MARCH 2017
loving the simpler things in life MARCH 2017
www.landlove.com
Countryside + Food + Homes + Gardens + Wildlife + Crafts + Travel
Full of the joys of
Spring
Unlock Cheshire’s secrets
Discover this county’s diverse landscape and heritage
n Easy craft projects inspired by colourful bulbs n Look for signs of nature’s spring awakening n Recipes to savour this season’s fresh flavours Front Cover.indd 1
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Look for our Great Britain logo throughout the magazine to see which parts of the British Isles we’ve been to in this issue Editor-in-Chief Anna-Lisa De’Ath Assistant Editor Natalie Crofts Features Editor Lauren Morton Designer Laura Robertson Designer Amy Wiseman Web Editor Peter Byrne Advertising Manager Julie Freestone Production Manager Reg French Back issues Hilary King Financial Controller Lesley Shard Managing Director Luke Patten Contact LandLove at Hubert Burda Media UK, The Tower, Phoenix Square, Colchester, Essex CO4 9HU Tel: 01206 851117; Fax: 01206 849078 Subscriptions Tel: 01206 849077 Back issues Tel: 01206 851117 ext 237 Editorial email: landlove@burdamagazines.co.uk Display and Classified Advertising Sales Tel: 01206 851117 ext 212 International Ad Sales Representatives Burda International Italy Mariolina Siclari T. +39 02 91 32 34 66 mariolina.siclari@burda.com Burda Community Network Germany Vanessa Noetzel T. +49 89 9250 3532 vanessa.noetzel@burda.com Michael Neuwirth T. +49 89 9250 3629 michael.neuwirth@burda.com Austria/Switzerland Goran Vukota T. +41 44 810 21 46 goran.vukota@burda.com France/Luxembourg Marion Badolle-Feick T. +33 1 72 71 25 24 marion.badolle-feick@burda.com USA/Canada/Mexico Salvatore Zammuto T. +1 212 884 48 24 salvatore.zammuto@burda.com Prices and availability were checked at time of going to press, but we cannot be held responsible for any changes. No part of LandLove may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means either wholly or in part, without the prior permission of the publisher. The publisher, editors and authors accept no responsibility in respect of any products, goods or services that may be advertised or referred to in this issue or for any errors, omissions, misstatements or mistakes in any such advertisements or references. We can’t guarantee that colours reproduced will be an accurate representation due to the printing process. Neither the Editor nor publishing company accept responsibility for any material submitted, whether photographic or otherwise. Competition rules apply to all competitions/giveaways in LandLove. Employees of Hubert Burda Media UK and associated companies are not eligible. There is no cash alternative to prizes. Should the prize become unavailable LandLove has the right to offer an alternative prize. The Editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. LandLove is distributed by Marketforce Tel: 020 3148 3300
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arch is always an exciting month. It heralds the start of spring, with our hedgerows and gardens dotted with colour from the first tentative blooms. In this issue we take a look at those much-loved spring flowers – daffodils, from which varieties to grow, to how to display them in your home (p.26). While over on page 94 we discover how our landscape changes from dull grey to glorious green as we transition from winter into spring. Even our craft projects this month are inspired by spring blooms (p.78). I especially love the delicate paper snowdrops. We’ve also got some delicious recipes this issue which really showcase the best of the new season’s produce (p.48), as well as some naughty (but nice) cheesecake recipes (p.56). And while we’re on the subject of naughtiness, on page 60 we go behind the scenes of the oldest gin-making company in Britain which is still family-run and producing delicious tipples. If you enjoy eating seasonal produce, make sure you turn to page 69 to read the second instalment of our smallholding series. This month we look at how to plan and plant your fruit and veg plot. It’s not just our gardens and veg plots that are showing signs of stirring at this time of year, much of our wildlife is up and about once more after being tucked away somewhere warm over winter. On page 76 we discover how some of our favourite creatures cope with spring showers, while on page 84 we discover what our heron population is getting up to right now. And, if you want to encourage more wildlife into your garden this year, then take a look at our guide to creating more habitats for them on page 106. Someone who loves nature as much as we do is conservationist and countryman Eddie Hallam. Read his fascinating journey to becoming a wildlife sculptor on page 100. I do hope you enjoy this issue and here’s to sunny spring days ahead!
Photo Lizzie Orme
Welcome
‘If there’s one thing you should do this month... Turn to page 21 to find out who won our 2016 LandLove Magazine Awards. You voted in your thousands for your favourites, so on their behalf I’d like to say a big thank you. To see just what makes them so special, why not visit some of our winners? From delicious food and drink to great family days out, there’s so much to discover.
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Spruce up your shed Its uses are as varied as the design possibilities, from the right choice of materials and colour to how it’s incorporated into your garden – the humble shed has become more than just a storage space 38 38-41 Sheds.indd 38
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riginally, garden sheds had a chiefly practical purpose: they were somewhere weatherproof in which to store tools and garden equipment of all kinds. Today, they are still often used as storage spaces for garden gadgets or furniture but sometimes they also serve as a peaceful retreat among the plants and trees, or as a play area for children. High-end models even offer true residential standards, thanks to larger areas, better insulation and a range of options such as cooking facilities and sanitary areas, not to mention fireplaces and other heating solutions. There is no doubt that the preferred construction material for garden sheds is wood. It is cheaper and easier to handle than natural stone, and it has important advantages over plastics and metal: it has good insulation properties, blends in unobtrusively in the garden (especially when unpainted) and the weathering of the exterior over time will only add to its natural charm. As with any outdoor timber structure, though, care needs to be taken over certain details during construction. Rainwater, for instance, needs to be able to run freely off all parts of the shed, and foundations will prevent direct contact with damp soil. Coniferous timber from cold climates is highly weatherresistant. Nonetheless, it is worth reinforcing their longevity with a coat of a neutrally-coloured impregnation agent. To add a note of colour to the shed, there is a choice of varnishes, which allow the grain of the wood to show through, or coating paints. In principle, if it looks good, anything goes. Yellow and red shades can introduce attractive accents, while blue or pure white adds a note of freshness. On the other hand, if the building is intended to sit modestly in the background, then subdued dark green and brown tones will be the first choice. The shed only really becomes part of the garden if its cleverly integrated into the plant world. Ornamental beds or groups of shrubs, for example, can approach from the side, so that only the front is open to the lawn or garden path. If a substantial roof overhang is present at the front of the shed, the structure invites a seating area for hours of idle seclusion.
1 Embedded between plantings of shrub roses and tall ornamental grasses, and decorated by clematis and climbing roses, this wooden shed becomes almost a natural element of the garden. The pièce de rÊsistance is the roof planting, with undemanding plants such as sedums growing freely. 2 This little natural wood hut recedes modestly into the background. The picket fence and bushes growing untamed at the edges of the mulched area underline the rural atmosphere. 3 In matching pigeon blue, this wooden shed, blinds and seats present a harmonious ensemble. The area is defined by a semicircle of paving stones. 4 The collection of zinc watering cans adds a nostalgic note, while under the overhang there is space for plant containers and firewood. 5 A rain butt connected to the downpipe from the guttering is especially worthwhile with a larger shed located some distance from the house, providing shorter routes for watering the surrounding beds. www.landlove.com
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Indulge in heavenly cheesecakes These creamy delights are a firm family favourite, whether it’s a simple recipe or more ambitious creation featuring fruit, a crumble topping or chocolate, each variation is truly scrumptious
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Apple cheesecake with a biscuit base Finely crumble 75g amaretti biscuits and 125g sponge fingers using a food processor. Mix the crumbled biscuits thoroughly with 125g soft butter. Line a springform cake tin (26cm Ø) with baking parchment. Press the biscuit mixture into the tin to form a base. Chill in the fridge. Pre-heat the oven to 175°C (155°C fan oven)/345°F/Gas Mark 3.5. Peel 4-5 medium-sized apples, cut in half and remove the core. Place on the biscuit base with the curved side facing up. Mix together 180g golden caster sugar, 4 eggs, 750g low fat quark, 200g full-fat cream cheese with 1 sachet of custard powder (75g) and the zest and juice of 1 organic lemon until smooth. Pour the creamy mixture over the apples and use a spoon to spread out evenly. Bake the cake in the oven for about 1 hour until golden brown. Switch off the oven and leave to stand for a further 10 minutes. Take out of the oven and leave to cool thoroughly in the tin on a cooling rack. Remove from the tin and place on a plate. Warm 3 tbsp apricot jam and spread over the top of the cake. Decorate with icing sugar and slices of apple if desired.
Brûléed cheesecake Serves 12
Baseless cheesecake Makes one cake (26cm Ø) 5 eggs 1kg low fat quark 200g golden caster sugar zest and juice of 1 organic lemon 120g butter 1 sachet custard powder (75g) 50g semolina Plus: Springform cake tin soft butter for greasing the tin baking parchment (if necessary) icing sugar for dusting
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Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven)/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Grease the springform cake tin. Separate the eggs. Drain the quark well and mix together with the egg yolks, sugar and lemon zest and juice. Melt the butter, leave to cool slightly then fold into the creamy quark mixture. Mix the custard powder with the semolina and stir into the quark mixture. Whip the egg whites until stiff then fold into the quark and semolina mixture. Pour the mixture into the springform cake tin and smooth the surface. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour. If the cake starts to get too dark, cover with baking parchment in good time. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Remove from the tin and dust with icing sugar before serving.
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For the biscuit base: 250g digestive biscuits, finely crushed 100g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing 4 tbsp Demerara sugar 1 tsp ground ginger 1 egg yolk, beaten For the cheesecake filling: 1/ 2 lemon, zested 2 x 250g tubs full fat soft cheese, room temperature 125g golden caster sugar 1 tbsp cornflour 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 3 eggs, beaten 200ml full fat crème fraîche For the brûlée topping: 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
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Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven)/400°F/ Gas mark 6. Grease a 20cm loose-bottomed, deep cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. Mix the digestives, butter, Demerara sugar and ginger until evenly mixed.
Use a straight-sided glass to press the crumbs evenly across the base of the tin and 3cm up the sides. Bake on a flat baking sheet for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Brush the egg yolk over the biscuit shell, then bake for 3 minutes more to seal. Put the lemon zest, soft cheese, sugar, cornflour and vanilla in a large bowl and mix well with a spatula. Work in the eggs until smooth, then fold in the crème fraîche. Pour the filling over the base. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven to 140°C (120°C fan oven)/275°F/ Gas Mark 1, and bake for 45 minutes more, or until set with a gentle wobble. Leave in the turned-off oven with the door ajar for 1 hour, then loosen the edges with a palette knife and cool completely. Chill well. Remove the tin and dab away any moisture from the top of the cake. Scatter the sugar over the top. With a cook’s blowtorch, brûlée until the sugar turns a deep coppery brown. Serve immediately.
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Recipe courtesy of www.waitrose.com www.landlove.com
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Celebrate the
flowers of spring The arrival of March brings with it the first burst of spring bulbs and flowers, full of colour and amazing scent. Whether inside or out, our pretty projects are designed to celebrate the new season
Feature and styling Jo Rigg Photos Lizzie Orme
Put on a springtime display 1
Create a colourful springtime display of seasonal bulbs and fresh spring flowers. Terracotta flowerpots, glass vases and galvanised florist buckets add lots of natural texture and allow you to vary the heights in your arrangement. Plastic pots can be wrapped in brown paper tied with string for a rustic look and sit happily together.
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Sew a pretty placemat
Download and print our ‘Placemat’ template from www.landlove.com or send a stamped self-addressed envelope to Placemat Template LLMAR17, LandLove Magazine, HBMUK, The Tower, Phoenix Square, Colchester, Essex, CO4 9HU. Cut the template pieces out and place them to one side for now. Cut two pieces of pale-coloured natural fabric to 40cm x 30cm. Stitch them together with green embroidery thread, stitching approximately 1cm in from the edge. Use a hot iron to fuse a piece of iron-on interfacing to a piece of green fabric and some
yellow fabric, this will strengthen the fabric and prevent the edges fraying. Pin the flower template pieces to the yellow fabric and the leaf template pieces to the green fabric. Cut out and remove the pins. Arrange the leaves and flowers on the placemat and pin in position. Stitch in place with simple straight stitch, we used a sewing machine but you could stitch the design by hand. Pull a few threads from the outside edges of the placemat to give a frayed finish. Tip: Use a soft cloth to protect the surface of your iron when using iron-on interfacing.
Stitch a bag for your bulbs 3
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Bulbs are best stored in a cool, dark place, so tie your bag closed with raffia to keep out the light.
Begin by downloading our ‘Bulb’ template from www.landlove.com or send a stamped self-addressed envelope to Bulb Template LLMAR17, LandLove Magazine, HBMUK, The Tower, Phoenix Square, Colchester, Essex, CO4 9HU. Print out the bulb template and tape onto a heatproof work surface. Tape a piece of stencil Mylar directly over the top. Use a craft knife or hot stencil cutter to cut out the stencil following the black outlines of the bulb. To make the bag cut out two 25cm x 35cm pieces of natural fabric – hessian or linen are perfect as the natural fibres will allow the bulbs to breathe. Place them one on top of the other and then pin them together. Stitch three sides with straight stitch keeping one short side open; remove the pins as you sew. Natural
fabrics can fray easily so we stitched a second row of zigzag stitches nearer to the edge of the fabric. Turn the bag right side out and iron the seams flat. Fold and press a small double hem at the top of the bag and pin to hold. Stitch the hem and remove the pins. Next place a piece of card or plastic inside the bag, this is to stop the stencil paint bleeding through onto the back of the bag. Place the stencil on the bag so the bulb motif sits in the centre. Use a stencil brush to stencil the bulb motif with dark brown stencil paint. Carefully remove the stencil – keep the liner inside while the paint dries. Fix the paint with a hot iron. Cut master stencil tool, £24.95; A4 Mylar stencil sheets, £3.98 per pack of 10, both Amazon (prices may vary). Dark brown stencil paint, £3 per 25ml pot, Dylon
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Feature Chiara Ceci Photos Courtesy of RSPB: Ben Andrew
Grey herons are large, distinctive looking birds, easily identified by even novice birdwatchers thanks to their enormous wingspan, long thin necks and striking plumage
Havens for
herons
Every year these fascinating prehistoriclooking birds gather in large numbers to breed and raise their young in heronries – a sight to savour at this time of year 84
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all with spindly legs, a long beak and grey, black and white feathering, grey herons are unmistakable creatures. They are amongst the most glamorous and graceful birds you can find and, luckily for us, are fairly common, likely to be seen anywhere in Britain, at any time of year, though a sighting can still be rare. With their enormous bodies, long necks and thin legs, grey herons have a striking appearance, making them easy to identify, even for novices. Their impressive wingspan stretches to around 6ft (1.8m), curving into an m-shape when in flight. Their wing beats are slow and they have a distinctive flight posture, with their heads drawn back and feet trailing behind. Herons are frequently spotted standing motionless at the water’s edge, waiting patiently for the right moment to catch passing prey with their daggerlike bill. They are voracious predators and eat lots of fish, though also prey on small birds and ducklings, as well as small mammals, such as voles, and amphibians. Grey herons are often solitary for most of the year, but when it comes to nesting they are
sociable birds. When the breeding season is underway, in spring and early summer, herons spend most of their time in long-established woodland breeding colonies, called heronries. Most heronries are in trees, with the majority of nests positioned at least 25 metres above the ground – it’s not unusual for a single tree to hold as many as 10 nests. Reed bed heronries are not uncommon either, and some herons will nest on cliffs, bushes and sometimes even buildings, too. At this time of year we are at the beginning of a heron’s nesting cycle. From February, herons return to the woods and, at first, spend time on the ground before beginning to build their nests. The male selects the nesting territory, which he defends using calls and displays. The female heron selects a male by successfully entering his territory, where they will then build a nest together, usually with the male gathering materials while females are more involved in the construction of the nest. By the end of March most birds have built a nest and laid their eggs, during which time both the male and female herons share incubation duties.
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