The return of the king

A revitalised England team travels to the birthplace of their revolutionary coach and captain. It seems unlikely that New Zealand will stop them, says James Fisher

Confessions of an avocado eater

Books: Avocado Anxiety | Tally-Ho: Tactical Leadership in the Battle of Britain

I want to be in America

British sellers seem to have found a receptive US audience in New York, where a van Dyck found in a barn sells handsomely

The farce that defies the rules

Michael Frayn's side-splitting Noises Off has a philosophical core that may explain its longevity

Who was Sir Christopher Wren?

Personable, yet naturally reserved, 'that miracle of a youth, Mr Christopher Wren' not only designed many of our most notable monuments, but also an artificial eye. Three centuries on, Clive Aslet considers the man behind the architecture

Kitchen garden cook: Cavolo nero

'Brassicas are the kings of the kitchen garden at this time of year, with cavolo nero adding gentle, tender variety'

Escape to reality

'The barn offers solace from the incessant chatter'

Bring out the bells

The exotic snake's-head fritillary is the only British native of 130 bulbs in this fascinating family, many of which deserve a place in the garden. John Hoyland recommends the best

Bring the outside in

The best plants for conservatories, chosen by Tiffany Daneff

The art of glass

Conservatories, garden rooms and glasshouses to enjoy all year round, selected by Amelia Thorpe

A glass half full

The days are getting longer, so why not maximise the light in a conservatory, orangery or vinery?

Wood you rather

These properties show off the elegance and timelessness of our most abundant natural resource

Bride and seek

Wedding-dress shopping should be a joy and nowhere is it more so than at Miss Bush, one of the oldest and most established bridal boutiques in the UK, whose 35 years' experience shows in its expert dress curation and personal service, tailored to empower brides from their first appointment to walking down the aisle

The proof is in the pudding

From humble origins as a medieval sausage, the pudding went on to become the pinnacle of British cuisine, burgeoning into a delectable panoply of syllabubs, flummeries and tipsy cakes. Tom Parker Bowles tucks in with gusto

Flipping heck!

As Shrove Tuesday approaches, Debora Robertson tucks into the humble pancake's centuries-old past and considers why this traditional feast day survived and 'Collop Monday' did not

As high as a red kite

Having nearly died out as recently as 40 years ago, the red kite has made a remarkable comeback thanks to a concerted conservation effort, but is it about to become a victim of its own success, asks Eleanor Doughty

A palace for education

In the first of two articles, John Goodall looks at the origins of Winchester College and the inspiration for its superb medieval buildings

Native breeds: Aberdeen Angus

THE Aberdeen Angus is one of Britain's most successful cattle more than a breed, it's a brand', as a slogan goes-widely exported and commercially valuable.

British Museum by Sir Robert Smirke

\"Smirke was unflinching in his admiration for Greek architecture, which he described as \"magnificent without ostentation\" \"

Girl in Boater (Portrait of Florence Carter-Wood)

Charlotte Mullins comments on Girl in Boater

Not completely foxed

Scottish hunting law has been tightened, but it may not all be bad news

Town & Country

Swathes of countryside, including the Vale of Aylesbury as seen from the Chilterns, will be affected by the construction of HS2

Take a bough

Among their deceptively inert branches, trees shelter feathered Pavarottis, scuttling beetles, opportunistic fungi, and fierce owls. John Lewis-Stempel recounts a day in the life of an oak and the creatures that call it home

A monument to enthusiasm

Fawley Hill, Buckinghamshire, part II The home of Lady McAlpine and the late Sir William McAlpine In the second of two articles, Marcus Binney looks at a home filled with remarkable collections and striking interiors that reflect its creator's enthusiasms and interests

Water, water everywhere

After days of incessant January rain, the chicken paddock has turned into a quagmire, ghost ponds have resurfaced and a sheep has come close to drowning. But, even in a downpour, John Lewis-Stempel finds glimmers of beauty

The Cruel Sea

IN 1952, Ealing Studios boss Michael Balcon acquired the film rights to The Cruel Sea, Nicholas Monsarrat's grimly realistic 1951 novel about Royal Navy convoys operating in U-boat-infested waters during the Battle of the Atlantic (1939-45).

A different approach to renewal

THE Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, opened its doors to the public just over 25 years ago, in October 1997. Since then, the museum’s signature building of limestone, titanium, and glass, by Frank Gehry, has become an internationally recognised symbol of the city.

It's time to unite

IN a nation where traditional political loyalties have become very weak, our political leaders seem increasingly out of touch when they argue about the things on which they fundamentally agree.

One-year reprieve for ENO

THE English National Opera (ENO) will receive £11.46 million from Arts Council England (ACE), it was announced last week, a few months after it was revealed that it would lose its £12.8 million annual grant from ACE unless it moved out of London.

Dartmoor deal

A NEW agreement has been reached to allow wild camping to continue ‘with immediate effect,’ says the Dartmoor National Park Authority.