The elixir of youth

A string of islands in the South China Sea might just hold the secret to a long and healthy life. Luke Abrahams made the journey to find out what it involves

For whom the harebell tolls

Frail and delicate, this graceful blue flower alarmed our superstitious ancestors for centuries until it became a symbol of love, innocence and humility

The end of the line?

There are shocking plans afoot to modernise Liverpool Street Station, but it’s not the first of London’s historic Victorian stations to come under attack, says Jack Watkins, as he takes a look at some of the ones saved and those that were less fortunate

The Adam family

The king of classical motifs, Robert Adam festooned late-18th-century London with exquisite plasterwork, fluted columns and fanciful pilasters, but, in his drive to succeed, he nearly lost it all

Treasures of the east

A Whig power house is only one of the many jewels in East Anglia

The pride of the peacock

Graceful peafowl have never been shy about coming forward, although most of us admire the males’ flamboyant tail feathers–long a vibrant and striking motif–far more than their grating cries,

Reduced to splendour

Audley End, Essex A property in the care of English Heritage Built to attract a visit by James I, this hugely ambitious house has been massively reduced and yet remains both outstanding and magnificent.

A breath of fresh air

Amid the sweet chestnuts, walnuts and cobnuts of a Suffolk farm, a natural amphitheatre has been transformed into a glorious sylvan venue for touring companies to tread Nature’s boards

Sugar and spice

I FIRST grew sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata) thanks to my father-in-law: one mention that I’d recently read about it had him trowel in hand, lifting multiple self-seeded plants into pots of varying size for me to lighten his burden. I introduced him to the joys of sweet cicely gin a few months later and he’s regretted thinning his supply ever since.

Family treasures

Tilly Ware meets Lucy Skellorn, great-great-grand-daughter of the pre-eminent iris breeder Sir Michael Foster, at her garden near Stowmarket, where her quest to find the original Foster hybrids has already created a National Collection

London Life

Your indispensable guide to the capital

For king and county

A land of open skies, high-piping oystercatchers and ancient churches, Norfolk has long been associated with Britain’s monarchs. Nick Trend discovers what gives it crown appeal

A brush with plants

This month, the botanical artist Emma Tennant celebrates her 80th birthday–and 75 years of gardening and painting. Steven Desmond eagerly anticipates her forthcoming exhibition

Our very own super savannah

‘WHEN I pay for a view, I expect something more interesting than that,’ says Mrs Richards. ‘Well may I ask what you expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window?’ replies Basil Fawlty.

Fury at ban

A BAN on the use of snares in Wales is likely to become law after a vote in the Senedd backed criminalising their use. The wire devices, which are principally used by gamekeepers and farmers, are designed to control predator numbers in an effort to protect lambs, gamebirds and other vulnerable wildlife. Those in favour of the ban say that the traps are cruel and indiscriminate, while those against say the ban will lead to a rise in fox numbers, which would have significant adverse effects on threatened species such as curlew.

A home at last

JOY BAKER and her late husband, John, spent 25 years amassing a collection of work by the Soper family of artists, which now amounts to more than 700 prints, watercolours, porcelain figures and memorabilia.

Follow the coastal code

ENGLAND’S first-ever national Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code was launched last week, offering advice and guidance to help people visit the coast ‘responsibly’.

Prepare to be WOW!ed

FOLLOWING the success of the inaugural project last year, WOW! house will return to Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, from June 5.

Curlew on the move

SOME 120 curlew eggs were transported to the South of England last week, the largest translocation of the threatened species ever undertaken.

Art is all around us

Wherever you are in Britain, youre never far from an interesting gallery. Here we present an eclectic round-up of 45 places to see art outside the big cities

Friends and allies

EVERY month or two, another new scientific paper shares the next increment in our understanding of how plants communicate. I love that. Every day, quiet interactions occur, most beyond our gaze; some harmonious, others less so. The tip of this iceberg of interaction is companion planting, where we take advantage of one plant's qualities to benefit others. This can take many forms.

A shimmering return to form

Spring has been slow in coming this year, but when the gates opened, the nurserymen, gardeners and designers once again achieved the seemingly impossible task of creating horticultural magic in SW3, says Tiffany Daneff

Natural flair

Town Place, East Sussex The garden of Mr & Mrs Anthony McGrath Charles Quest-Ritson visits a garden shaped by intellect and clothed in beauty

When the shoe no longer fits

Sometimes our homes can get too big for us, meaning it’s time to downsize. Here, we speak to those involved with the process

Hidden Herefordshire

The launch onto the market of three landmark country houses reveals why the county is increasingly seen as a quiet alternative to the Cotswolds

Interiors: The designer's room

This Chelsea bedroom by Paolo Moschino is an essay in timeless elegance

Taking good care

The best way to ensure that a much-loved collection of rugs maintains its appearance is restoration and regular cleaning

A right royal Derby day

Seventy years after Elizabeth II so nearly had a coronation Derby winner, Jack Watkins looks at royal connections with the great race

Heaven only knows

Our ancestors may have been God-fearing, but they weren't above misbehaving in church. Carla Passino delves into records of parish life and discovers a host of miscreants, from naked Quakers to veil-less women and squealing clerks

A little bird told me

After years of decline, the Dartford warbler has returned to the area of old Kent where it was discovered 250 years ago, reviving a feud over its name, finds Russell Higham