In this issue

Hurray for Beatrix Potter
Nature and food: how to have it all
Eremurus: the original candle in the wind

A Gothic revival
In the second of two articles, John Goodall examines the evolution of Queens’ College, Cambridge, with its grand hall.

Beauty needs vigilance

The Chilterns retains a gentle charm, despite the proximity of motorways and HS2

3 mins

Nature and food– how to have it all

Caring for the natural environment and food production are not binary activities, says Jamie Blackett, who presents the findings of his research on a thorny subject, the current ‘rewilding’ zeitgeist

5 mins

St George's, Bloomsbury

IT may seem a contrarian’s choice to pick St George’s, Bloomsbury, London W1, as Nicholas Hawksmoor’s masterpiece ahead of his East End wonder, Christ Church, Spitalfields. The latter, the subject of a high-profile conservation campaign in the 1980s, has been variously described by architectural writers as ‘the grandest’, ‘most stirring’ or ‘stupendous’ of Hawksmoor’s creations.

4 mins

Over the hills and far away

Beatrix Potter transcended a lugubrious childhood to emerge as a highly original writer and illustrator, whose cherished characters– inspired by the Nature around her–have more than stood the test of time, believes Matthew Dennison

8 mins

Lend me your ear(wig)

Once believed to be adept at entering our ears so as to lay eggs in the brain, sending us mad, no creature was more unfairly condemned by its name than the earwig, laments Ian Morton

6 mins

International velvet

First woven in Damascus in the late 7th century, sumptuously sensual velvet has long been a trapping of prestige, indulgence and luxury, says Michael Montagu

5 mins

Always eat your greens

Much maligned thanks to the malodorous green sludge served up at school dinners, cabbage should be celebrated for its versatility and enjoyed steamed, then slathered in butter, says Tom Parker Bowles

4 mins

Through the glass starkly

Swamping a building with natural light can create more problems than it solves

2 mins

Candles in the wind

Eremurus, also known as desert candles and foxtail lilies, make a wonderful show and are easy to grow if you give them the right conditions, says John Hoyland

5 mins

Seed funding

PEOPLE don’t grow plants from seed as much as they used to. It’s a pity, because this form of propagation is a good way to stock a large garden on the cheap.

4 mins

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Country Life UK Magazine Description:

Country Life; architecture, gardens, countryside, property, the very best of British life Published by IPC Media. Country Life, the quintessential English magazine, is undoubtedly one of the biggest and instantly recognisable brands in the UK today. It has a unique core mix of contemporary country-related editorial and top end property advertising. Editorially, the magazine comments in-depth on a wide variety of subjects, such as architecture, the arts, gardens and gardening, travel, the countryside, field-sports and wildlife. With renowned columnists and superb photography Country Life delivers the very best of British life every week.