CATEGORIES
The only way is Essex
Two starring country houses with ancient origins have recently been rescued and another has emerged unscathed from wartime action
Sweet with the evening rain
There are few scents quite so evocative of summer as that of rain upon warm earth-but why does it smell so good? Martin Fone explores petrichor
My field of dreams
Even managing the smallest of acreages for wildlife, by carefully considering what you plant and when, can make a massive difference to all sorts of flora and fauna, advocates Simon Lester
The new bronze age
A talking point that can inspire passions and transform a landscape, large-scale sculpture is increasingly valued by modern collectors. Anna Tyzack meets the artists bringing grand visions to life
The spirit of the age
In the first of two articles, John Goodall revisits the splendours of this celebrated house created in the mid-18th century by Thomas Coke, Earl of Leicester
Get the scoop
Rising temperatures mean many of us will find ourselves reaching for an ice cream. Jack Watkins traces the sweet treat's roots and discovers that its popularity owes a lot to London's ingenious residents and Regent's Canal
Art for east's sake
The eastern stretches of London are home to some of the capital's largest and most accessible art collections, including sculptures by Damien Hirst and Antony Gormley. Carla Passino takes a look at what you can visit on foot
Shooting season blighted by partridge shortage
The perfect storm of Brexit, covid and avian flu means that many shoots are having to reduce the number of days offered or close entirely
Heroic restorations
Three fine country homes have had new life breathed into them by their determined owners
A perfect marriage
A house that is in perfect harmony with its surroundings will enhance the everyday lives of its owners
In with the new
There's no doubt about it-new-build homes are increasingly popular. From convenience and preference for local materials to environmental benefits, Annunciata Elwes finds out why
'It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it....
With Bananarama's hit ringing in his ears, our piscatorial correspondent David Profumo recalls a late-April foray after trout down South
Tiny cogs in a giant machine
If we woke up one day and there were no bees left, people would pay attention. Yet the steady eradication of our life-giving insects is no less horrifying, points out George McGavin
Instant gratification
Tiffany Daneff visits a recently built property in the Home Counties, which proves that, with forethought, a new garden needn't look new
A close call
With the curlew-that wader with a haunting call-now almost extinct in the South of England, Simon Lester meets the Duke of Norfolk, who is hoping to pull them back from the brink on his West Sussex estate
Young, gifted and thriving
Escaping to the country is a long-cherished retirement dream for many. But, as Fergus Butler-Gallie discovers, an increasing number of young people are making the move and bringing valuable skills with them
Getting to the pointer
They are arrestingly handsome, built for efficiency and have an unmatched prey drive, yet German shorthaired pointers are a rare sight in the field, laments Arabella Byrne
A town-house transformation
The shell of an 1860s coach house has been internally reconfigured to dazzling effect with the help of the finest contemporary craftsmanship.
Flower power
As the Battle of Flowers celebrates its 120th anniversary this summer, Martha MacDonald traces the event's quirky past
Our Queen, the Duke
From a brace of mallards to a placid cow, Matthew Dennison examines the unusual connections between Jersey and the Royal Family
Where trains once crossed
Antonia Windsor takes in the views along Jersey's Railway Walk
Over the hills and far away
It has taken decades of patience and dedication to create a garden from what had been a working farm in unspoilt Marcher country, reveals George Plumptre
And the rest is history
The Surrey Hills is very much Lutyens and Jekyll territory, notably at their first-ever collaboration at the garden designer's home, Munstead Wood, and nearby Munstead Place
Founding fathers
In COUNTRY LIFE's 125th year, Editor-in-Chief Mark Hedges pays a visit to Lindisfarne, the castle owned and restored by the magazine's founder as his Northumberland retreat
Living with the Romans
The Romans may have long departed, but the remains of their presence are still evident on several country estates. Bronwen Riley meets the proud custodians of these remarkable and sometimes haunting sites
Sapphires in the cereal
John Ruskin declared that 'blue is everlastingly appointed by the deity to be a source of delight'. Thankfully, our wild cornflowers have come back from the brink to be that source, reports Ian Morton
Scent to try us
Lithe, opportunistic and with a predilection for poultry, these elusive, often pocketsized predators have long raised a stink for farmers and gamekeepers, but not all of them deserve such an otterly bad rap, believes John Lewis-Stempel
ENGLISH HOMES OLD & NEW
Each month of this 125th-anniversary year, COUNTRY LIFE describes a period in the development of the English great house. In the seventh of this 12-part series, John Goodall looks at the mid-Georgian world
The king's invention
Many monarchs of the Enlightenment showed an active interest in architecture. Inspired by a new facsimile of royal drawings from Sweden, Clive Aslet looks at the designs of Gustavus III
What lies beneath
The UK's seagrass meadows are an important wildlife habitat and fundamental to combating climate change, but they're disappearing at a rapid rate. Jack Watkins finds out more about the ongoing fight to save them