LandScape - Life at nature’s pace
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Life at nature’s pace
£4.25
May / June 2016
Cottage garden | Clematis craft | Lawnmower collector | Honey recipes | Chocolate maker | Curtain bag | Lechlade | Wild cattle | Neolithic Orkney
Nature’s wild tapestry of flowers Childhood memories caught in lace and paint Walking a riverside of history
May / June 2016
1 Issue 31 | May / June 2016 | £4.25
SUMMER’S BOUNTY
GENTLE
GRACE
In subtle shades of pink and white, clematis flowers bestow their elegant charm on simple arrangements
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Dainty pink and white flowers flow over the edge of a galvanised bucket.
Christopher Proudfoot with one of his favourite vintage mowers, the Shanks’ Ivanhoe. Shanks was one of the leading early manufacturers.
SOUND OF SUMMER A Kent garden is home to nearly 400 historic lawnmowers, all testament to the workmanship that went into making them
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HRISTOPHER PROUDFOOT GUIDES a vintage lawnmower round his mature rectory garden in Kent. Nearly 90 years old, it shows no signs of its age as its eight blades clip the tops off the grass. This is a Shanks’ Ivanhoe mower, made in the 1930s by Alexander Shanks of Arbroath. It is in good working order, and Christopher uses it regularly to keep his lawn in good trim. “The whirr of a well-adjusted hand mower is a relaxing noise on a summer afternoon,” he says. “I like anything mechanical. I have a basic belief that nothing new is as good as the thing it replaces. I also have an instinct for acquiring anything old-fashioned and obsolete. Old lawnmowers are much more solidly made than anything you buy now.” Christopher is a lawnmower collector. He stopped counting the number in his collection when it reached 300. He thinks it is safe to say he now has nearer 400. “My interest started when I was about seven and I found an abandoned lawnmower at the back of the shed. My parents got someone to make it work for me. But I didn’t start collecting them until after I got married and we had a huge garden to mow,” he says. “Collecting just happens. It’s completely dotty but addictive. You get to know the ins and outs of one model. Then you start looking for another that does something slightly different. Then you learn about the different manufacturers. The fact that lawnmowers are still usable for their original purpose is part of the appeal. The colours are attractive and the Victorian ones have handles that curl up in an elegant shape.” An early acquisition The Ivanhoe was one of the first in his collection and is a favourite. “It’s a rare model, a high-class 1930s mower for cutting a tennis court in a country garden. I also like it because it’s such an absurd name for a lawnmower,” he says. He bought it in 1978 at a country house sale as part of a £30 lot containing half the contents of a garden shed. “It was in good condition and had never been repainted. It still has its original transfer on the grass-box, which is rare. I sharpened the blades and repainted them. I also had to fit a new bottom blade, but that’s a routine part of keeping a mower in working order.” ›
Green’s Multum in Parvo mowers. Christopher has several models in 6in, 7in and 8in sizes, dating from 1882 to circa 1930.
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NATURE’S SWEETENER Honey adds a rich taste of the countryside to a wide range of dishes, from bakes to syrups
Honey tart Serves 8 165g set honey 350g plain flour 265g unsalted butter,plus extra to grease 1 tsp coarse sea salt, plus extra to garnish 1 egg yolk 2 tbsp cornflour 4 eggs 300g extra thick double cream squeeze of lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Place the flour in a large bowl and chop 175g of the butter into cubes. Add the cubes to the flour and then add half the sea salt and 1 tbsp of the honey. Mix together with a spoon, then using fingers and thumbs, rub the butter into the flour until it reaches the consistency of breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg yolk and 3 tbsp of cold water. Mix together then knead for 1-2 mins to bring together. Wrap with cling film and chill for 20 mins. On a clean work surface dusted with flour, roll the pastry out to fit a 23cm pie dish. Grease the dish lightly with butter, then line with the pastry, buckling the tops into folds to make a pattern. Chill for a further 15 mins.
Bake the pastry case blind, covered with baking paper and filled with baking beans, in the preheated oven for 5-10 mins. Remove the paper and beans then cook for 5 mins at 180°C/gas mark 4. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining butter and honey until melted, then mix in the cornflour. Take off the heat. Beat the eggs in a bowl, then whisk the butter mixture into them, adding the remaining salt. Whisk in the cream and lemon juice. Fill the pastry case with the mixture, then bake in the oven at 160°C/gas mark 3 for 35 mins, until golden. Allow to cool completely, before sprinkling with extra sea salt to serve.
Honeyed apricots Makes 4 jars 350g clear honey 250g sugar 22 apricots (800g) In a large saucepan, combine 300ml of cold water with the honey and sugar. Gradually bring to a simmer, stirring as it heats, then add the apricots. Simmer for 30 mins. Allow to cool, before removing any white foam and apricot skin with a slotted spoon. Transfer the apricots carefully into four sterilized jars with a slotted spoon. Pour in the honey mixture and secure the lids tightly. The apricots will keep, unopened, for six months. Eat within a week once opened.
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THE FABRIC OF MEMORIES Using vintage oddments of textiles, artist Louise O’Hara constructs images that evoke the traditional British countryside scenes she visited as a child
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NATURAL TAPESTRY An organic farm in Norfolk is home to beautiful wildflower meadows filled with birdsong and the buzz of insects
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ISLAND OF MYSTERY A seven-mile stretch of west Orkney is home to 5,000-year-old Neolithic henges, mounds and monoliths whose purpose remains unknown
The ancient Ring of Brodgar, a perfect circle that comprises a massive ceremonial enclosure and stone circle probably dating from between 2700 and 2500BC.
Bring every season to life in your home with LandScape
8
issues a year
GORGEOUS GARDENING We celebrate the beauty and diversity of the British garden and its plants. You’ll find inspiration and advice as we invite you into gardens where nature and nurture flourish.
INSPIRATIONAL COOKERY Every issue has tempting recipes that make the most of the season’s produce. You’ll find new ways to enjoy traditional favourites for every meal.
EXQUISITE CRAFT Enjoy discovering how to create beautiful decorations using seasonal flowers and foliage. Follow our step-by-step guides to creating simple crafts for home and garden.
CELEBRATING HERITAGE
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Read about the craftsmen and women who are keeping Britain’s traditional skills alive. Visit towns, villages and countryside that encapsulates the country’s proud history.
CHANGING COUNTRYSIDE Learn about the animals and birds that inhabit our fields, rivers and seas. And we explain how there’s more to many of our farm animals than meets the eye.
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