The timing may vary, but the certainty is heartening. The lengthening days give us cause for optimism. Our shoulders come down after a winter of hunching, our spirits rise and we are assailed by an overwhelming feeling of optimism— things are changing for the better. We know that to assume we are over the worst of the weather is folly: cold snaps often follow mild spells; lowering skies and brimful clouds will appear to dampen our spirits and our tweed, but change is afoot.
A holiday in late January took me to Barbados, where bougainvillea and hibiscus, oleander and gardenia flower all year round. My bones were warmed by the tropical sun and the crystal-clear air and vibrant light intensity were a refreshing pick-me-up after a bitterly cold spell of weather at home. But, after 10 days, I was ready to return and await the arrival of spring.
Surely one of the greatest benefits of living in a cool, temperate climate is the changing of the seasons. ‘Spring is a new beginning,’ wrote the American poet Joan Walsh Anglund and, although the sentiment may be a touch trite for today’s tastes, it is a phrase that invades my mind each and every March. March 1 is regarded as the start of meteorological spring, March 20 is the spring or vernal equinox, when days and nights are of equal length, but it is March 21 that most gardeners and countrymen regard as the beginning of the new season.
Esta historia es de la edición March 15, 2023 de Country Life UK.
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Esta historia es de la edición March 15, 2023 de Country Life UK.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
