smart, wall-mounted pergola like this one from Harrod Horticultural introduces visual interest and opens up new possibilities for planting. Made of galvanized steel with a hightemperature matt-black powder coating, it comes in four widths. Starting with a 2.08m or 3.08m long base unit, from £399, you can add as many sections as you need. CL readers can claim a ten per cent discount with the code NTCLPERG until 30 March 2019 (0333 400 1500; harrodhorticultural.com).
KNEELING GOOD
CHARLESTON CHARM Visit Charleston – home of the Bloomsbury Set – in East Sussex just as the garden is waking up. Head gardener Fiona Dennis, who arrived in 2016, has been revising and overhauling the planting to make it more ‘period-correct’ to Vanessa Bell’s time in the 1930s-40s. Spring bulbs include heirloom narcissi – snowy white ‘Thalia’, the oldest pink daffodil ‘Mrs R O Backhouse’ (introduced in 1921) and cheery white and orange ‘Barrett Browning’. A clump of Vanessa’s favourite Iris reticulata has been reinstated by the gate. For details of opening times, see charleston.org.uk or call 01323 811626.
Burgon & Ball has raided the extensive botanical art archives of the RHS’s Lindley Library (rhs.org.uk) to source this luscious new dahlia and peony design for its British Bloom range. The Kneelo has a good cushioning effect, with a waterproof neoprene cover over a layer of firm, shock-absorbing foam and two layers of memory foam. It’s light and easy to carry around, too, and costs £19.99 from garden centres and Burgon & Ball (burgonandball.com).
If you don’t already own a compost bin, now’s the moment to set one up. A natural fertiliser and soil enricher, compost feeds your plants and improves your earth’s structure, and making it at home saves trips to the dump. Best of all, it’s free, so forking it over your beds is hugely satisfying. Simple flat-pack wooden bins are available online (primrose.co.uk has a planked version for less than £30) or you can knock one up out of pallets. In tight spaces, opt for a lidded plastic one (eg Garden Easy compost bin, £29.99, clasohlson.com).
EVENT Weave willow garden structures at Waterperry Gardens in Oxford on 2 March or 27 April. At £110, tools and materials are included (01844 339254; waterperrygardens.co.uk). 144
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALAMY; MARK BOLTON; THE GARDEN-COLLECTION. ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARIANA.IO
If time is short, focus on one satisfying task – and the rest of the garden can wait
A flavoursome
FEAST
Irish chef, restaurateur, author and broadcaster Clodagh McKenna shares her favourite seasonal recipes for entertaining at home PHOTOGRAPHS BY DORA KAZMIERAK
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FOOD AND DRINK EDITOR ALISON WALKER
countryliving.com/uk
FOOD & DRINK am never happier than when seeing my loved ones sitting around the table with smiles on their faces as they enjoy delicious home-cooked food in a beautiful setting. The importance of supper at home has been instilled in me since I was a child. I have so many amazing memories of meals shared with my family when we were children, the table laid with proper linen, fresh flowers and bowls of home-cooked food. The suppers nearly always ended with someone singing a song or one of us giving some sort of performance. This has now become a tradition in my own home, sometimes even beginning before the main course hits the table! For me, this is what life is all about, enjoying memorable moments together, sharing food made by you around a table where your friends and family feel completely at home and relaxed.
HAZELNUT AND HERBCRUSTED LAMB CUTLETS WITH PEA AND WILD GARLIC PURÉE Preparation 20 minutes, plus resting Cooking about 20 minutes Serves 6 The flavours of the herbs and hazelnuts roasted with the lamb cutlets are utter heaven here, but you could use almonds or pine nuts if you prefer.
“Just one spoonful transports me back to the forest”
3 French-trimmed racks of lamb (about 6 cutlets per rack) 2 tbsp finely chopped mixed rosemary, thyme and flat-leaf parsley 120g blanched hazelnuts, roasted and crushed 2 tbsp olive oil FOR THE PEA AND WILD GARLIC PURÉE 600g frozen peas 75g wild garlic leaves, thoroughly washed and chopped 75g salted butter wild garlic flowers and pert leaves, thoroughly washed, to garnish
1 Remove the racks of lamb from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan oven) gas mark 4. 2 Using a sharp knife, score the fat of the lamb racks in a criss-cross pattern. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat. Add each rack in turn, fat side down, to the hot pan and sear the fat, then transfer to a large roasting tin. 3 Mix the herbs, hazelnuts and oil together in a small bowl, then press the mixture onto the seared fat of the lamb racks. Roast for 15 minutes. 4 While the lamb is roasting, prepare the pea and wild garlic purée. Cook the frozen peas in a saucepan of boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain and add to a blender or food processor along with the wild garlic and butter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and blend to a smooth consistency. Transfer the purée to a saucepan ready to warm through before serving. 5 Remove the lamb from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes, then slice into individual cutlets. Spoon the warmed pea and wild garlic purée in the centre of four warmed plates and lay three lamb cutlets on top. Garnish each serving with wild garlic flowers and a wild garlic leaf.
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WILD GARLIC SOUP WITH TOASTED ALMONDS AND SHEEP’S CHEESE Preparation 25 minutes Cooking about 25 minutes Serves 6 Just one spoonful of this wild garlic soup is so deliciously pungent, it transports me back to the forest where I picked it. During other seasons, you can replace it with spinach, watercress or wild nettle tops. 50g butter 300g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped 100g onions, roughly chopped 1 litre hot chicken or vegetable stock 200g wild garlic leaves, thoroughly washed and chopped 100ml double cream FOR THE TOPPING 50g blanched almonds, toasted and chopped 80g sheep’s cheese, such as feta, crumbled 80ml extra-virgin olive oil wild garlic flowers, thoroughly washed, to garnish
1 Place a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the chopped potato and onion, stir well and cover the pan with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and leave the vegetables to sweat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2 Add the hot stock and wild garlic leaves and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. 3 Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor, or use a hand-blender, and blend to a smooth consistency. 4 Return the soup to the saucepan (if necessary) and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the cream and place over a medium heat for just 2 minutes to warm through. 5 Meanwhile, for the topping, mix the almonds, sheep’s cheese and extravirgin olive oil together in a small bowl. 6 Pour the soup into warmed bowls, spoon the almond and cheese mixture on top of each serving and sprinkle with wild garlic flowers to garnish. countryliving.com/uk
FOOD & DRINK ASPARAGUS MIMOSA Preparation 20 minutes Cooking 10 minutes Serves 4 These green spears look so beautiful served on the table – and the combination of the roasted asparagus with the egg flecked on top, finished with the sweet, citrusy flavours of the lemon and basil in the dressing, is so delicious. The eggs and dressing can be prepared the day before, so it’s quite an easy starter to pull together. 20 asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed 1 tbsp olive oil 2 hard-boiled eggs FOR THE DRESSING juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp finely chopped shallot 1 tbsp torn basil leaves 1 tsp Dijon mustard
/ tsp freshly ground black pepper 80ml extra-virgin olive oil
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1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan oven) gas mark 4. 2 Toss the asparagus spears in the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, or roast on a hot griddle pan over a
high heat for 5 minutes, turning often so that they are evenly cooked. 3 For the dressing, whisk the lemon juice, shallot, basil and mustard together in a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Then add the extra-virgin olive oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly. 4 Shell and halve the eggs, then push through a medium-mesh sieve into another small bowl or finely chop. 5 Toss the asparagus spears with 1 tbsp of the dressing in a large bowl, then divide the dressed asparagus between four plates. Spoon the remaining dressing over the asparagus and sprinkle the egg on top.
FOOD & DRINK WILD GARLIC TAGLIATELLE WITH GOATS’ CHEESE, COURGETTES AND TOASTED ALMONDS Preparation 15 minutes Cooking about 5 minutes Serves 4 I love making this dish in spring because it’s so light and fragrant. At other times, I simply replace the wild garlic with other fresh herbs that are in season, such as basil, mint or oregano. I sometimes add grilled Dublin Bay prawns for a weekday supper. 2 tbsp olive oil 4 courgettes, cut into ribbons using a vegetable peeler 500g fresh tagliatelle 200g soft goats’ cheese 4 tbsp chopped wild garlic leaves 100g blanched almonds, toasted and chopped
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50g Parmesan cheese, shaved
1 Place a griddle pan or frying pan over a medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the courgette ribbons to the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2 Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil over a high heat. Stir in the fresh pasta and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the cooked pasta and return to the pan, then add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and gently toss to coat. 3 Stir the courgette ribbons, soft goats’ cheese, wild garlic leaves and almonds into the pasta, and season with salt and pepper. 4 Serve the tagliatelle on a warmed platter or on individual plates, with the Parmesan shavings sprinkled on top.
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FOOD & DRINK LEMON VERBENA POSSETS Preparation 10 minutes, plus chilling Cooking about 10 minutes Serves 4 I have added lemon verbena, as it gives such a delicious depth, but don’t worry if you can’t find it as you can just leave it out. This dessert can be made up to two days before serving if you keep it in the fridge. 2 lemons 125g caster sugar 6 lemon verbena leaves, plus 4 leaves to serve 425ml double cream
1 Grate the zest of the lemons into a saucepan, then squeeze out and add the juice, followed by the sugar and lemon verbena leaves. 2 Place the pan over a low heat and
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bring to the boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the cream and cook for 3 minutes. 3 Divide the mixture between four small glasses or ramekins. Leave to cool, then chill for 2 hours until set. 4 Remove the possets from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving and top each posset with a lemon verbena leaf.
CL BOOK OFFER Extracted from Clodagh’s Suppers by Clodagh McKenna (Kyle Books, £20). To order a copy for the special price of £14 including p&p, call 01235 759555, quoting reference 9952100016.
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Sweet INSPIRATION
Treat friends and family to these home bakes that are perfect for springtime celebrations or a special afternoon tea RECIPES BY HEARST FOOD NETWORK
FOOD AND DRINK EDITOR ALISON WALKER
FOOD & DRINK RYE DARK CHOCOLATE COOKIES Preparation 20 minutes, plus chilling Cooking about 25 minutes Makes 10 Rye flour adds a deep toasty flavour to these delicious biscuits. 200g dark chocolate, finely chopped 25g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease 2 large eggs, at room temperature 100g light brown sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract 40g rye flour ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda sea salt (optional)
1 Gently melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Remove and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. 2 With electric hand-beaters, whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl for about 5 minutes until pale and mousse-like. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture along with the vanilla extract.
3 Mix in the flour and bicarbonate of soda. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. 4 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan oven) gas mark 4. Grease and line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Scoop the dough into 10 mounds, spaced well apart on the sheets (each cookie will be about 2 tbsp). Wet your hands with cold water, then roll the dough into balls, squashing slightly down. Sprinkle with sea salt, if you like. 5 Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes until slightly puffed and firm around the edges – the tops should crack a little. Allow to cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
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FOOD & DRINK RICH COFFEE AND WALNUT SPELT CAKE Preparation 1 hour, plus cooling Cooking 3 hours 20 minutes Serves 12-16 Cardamom pairs beautifully with coffee and brings a modern twist to this classic cake. 150g walnut halves 20 cardamom pods 2½ tbsp instant coffee powder 375g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease 275g light muscovado sugar 6 medium eggs, lightly beaten 375g white spelt flour 1 tbsp baking powder 50g caster sugar FOR THE MERINGUE KISSES 2 medium egg whites 100g caster sugar 1 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tsp hot water, plus extra, sifted, for sprinkling FOR THE SYRUP 40g light brown muscovado sugar 1 tsp instant coffee powder 8 cardamom pods, bruised FOR THE COFFEE BUTTERCREAM 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature 400g icing sugar, sifted 2 tbsp instant coffee powder dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water
1 First, make the meringue kisses: preheat the oven to 110˚C (90˚C fan oven) gas mark ¼. Beat the egg whites in a grease-free bowl with electric handbeaters until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the caster sugar, whisking constantly – the meringue should be thick and glossy. Whisk in the coffee mixture. 2 Line two large baking sheets with baking parchment (use a little meringue to stick down the corners). Spoon the remaining meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm round nozzle. Pipe 20 ‘kisses’ on to the lined sheets, spacing apart. Bake for 2 hours, then turn off the oven and leave to cool completely inside. Put into an airtight container until ready to use. 3 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan oven) gas mark 4. Put the walnuts on to a baking tray and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Bash the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar to release the seeds; continue to grind the seeds as small as you can. Put the
seeds and husks into a cup with the instant coffee and 4 tbsp boiling water. Stir, then set aside to infuse. 4 Grease and line a 20cm deep loose-bottom cake tin. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with electric hand-beaters for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, a little at a time, adding a little flour if it looks like it might curdle. 5 In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Strain the coffee into a jug and discard the husks. Set aside 50g walnuts for the decoration; chop the rest. 6 Fold a third of the flour into the egg mixture, followed by half the coffee. Repeat until it has all been added. Finally, fold in the chopped walnuts. Turn into the prepared tin. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. 7 To make the syrup, in a small pan, melt the sugar with 75ml water over a low heat, then bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the coffee and cardamom pods. Leave to cool and infuse before removing the cardamom. 8 Spread out the reserved toasted walnuts on a tray lined with baking parchment. Put 50g sugar and 1 tbsp water in a small heavy-based pan. Cook on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat and bubble for 8-10 minutes until it begins to turn a deep golden colour. Drizzle the caramel over the walnuts and leave on the baking tray to set. When cold, put a couple in a food bag and crush with a rolling pin. 9 To make the buttercream, in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add the coffee mix and whisk to combine. 10 Spoon 6 tbsp into a piping bag fitted with a closed star piping nozzle and set aside. When the cake is cool, slice horizontally into three. Brush the syrup on to each layer and let it soak in for 10 minutes. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on each, then stack. Spread a thin covering on top of the cake and the rest around the sides. 11 Pipe rosettes randomly around the top edge, dot with the meringue kisses and caramelised walnuts; sprinkle with the crushed caramelised walnuts. Dust meringues with a little instant coffee, then serve.
FOREST FRUIT CUPCAKES Preparation 25 minutes Cooking 20 minutes Makes 12 For a change, use fresh raspberries and raspberry jam instead. FOR THE CUPCAKES 175g caster sugar 175g unsalted butter, at room temperature 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten finely grated zest of 1 lemon 175g plain flour, sifted 1 tsp baking powder 100g blackcurrant jam FOR THE ICING 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 375g icing sugar, sifted 50g fresh blackberries
CHERRY BAKEWELL LOAF Preparation 20 minutes, plus cooling and setting Cooking about 1 hour 15 minutes Serves 8-10 In season, the glacé cherries in this cake can be replaced with pitted fresh ones. 250g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease 250g caster sugar 4 large eggs ½ tsp almond extract 150g gluten-free self-raising flour 75g ground almonds FOR THE STREUSEL 50g unsalted butter, melted 50g light brown soft sugar 75g gluten-free self-raising flour 25g flaked almonds 200g glacé cherries, washed FOR THE ICING 175g icing sugar 1 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan oven) gas mark 4. Grease and line the base and sides of a 900g loaf tin
with baking parchment, allowing it to come 5cm above the top of the tin. 2 In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with electric hand beaters for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. 3 In a small jug, beat the eggs with the almond extract. Add the egg mixture, flour and ground almonds to the butter and beat until smooth. Turn into the tin, level and bake for 55 minutes. 4 Meanwhile, for the streusel, mix the butter, sugar, flour and flaked almonds. Remove the cake from the oven and sprinkle the streusel over in clumps, then scatter over the cherries. Return the cake to the oven for 15-20 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. 5 When the cake is cool, remove from the tin and peel off the parchment. To make the icing, mix the icing sugar with 1½ tbsp water to make a thick consistency (add a drop more water, if necessary). Spread over the cake, sprinkle over the almonds and leave to set before serving. It will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan oven) gas mark 4. Put paper cases into a 12-hole muffin tin. 2 Put the caster sugar and butter into a large bowl and beat with electric hand beaters until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating constantly – if the mixture looks as if it’s about to curdle, add 1 tbsp of the flour. Beat in half of the zest. 3 Use a metal spoon to fold in the flour and baking powder. Divide among the cases. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 4 Spoon the jam into a piping bag with a 5-7mm plain nozzle. Push it into the top of each cake; squeeze in a little jam. 5 For the icing, put the butter, vanilla, remaining zest andtwo-thirds of the icing sugar into a large bowl and beat. Gradually beat in the remaining icing sugar. Briefly whisk in the berries. 6 Pipe or spread the icing on to the cooled cakes and serve.
FOOD & DRINK APRICOT SCONE CAKE Preparation 15 minutes, plus cooling Cooking about 20 minutes Serves 8 A simple way to cook scones, this is at its best enjoyed warm from the oven. 375g self-raising flour, plus extra to dust 1 tsp baking powder 100g unsalted butter, chilled and diced 50g caster sugar, plus extra to sprinkle 125g dried apricots, finely chopped 100ml whole milk 2 medium eggs ½ tsp vanilla extract clotted cream and jam, to serve
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1 Preheat the oven to 220˚C (200˚C fan oven) gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. 2 Mix the flour, baking powder and ¼ tsp fine salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, rub it in until it resembles breadcrumbs‚ or pulse the butter into the flour mixture in a food processor (then tip into a bowl). Mix in the sugar and dried apricots. 3 In a jug, beat the milk, eggs and vanilla extract to combine. Set aside 1 tbsp of this mixture for the glaze. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, pour in the beaten egg and stir using a cutlery knife until the
dough comes together. Tip onto a lightly floured surface, knead briefly to bring together, then pat out to a 20cm diameter (about 2.5cm thick). 4 Transfer to the prepared baking tray. With a sharp knife, deeply score into 8 wedges. Brush the top with the reserved beaten egg mixture, then sprinkle with a little sugar. 5 Bake for 20 minutes or until risen and golden. Leave to cool on the tray, then transfer to a wire rack. 6 Serve just warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges and split in half. Top with jam and cream, if you like.
LEMON AND HONEY BUNDT CAKE Preparation 35 minutes Cooking 55 minutes Serves 12 Bundt tins can be found in stores such as johnlewis.com, divertimenti.co.uk and lakeland.co.uk.
SPICED CARROT CAKE Preparation 35 minutes Cooking 55 minutes Makes 20 squares Suitable for vegans, this cake is light, moist and made with wholemeal flour. 150g vegan spread, such as pure sunflower spread, plus extra to grease 250g pitted dates 350ml unsweetened almond milk 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 75g soft light brown sugar zest and juice of 1 orange 350g wholemeal plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1½ tsp ground ginger 2 tsp ground cinnamon 250g peeled coarsely grated carrots 50g desiccated coconut 50g dried cranberries, plus extra to decorate 25g pumpkin seeds, plus extra, toasted, to decorate 50g pecans, chopped, plus extra to decorate FOR THE ICING 150g vegan spread 75g smooth almond butter 325g icing sugar, sifted
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan oven) gas mark 4. Grease and line a 30cm x 23cm tray-bake or roasting tin with baking parchment.
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2 Put the dates and almond milk in a small pan, bring up to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor, and whiz until smooth. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and set aside. 3 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat together the spread and sugar with electric hand-beaters until combined. Beat in the date mixture along with the orange juice and zest. 4 In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and spices. Fold into the batter, followed by the carrots, coconut, cranberries, pumpkin seeds and pecans. 5 Pour into the roasting tin, level and bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin on a wire rack. 6 Meanwhile, make the icing. In a medium bowl, beat the spread and almond butter with electric handbeaters until smooth. Gradually beat in the icing sugar and chill until needed. 7 Remove the cake from the tin and spread with the icing. Scatter with the cranberries, seeds and pecans.
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven) gas mark 4. Grease a 22cm bundt cake tin and dust it with flour. 2 Put all the cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Turn into the bundt tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden and firm and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes (don’t worry if it sinks a little), then turn out and cool on a wire rack. 3 Using a potato peeler, pare the lemon rind and then cut into thin strips. Put the rind in a small pan with 100ml water and 50g of the granulated sugar. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain and dry the lemon strips on kitchen paper. Toss in the remaining sugar, place on a baking tray and leave to dry in the residual heat of the oven for an hour. 4 To make the icing, squeeze the juice from the pared lemon, and add enough of it to the fondant icing sugar to make a thick pouring consistency, Drizzle it over the cake and decorate with the lemon strips. The cake keeps for a week in an airtight container.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY KRIS KIRKHAM; GARETH MORGANS; TOBY SCOTT; KATE WHITAKER
FOR THE CAKE 300g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting 150g butter, melted 100g caster sugar 150g clear honey 2 medium eggs 150ml soured cream juice and zest of ½ lemon FOR THE ICING AND DECORATION 1 lemon 100g granulated sugar 200g fondant icing sugar
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WILDLIFE
H E A LT H & B E AU T Y
Peace ofmind For an all-day sense of calm, discover the benefits of mindfulness with our easy-to-follow guide WORDS BY LISA BUCKINGHAM
F
ROM REDUCED ANXIETY to a more focused mind, the benefits of daily mindfulness practice are backed by a growing body of research. But with everything from colouring books to apps on offer to help you achieve a mindful state, it can be confusing for a beginner to know where to start. Follow our guide to reap the rewards of a quietened mind…
W H AT I S M I N D F U L N E S S ? There are many forms of meditation, and mindfulness is a secular take on the centuries-old tradition of contemplation found in religious practices such as countryliving.com/uk
Buddhism. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a US meditation teacher, is a pioneer of mindfulness and defines it as an “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, to the present moment, non-judgmentally. It’s about knowing what is on your mind”. The benefits also reach way beyond simply feeling calmer. “It teaches you to understand your own mind and deal with difficulties,” explains mindfulness expert Rohan Gunatillake, author of Modern Mindfulness: How to be More Relaxed, Focused and Kind While Living in a Fast, Digital, Always-On World (Bluebird, £8.99). “Whether it’s an overly busy mind,
a harsh inner critic or a struggle with anxiety, mindfulness can help you tackle these difficulties because, while we can’t always change what life throws at us, we can change how we relate to it.” You don’t need to set aside hours each day. “The power of meditating for five to ten minutes shouldn’t be underestimated,” Rohan says, “but the longer you can sit for, the quieter your mind becomes. It’s like shaking up a bottle of muddy water – it takes time for the mud to settle and the water to become clear. Personally, my mind becomes quieter after 15 to 20 minutes.” Meditating at the same time each day helps it become a habit. You can fit it in MARCH 2019
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Beginners might find a guided meditation helpful whenever suits you, but people tend to be more alert in the mornings. If you’re new to mindfulness, joining a class can be useful, as meditations are led by a teacher, which can help you stay focused. “Meditation is traditionally a social activity, so include a social element if you can,” Rohan says. It’s also fine to meditate alone. Again, beginners might find a guided meditation helpful – try one of the apps available, such as Headspace, which has a series of meditations created by former Buddhist monk Andy Puddicombe. You can also try the following meditations on your own…
F O C U S O N T H E B R E AT H Set a timer so you don’t need to keep checking the clock – ten minutes is a good starting point. Sit upright on a chair, with your feet on the floor and hands in your lap or on your stomach. Start to take slow, deep breaths, feeling your belly rise on the inhale and deflate on the exhale. Keeping your eyes open or closed (whichever feels right for you), bring your mind to focus on the breath and how it feels as it enters and exits the body. If a thought comes along and distracts you, note it without judgment, let go of it and then bring your mind back to the breath. It’s completely normal for thoughts to come to you and the mind to wander – the important thing is to repeatedly bring your focus back to the breath.
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H E A LT H & B E AU T Y
B O DY S C A N N I N G Sit comfortably and close your eyes. You’re going to scan each part of your body with your mind, noting any sensations, such as pressure, pain, tension or just a neutral feeling. When your thoughts wander, bring your mind back to the part of the body you were focusing on. Start with the toes of your right foot. Feel how they touch the floor and each other. Then shift your focus to the rest of the foot, then the lower leg, knee and thigh. As you focus on each part of your body, take deep breaths and imagine the breath reaching that area. Feel any tension melting away with the out breath. Do the same with the left foot and leg, then slowly move up through each area of the body – groin, hips, abdomen, lower back, chest, upper back, arms, hands, shoulders, neck and face. You can take as long as you want to do this. It can be something you do briefly when you’re feeling tense, taking less than a minute, or it can be a longer meditation.
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MEDITATION BENEFITS
You don’t have to sit still to meditate – a quiet walk in the countryside is the perfect opportunity for mindfulness practice. Try clasping your hands together and placing your attention on the sensations in your fingers and hands – do they feel warm? Cold? Can you feel the wind on them? Keep your mind there as much as you can. Another technique involves bringing your attention to the feeling of your feet striking the ground. You can do this with shoes on, or might even want to try it barefoot for even greater sensation. Refocus your thoughts on the feeling every time you notice you’ve been distracted.
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CHANGES BRAIN STRUCTURE Scientists in the US scanned the brains of people who did an eight-week mindfulness course and found grey matter density had increased in the hippocampus (the area associated with memory). It had also decreased in the amygdala – the fight or flight part of the brain – which correlated to a reduction in stress levels.
EASES CHRONIC PAIN A 2016 US study found that meditation reduced pain ratings in participants
by 24 per cent when intense heat was applied to the skin using a thermal probe. Another US study discovered that meditation improved symptoms by more than 60 per cent in those with chronic lower back pain.
HELPS WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY Group mindfulness treatment reduces depression and anxiety symptoms as effectively as cognitive behavioural therapy, according to a 2014 study by Lund University in Sweden.
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Let’s dance Whether it’s ballroom, jive or even Zumba, joining a dance class is a (quick) step in the right direction for your health. As well as an aerobic workout to get your heart pumping, studies show that high-impact exercise helps strengthen muscles, joints and maintain bone density – particularly important for women after the menopause. Dancing provides a mental boost, too. One study found that while all exercise helped to slow age-related decline to the brain, dancing had the most profound effect, which scientists attributed to the process of learning new steps and routines. Research also found that people who took part in a group exercise class at least once a week lowered stress levels by 26 per cent. Time to get your dancing shoes on…
BEAUTY BUZZ
E Y E T R E AT M E N T S
The delicate skin around the eyes is often the first to show signs of tiredness, dehydration and, of course, ageing, so choose a product that tackles your specific need. Fine lines Stick Vichy LiftActiv Micro Hyalu Patches (£20, vichy.co.uk) under your eyes and the tiny selfdissolving micro-needles on them will deliver hyaluronic acid to help smooth lines and soften wrinkles overnight. Tired eyes The cooling feel of Elemis Peptide4 Eye Recovery Cream (£38, elemis.com) provides a reviving boost after a late night or long day at work. Sagging Korres Golden Krocus Ageless Saffron Eye Elixir (£69, feelunique.com) contains saffron extract to help lift and plump skin, as well as improve elasticity. Dark circles MGC Derma CBD Anti-Puffiness & Dark Circle Eye Serum (£70, cultbeauty.com) contains corn silk extract to help lighten dark circles.
health notes NEW FAVOURITE
Nettles, weeping willow and wild achillea – the new Wild Flowers & Weeds fragrance collection from Jo Malone London (£49 each, jomalone.co.uk) celebrates the unexpected beauty of plants that break through cracks in garden paving and spring up on countryside tracks.
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Boost your wellbeing the natural way with our round-up from the world of health and beauty
STRUGGLING TO FEEL AWAKE ON THESE DARK MORNINGS? Try Myvitamins Wakey Wakey (£11.99, myvitamins.com), a blend of iron, B vitamins, zinc and other vitamins designed to help give you that much-needed energy boost. IT’S NOT JUST CHILDREN WHO LOVE LISTENING TO STORIES. Increasingly, experts are discovering this ancient practice has mental and emotional benefits for any age. The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction (£13.99, Piatkis) offers practical tips and reading recommendations. IF YOU’RE PARTIAL TO A PACKET OF CRISPS, try swapping them for Shøre Seaweed Puffs (£1.19, ocado.com). Each puff is made with sustainablyharvested and nutrient-rich seaweed from Scotland, rice and maize, and is gluten-free and suitable for vegans. For more tips and products, visit netdoctor.co.uk.
NATURE’S MEDICINE CABINET
Purple sprouting broccoli At this time of year, there’s often not much more than a few brassicas growing in the veg patch. The good news is that purple-sprouting broccoli, along with its cruciferous cousins cabbage, kale and mustard, comes super-charged with powerful plant chemicals. Studies have found that regularly eating broccoli lowers the risk of heart disease. It is also a good source of vitamin K, which can help improve bone health. Its bitter taste comes from the compound sulforaphane, and scientists are investigating how this may slow or delay the formation of certain cancer cells. To get the most of its nutrients, eat broccoli raw or very lightly steamed.
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CLARICE CLIFF, ART DECO & DESIGN AUCTION 20TH MARCH 2019
where to buy Stockists in this issue
A ABBOTT AND ELLWOOD
J JANE MEANS 01522 522544; janemeans.com
abbottandellwood.com
JENNIFER COLLIER jennifercollier.co.uk
B BURGON & BALL burgonandball.com C CAROLINE ATKINS carolineatkins.com D THE DARTMOOR SOAP COMPANY thedartmoorsoapco.co.uk DE LE CUONA delecuona.com DESIGNERS GUILD designersguild.com DEVOL 01509 261000; devolkitchens.co.uk DYKE & DEAN dykeanddean.com
E ESTHER SMITH esthersmith.co.uk F FOLKSGLOVE folksglove.com THE FUTURE KEPT thefuturekept.com
H HABITAT habitat.co.uk
K KATIE HIPWELL katiehipwell.co.uk L LOAF 0845 459 9937; loaf.com LUSH DESIGNS lushlampshades.co.uk
M MIMI PICKARD mimipickard.com P PAPERCHASE paperchase.com PIPII 01342 823921; pipii.co.uk PULTENEY BRIDGE FLOWERS pulteneybridgeflowers.co.uk
R RE 01434 634567; re-foundobjects.com S SARAH HARDAKER sarahhardaker.co.uk SEASALT seasaltcornwall.co.uk STRIPED PEBBLE stripedpebble.com
T TURTLE MAT 0345 600 3478; turtlemat.co.uk
Four Clarice Cliff sugar sifters Estimates from £150*
FORTHCOMING AUCTIONS 19th June – Arts and Crafts (closing for entries 26th April) ENQUIRIES Michael Jeffery +44 (0) 1722 424505 mj@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
w ww.wo o lle yand wallis. co.u k countryliving.com/uk
51-61 Castle Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 3SU * All lots are subject to Buyer’s Premium at 25% + VAT.
next month in Our April issue is on sale from 27 February
Light fantastic Inspiration and ideas to brighten your home EASTER FEASTS
SPRING GARDENS
THE ART OF GLASS
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advertisement feature PLUG IN FOR A DEEP CLEANING BOOST… The SEBO X7 Pet Boost glides over floors and can easily tackle stubborn dirt with its deep cleaning boost function and, as opposed to cordless models, it gives unlimited full power. It goes flat to clean under furniture and with its LED Search Light, dirt really has nowhere to hide. Made in Germany it is backed by a free fiveyear guarantee. Call 01494 465533 or visit www.sebo.co.uk
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Wider Fit Shoes Ltd offers stylish, affordable shoes to fit you perfectly – whatever your width. Today, they are the leading supplier of wide-fitting shoes in the UK, offering footwear from EE through to 8E fittings. Their entire range of shoes and slippers are adjustable, durable, lightweight and flexible and every purchase is backed by their no quibble guarantee. No wonder they’re recommended by foot health professionals nationwide. For a free, colour catalogue or more information please call 01933 311077 or order securely online at www.widerfitshoes.co.uk Please quote CLX1905M for 10% off your first order.
TRULY PLUS SIZE LUXURY TIGHTS The Big Bloomers Company are specialists in plus size hosiery, from UK14 to UK42. Made in Italy, their tights are comfortable, flattering and durable. They slide on with no effort – no coaxing each bit of fabric up the leg, these are just straight on. Ultrastretch technology means superior all-over quality and fit, and a waistband that doesn’t dig in or roll down. Your search for truly plus size tights is over. Call 01326 373268 or order securely online at www.thebigbloomerscompany.co.uk
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You may think leaks are an inevitable part of ageing – through menopause and damage from childbirth. Leave these untreated and padded, and you can go on to experience a total loss of bladder and bowel function. This problem affects millions of women in the UK resulting in leaks, lack of sensation and even prolapse (where pelvic organs drop out of place). Regain control and confidence with Kegel8. Featuring 20 exercise programmes, this digital exerciser automatically locates and works to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Visit www.kegel8.co.uk/country and enter COUNTRYMAR at the checkout for £20 off a Kegel8 Ultra 20 Electronic Toner. Or call our expert Customer Care Team on 01482 496932 and quote “COUNTRYMAR”.
SPRING COLLECTION
SHOEDOLLY
STOCKWELL CERAMICS
SUZY HAMILTON
ShoeDolly espadrilles are supremely comfortable and so easy to wear for any occasion. Whether out shopping, meeting friends or entertaining at home you will love the comfort of ShoeDolly. Choose from a gorgeous selection of classic colours. With sling back or ankle ties. Handmade in Spain. Order online at www.shoedolly.com
Ever popular ranges of ceramic buttons, jewellery and decorations. Handmade in Cornwall, UK. Perfect gifts for Mother’s Day including Heritage brooches featuring beautiful William Morris Designs. Wedding favours too! www.stockwellceramics.co.uk www.etsy.com/uk/shop/StockwellCeramicsUK
We specialise in dresses and complete outfits designed and made in the UK using fabrics of the highest quality including silks, linens, brocades and cotton. Many of our frocks give more than a nod to the spectacular and glamorous styling of the 1950s and 60s. Visit our boutiques in Holt and Harrogate. www.suzyhamilton.co.uk
BRUME
TAKE A MOMENT FOR YOU!
BUTTON DOLLS
Brume window film replicates the look of etched glass and is perfect for windows where you need privacy but don’t want to sacrifice natural light. Easy to apply, made to measure or by the metre. www.brume.co.uk
Join us at our art school in Oxfordshire for wonderful art and craft workshops run by experienced, renowned artists. Learn the basics or develop your art skills in a friendly, knowledgeable environment, where everyone is encouraged to be creative and original. Visit www.pureartworkstudio.co.uk or call us on 01295 812469.
Magical handcrafted fairy dolls sewn with love in beautiful rural West Sussex. Made from tea-dyed calico, dressed with beautiful fabric and embellished with trinkets and trims vintage and new, our dolls make special gifts for daughters, mothers and friends. www.buttondolls.com 01903 893266
POTTER AND MOOCH
CHINASEARCH
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Ear Wings climbing earrings designed for a single piercing. Handmade in England on Sterling Silver, 14ct Rose or Yellow Gold wires with SWAROVSKI Elements. The perfect, unique gift. From £22 per pair. Hypo-allergenic. Nickel-free. Visit our website or call for a brochure. www.potterandmooch.co.uk 07703 785527
Whether you’re looking to replace a broken cup or extend your existing dinner set, Chinasearch specialises in discontinued china with over 300,000 items in stock. Search online or call 01926 512402. www.chinasearch.co.uk
We specialise in antique and vintage furniture, hand painted in the unique style best suited for each piece – Scandinavian, French, Country Chic, Rustic, Gustavian etc. Visit us on www.crowncottagesomerset.co.uk or call 07766 567065. Commissions undertaken.
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IDYLLIC ESCAPES
RURAL RETREATS
REFRESHING COASTAL BREAKS
Over 500 luxury self-catering holiday properties sleeping 2-24 in the UK and Ireland. A Rural Retreats property has been carefully chosen for its beautiful interior as well as idyllic setting. From cosy cottages to country houses and lighthouses to windmills, there’s sure to be a property that will be perfect for you and your family. Dogs welcome. Request your FREE 2019 Brochure now. www.ruralretreats.co.uk 01386 897 959
Coastal Cottages of Pembrokeshire have over 500 Cottages sleeping up to 28 people on the Pembrokeshire coast, perfectly located to discover the beauty of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. A concierge service enables you to add those extra special touches to your holiday! Winter Offer - 2 People - 4 Nights from only £125
DISCOVER REAL SPAIN
BRECON BEACONS HOLIDAY COTTAGES
Look forward to your holiday at our secluded watermill in the heart of Andalucia where you can unwind in a lush, wooded river valley. Wonderful for walking, wildlife, mountain biking or simply relaxing in this peaceful haven. Holidays of any duration with a choice of 4 individual properties. 40’ eco pool, bar, gym, free wi-fi, 90 minutes from Malaga airport, good access to Granada, Cordoba and Seville. www.ratonera.com. 07708 520239(UK)
LUXURY COTTAGES NORTHUMBERLAND
An outstanding selection of hand picked holiday cottages in prime locations along the beautiful Heritage Coast and amidst the majestic hills and National Park inland. www.luxury-cottages-northumberland.co.uk www.northumbria-cottages.co.uk 01665 830783
To Book Call 01437 765765 www.coastalcottages.co.uk
For that perfect weekend break, over 350 great cottages, in superb locations in and around the Brecon Beacons, Black Mountains & Wye Valley. Romantic cottages and lodges for 2 people, rustic farmhouses and large country houses some sleeping 20, with oak beams, open fires, hot tubs. Ideal for weekend breaks. Pets Welcome. www.breconcottages.com 01874 676446
EXPERIENCE MORE
Pride of Britain Hotels, Britain’s leading luxury & boutique hotel collection, have selected and approved 50 of the best independently owned hotels and spas around Britain for you to enjoy. To order gift vouchers or your free hotel directory call Freephone 0808 163 3764 or visit www.prideofbritainhotels.com
FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK
COAST & COUNTRY COTTAGES
Choose from around 400 holiday properties in Salcombe, Dartmouth and throughout South Devon. From romantic hideaways and beautifully renovated farmhouses, to luxury waterside apartments and cosy thatched cottages, we can help you choose the right one for your holiday. Call 01548 843773 or book online coastandcountry.co.uk
TINTERN ABBEY COTTAGE
Across from the magnificent Abbey, unsurpassed idyllic Wye Valley views. Fully renovated, warm 18C cottage. Sleeps up to 6 in 3 bedrooms. Two smart bathrooms, whirlpool bath, lavendered linens, cosy woodburner, CH incl., range cooker, sheltered garden, parking, WiFi. Easy M4/M5, numerous all year activities and attractions. Stroll to pubs/ eateries. Excellent walking. Pet welcome. Visit Wales 5 star & winner Best Self Catering again for 2018. Summer holidays , Autumn/Winter/Spring Breaks. Christmas. Credit cards. www.monmouthshirecottages.co.uk 01600 860341
WILDERNESS COTTAGES THROUGHOUT SCOTLAND
Quality self catering cottages, houses and apartments, throughout Scotland. Countryside to seashore, rustic to 5 star luxury. Short breaks available & pets welcome. New 2019 Brochure Available. Tel: 01463 719219 www.wildernesscottages.co.uk
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COUNTRY DIRECTORY House & Garden ALBION BAT H C OMPAN Y
REQUEST YOUR BROCHURE +44 (0) 1255 831605 albionbathco.com
A range of over fifty styles for bathrooms big and small
SALE NOW ON
Only £349. Only from us. Elgar 2 seater sofa
• NO RISK 21 DAY HOME TRIAL• 5 YEAR FRAME GUARANTEE • FACTORY DIRECT PRICES
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Tele 01685 844944
For details of classified advertising call 020 3728 6260
Keep your home beautiful with our stylish range of wipeable tablecloths Huge choice of designs and patterns Custom cut to size
www.wipeeasytablecloths.com 01606 833886
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GREAT BRITISH SOFAS SALE NOW ON
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OVER 2250 REVIEWS
Albany 3 seater washable sofa was £669 - now only £499 For a free 2019 brochure call 01495 244226 or visit
www.sofasofa.co.uk
hey good lookin’ what you got cookin’
Makers of Fine Leather Furniture Since 1981
VINTAGE CHESTERFIELD 3 SEATER SOFA WAS £1959
SALE PRICE £1399
Handmade with care
● Direct
Beautiful hand made kitchen cabinetry from just £7k
For a free colour brochure call 01443 771222 or visit www.thomaslloyd.com
For a delicious slice of country life
Lynx Trading Estate, YEOVIL BA20 2HL 01935 434700 oldcreameryfurniture.com
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MARCH 2019
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Great British Furniture
from our UK workshop ● 21 day money-back promise ● 5 year hardwood frame warranty
NO SA W LE ON
01509 234000- www.floorsofstone.com enquiries@floorsofstone.com
TRADITIONAL BRITISH UPHOLSTERY SINCE 1987
The wood burning stove perfected
CLEARVIEW SHOWROOMS Ludlow, Stow-on-the-Wold and Whitchurch Plus stockists throughout the UK Manufactured at More Works, Bishops Castle, Shropshire SY9 5GB Brochure Line: 01588 650 123 www.clearviewstoves.com
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www.kirkdale.co.uk Call now for your free brochure
01495 243999
FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK
S “Extraordinary CUMB LE name.
GOOSIE Extraordinary furniture.”
www.theheadboardworkshop.co.uk or call us on 01291 628216
Double Bow Fronted chest handmade in solid fruitwood £987
Headboards & Beds | Ottomans & Stools | Sofa Beds & Chairs
01453 731305
www.scumblegoosie.com
The
01453 731305
English Panelling Company
Back from Black Beam Renovation Ltd RENOVATING BEAMS SINCE 1997
BEAMS RENOVATED WITHOUT MESS! A UNIQUE PROCESS - NO BLASTING
Tel: 01797 458508 WWW.BEAM-RENOVATION.CO.UK
Quality MDF panelling to suit all tastes!
www.englishpanelling.com Handcrafted for you in Nottinghamshire
The finest of British Country Outbuildings
TREAT YOURSELF TO A MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION TODAY!
Oak Fronted Carriage Houses & Stand Alone Timber Garages ALSO GARDEN STUDIOS EQUESTRIAN BUILDINGS AND S P O RT S PAV I L I O N S
Est 1909
High Street, Strood, Kent ME2 4DR
Tel: 01634 290033
w w w. p a s s m o r e s . c o . u k • i n f o @ p a s s m o r e s . c o . u k
BEST PRICE GUARANTEED
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The Ambassador Four Poster Bed
FREE DELIVERY & INSTALLATION | 10 YEAR GUARANTEE
Request your free brochure and wood samples 01777 869 669 | revivalbeds.co.uk MARCH 2019
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Bjรถrk Haraldsdรณttir Contemporary Handbuilt Ceramics
www.ceramicsbybjork.com
Unique, organic, ceramic sculptures Bespoke commissions www.kiramics.com
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General Interest
Clairvoyancy
Introductions to genuinely available men and women looking for long-term commitment. A safe & confidential, offline way to meet new people. All members interviewed and ID checked.
Fashion
A Traditional Matchmaking Agency Specialising in Personal One-to-One Matchmaking. Contact Heather Heber-Percy on 0208 994 3500 £69 (free p&p) Reversible Cotton Jacket various designs 01263 732643 FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK
enquiries@thecountyregister.com
www.thecountyregister.com MARCH 2019
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L OV E O F T H E L A N D
KATE HUMBLE The TV presenter talks about lambing, loneliness and the cathartic act of taking a stroll We’ve got to a place in society where we’re becoming increasingly isolated. Many of our interactions are through a screen. It seems ludicrous that we should need a minister for loneliness when we’ve never been such a populated planet. One of the things I love about walking is that, whether you’re nine or 90, it provides a way to connect with nature and neighbours, and makes you feel a part of the world. The simple rhythm and unconscious action allows your brain to relax, which gives you the chance to gain perspective.
I think sometimes we try to fill holes in our lives with ‘stuff’. I’m not advocating that we all lead incredibly spartan lives, but maybe question what makes us want something. The older I’ve become, the more I realise it’s about simplicity, not extraneous things that I don’t need. It’s what you can’t buy that makes you happy.
I have a theory that if you were born or grew up in the countryside, there will come a time when you’ll need to go back to your roots. I’d lived in London for 20 years and began to feel restless. When my husband, Ludo, was offered a job in Cardiff, we decided to buy a Welsh farmhouse on a hill in the Wye Valley. It was the strangest thing, but as soon as we crossed the Severn Bridge, my heart lifted. Now, for the first time in my life, I feel homesick when I leave.
“Whether you’re nine or 90, walking provides a way to connect wıth nature and neighbours” 186
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There wasn’t really anywhere to go for advice on starting a smallholding, which is why we set up Humble by Nature. It offers courses on everything from drystone walling to bread making. I quickly discovered that there’s nothing bucolic about starting a rural business. It’s terrifying and exhausting but utterly wonderful and rewarding, too.
There’s an amazing amount of talent, creativity and entrepreneurship in rural communities. There’s no reason why people can’t run great businesses that generate employment and make the countryside a great place to live, not just go on holiday. But we really need decent internet connections and competitive business rates to keep rural towns and villages vibrant.
I began to really love sheep while filming BBC Two’s Lambing Live. The arrival of new life is integral to this time of year. I helped deliver lambs on a family farm in Monmouthshire – watching the youngsters stagger around, trying to find their feet, was the most amazing feeling. It’s magical to be part of such a seasonal event. Thinking on my Feet: the Small Joy of Putting One Foot in Front of Another by Kate Humble (Octopus, £20). countryliving.com/uk
INTERVIEW BY LAURAN ELSDEN. PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALAMY; TOM PILSTON/EYEVINE
When we moved, I got a bit overenthusiastic and ended up with chickens, geese and pigs – we became a rescue centre for all sorts of dysfunctional animals.