In pursuit of a social climber

Of wisteria, noble litter pickers, lockdown funerals and shaggy hounds

Roll me over in the clover

Finding a four-leafed example might be lucky, but, as we toast St Patrick’s Day, Ian Morton investigates why the clover (or shamrock) is so important to the Irish

Bright lights, empty city

For John McEwen, the enforced constraints of the pandemic have engendered a greater appreciation of our capital’s abundant parks and wildlife

A right basket case

From wet woodland to a warm Welsh kitchen: Nick Hammond meets the resourceful craftswoman who has woven a new career from her love for wild places

My Favourite Painting - Arlene Blankers

Studies of the Virgin and Child with the Infant Baptist by Giorgio Gandini del Grano

All Things Bright And Beautiful

Before the Industrial Revolution, London was awash with wildflowers. Jack Watkins traces their history and finds that, if given a chance, these opportunistic plants may still return

THE CAPITAL ACCORDING TO... Ruth Rogers

The co-founder of the River Café talks to Flora Watkins about Chelsea, bikes and keeping her business afloat

‘A noble mansion'

Margam Park, Neath Port Talbot, part II A country park managed by Neath Port Talbot Council In the second of two articles, David Robinson looks at the development of Margam from the late 18th century, with the building of a magnificent orangery and the creation of an outstanding Picturesque house in the 1830s

Talk to the countryside

THE NFU is urging all Government departments to connect with the countryside, as a Defra report shows many policies don’t work for rural communities. Published in March, Rural proofing in England examines ‘Government policies closely from a rural perspective’, looking at how much they consider the countryside’s needs and constraints, and creating ‘a baseline for evaluating [Government] performance over time,’ according to Rural Affairs and Biosecurity Minister John Gardiner.

London's little Italy

Maida Vale took its name from a small Italian town and an even smaller pub, so it’s the perfect place to celebrate the end of lockdown, says Carla Passino

April at a glance

We’re all guilty of ignoring what’s on our doorstep, so we’ve made it easier for you. Here’s what’s happening this month

Come out, wherever you are

THE Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) is calling for an extra Bank Holiday this year, in September, after last week’s release of dismal 2020 figures. Over the past 14 months, most visitor sites have been closed for every Bank Holiday and there were 45.4 million total visits to ALVA’s top 294 sites in 2020, down 70% compared with 2019’s 151.3 million.

A green space

GREENWICH PARK, SE10

My Favourite Painting Skye McAlpine

The San Zaccaria Altarpiece (Madonna Enthroned with Child and Saints) by Giovanni Bellini

Around The World In British Plates

It’s often the butt of jokes, but British food’s reach is more global than you might think, reveals Emma Hughes

Their Green And Pleasant Land

From bluebell woods to crystalline lakes and winding river valleys, the countryside in Europe is a joy to behold, reveals Carla Passino

Where Fairy Tales Come True

Buyers on the hunt for history and drama need look no further than Holly Kirkwood’s selection of the finest castles on the market across the world

Very much on song

The reimagined gardens at Nevill Holt, Leicestershire, have stepped into the limelight to offer a powerful overture to the summer opera festival, explains Kendra Wilson

Window on the world

Ceramic artist Saskia Spender reflects on a life of rich experiences across borders

Flame throwers

The trial currently being held at RHS Wisley is testing 100 different crocosmia to see how they perform. Val Bourne reports on its findings to date

In the round

This week, the Royal Albert Hall celebrates its 150th anniversary. With photographs taken during the unnatural quiet of lockdown, John Goodall looks at the remarkable story behind the creation of this world-famous venue

Between sea and sky

James Fisher revels in the history, culture and sheer beauty of Italy’s Amalfi Coast

A celebration of life

Charles Quest-Ritson watches the leaves unfurl in one of spring’s most glorious sights–the reawakening of Japanese maples in all their infinite variety

Let Them Make Furniture

Once the height of fashion among collectors, including George IV, pieces by Marie-Antoinette’s favourite cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener are back in the spotlight, reports Rufus Bird

Gardens Are Like People– Most Don't Age Well

When I was 18 and waiting to go up to the Varsity (as my grandmother called it), I hitchhiked out to Italy in search of all those new excitements that young men hope to experience. Culture, mainly, in my case—the girls were unassailable in those days. It was my first solo trip abroad and I fell deeply in love with Baroque churches, olive landscapes and classical gardens.

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

IF you stand on Horse Guards Parade and look up, you might see a figure surveying St James’s Park from his window, one of the British Army’s heirlooms next to him—the Duke of Wellington’s desk.

Day and night, night and day

The Radio 3 anchors on the values of silence and patience

The female of the species

They may be championed by Sir David Attenborough now, but the first women entomologists had to overcome great prejudice to study insects, reports Ian Morton

Pretty in pink

Only available for a fleeting moment, rose-hued forced rhubarb–grown in the dark and harvested by candlelight in Yorkshire’s ‘tusky triangle’–is an ephemeral vegetable with a muted, yet distinct, lip-smacking tartness.

Sussex secrets

A manor and a villa on the site of a lost mill are two examples of the fine country houses in this home county