CATEGORIES
A woman of genius
I KNOW people’s tempers from their faces,’ claimed preeminent 18th-century pastel portraitist Rosalba Carriera and images reproduced in Angela Oberer’s engrossing illustrated biography of the artist—the latest in Lund Humphries’s ‘Illuminating Women Artists’ series—testify to her out-of-the-ordinary insight
Weaving her magic
A childhood spent among raspberry bushes sparked Laura Ellen Bacon’s passion for sculpting the massive, organic willow sculptures that now grace some of Britain’s grandest country houses
Stars back in the limelight
Two rediscovered Rembrandt pendant portraits and a work by Sweerts are top lots among the Old Master paintings on offer at Christie’s
The man who dared to plant a shrubbery
OVER the past few decades, there have been regular declarations in the gardening media that shrubs are making a big comeback
Wave power
A modern kitchen extension was the catalyst for a bold new flower garden
A county of contrasts
Location, location, location… three properties currently on the market in Cheshire highlight the contrast in style, taste and price of a country house
The benefit of hindsight
Hugh Petter’s transformation of a house in Jersey demonstrates how a deep understanding of local architectural traditions is the secret to creating a seamless blend of old and new
Of fish and men
Visionary fisherman Mick May set up a charity to give cancer patients the opportunity to find some peace in fishing. A year after his death, our correspondent joins the trustees for a day in pursuit of trout to honour his friend’s memory
Nothing but sunshine and a sea breeze
A game of beach cricket with captains and kings leaves Steve King with hazy memories, but the all-encompassing glow of a perfect game despite losing by three wickets)
A question of balance
In the age of industrialised agriculture, can our intervention ever truly nurture ecological harmony? We cannot better Nature, but we can enhance it
'Deer need to be managed'
WHEN asked how many wild deer there are in Britain, British Deer Society (BDS) chief executive David McAuley replies ruefully: ‘Too many.’ The charity, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary, aims to ‘educate and inspire’ the public about deer, but also to impress upon them that they need management
Swiftly does it
The one bird you might never see at rest, swifts feed, drink and socialise on the wing, flying thousands of miles and almost never touching down. Yet the future of these near-perfect birds is up in the air
'There's something regal about them'
Once the scourge of gamekeepers, lurchers have since leapt to dizzying heights of desirability and w make endearing family pets
Eel meat again
Once a sought-after delicacy, a miraculous remedy and even a way rural Britain paid the rent–is there anything the eel couldn’t do
Are we too eager for beavers?
Valuable eco-engineers or destructive pests? The busy beaver is a friend to biodiversity, but can pose a threat to farmland. The key to reaping the benefits and avoiding the drawbacks lies in sensible management plans
Native breeds Dartmoor pony
THE handsome Dartmoor resembles a mini hunter and is one of the best children’s riding ponies: sturdy and muscled, yet not too wide in frame, and with an arguably less combative temperament than some other breeds
Rooted in tradition
A landscape previously used for intensive farming has been turned into the setting of an idyllic new country house in a classical idiom
Sex, drags and pottery roll
When a bid to map his own identity morphed into a quest to trace the essence of Englishness, Sir Grayson Perry set out on a white-van journey across the country. He tells Charlotte Mullins what he found and why he's showing it in Scotland
Another bite of the cherry
A triumph of scarlet temptation, cherries seduce both eye and palate with their lush curves and glorious juices. Even better, after years in the doldrums, British growers are back in the game with old native varieties
Painting the landscape
This rare example of an 18th-century Anglo-French Baroque garden has not only been sensitively restored, but wonderful new plantings have greatly added to its wilder parts
Jurisdiction of the saints
Holly Kirkwood explores divine properties for sale on the island, by the coast and inland
Joyous Jersey from A to Z
Antonia Windsor has combed the beaches and surfed the shores in search of Jersey's finest elements, from beautiful ballet to secret bays
Seas the day
On Jersey, you're never more than 10 minutes from the sea. Adam Hay-Nicholls explores the beauty of her coastline
I've (not) got a little list
Take the pain out of planning with these unlisted delights
Charm of the uncluttered east
An estate home as rare as hen's teeth and the stables of a legendary horse breeder are some of the highlights of the market this week
The designer's room
When Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham were asked to redecorate a country house in Berkshire, the first task was to turn a dark space into a colourful sitting room
Preserving the past
Antique rugs uphold both the decorative and artisanal traditions of the past. When restored, they also make and provide a much-loved legacy for the future
Jewels of the downs
Every summer, England's chalk downlands are embroidered with a patchwork of wildflowers-from the horseshoe vetch's yellow plumes to sainfoin's pink spikes-all serenaded by an army of butterflies
Tales from the echoing green
For the writers of the interwar years, the English village became the perfect stage for tales of community, where the homes were snug, their inhabitants friendly and even the murders were cosy
Shining a light on moths
Often overshadowed by their more glamorous cousin, the butterfly, most moths might only be seen at night, but we should better appreciate their intricate markings, muted shades and pollinating prowess