All things must pass

When George Harrison first saw the famous Topiary Garden at Friar Park, it was a tangled jungle of overgrown yews. The work he began has been continued by his wife, Olivia, and, now, the display is back to its full glory, finds Charles Quest-Ritson

And that's an unwrap

A diamond-encrusted tortoise, a humble pencil case and a cursed jewel: Felicity Day unwraps some of the best and worst presents given in literature

A guide to modern table manners

Formal dining is no longer the minefield it once was. Annunciata Elwes identifies points of etiquette that have been dispatched, retained, revised and added

Not for the faint-arted

The forthcoming London Art Week is so packed with exceptional works, from a melancholic Landseer landscape to a bold painting of children by Joaquín Sorolla, that collectors will need exceptional stamina to see it all

Doing a sterling job

The contents of your silver drawer deserve closer inspection, believes Christopher Wilson, as he explores the precious metal's desirability through the ages

Cuba's greatest hits

Por Larrañaga dates back to 1834, making it one of the oldest Cuban cigar brands, but it's not a name you hear requested much in cigar-smoking circles. That is now changing, with a new edition arriving in time for the festive season

I'm berry fond of you

Holly-a symbol of eternal life-thrives throughout even the harshest of winters, says Lia Leendertz, as she explains how to make the most of its scarlet-red berries when decorating your home for Christmas

The stuff of salvation

Forever wed to onion for a tasty stuffing, the versatile sage leaf was also once used to wash 'the secret parts of man or woman'

The scents that came in from the cold

Fragranced plants may be harder to come across in winter months, says Lia Leendertz, but a little effort will reap deliciously sweet-smelling rewards both inside and outside the home

Present danger

AS most of the garden settles into a state of restful melancholy, there are a few plants that are stirring themselves towards an unseasonal flamboyance.

Going full tilt

Warped, twisted and wonderfully wonky, who can fail to be intrigued by the quirky glory of Britain's medieval buildings? Rob Crossan explores the asymmetrical charm of the crooked house

Better to have loved and listed

It seems odd to pay an insurance premium for listed buildings.

Wood you rather

Meticulously executed programmes of restoration and renovation have left three medieval masterpieces well equipped to face the challenges of the 21st century

Raise your glass

Restoration jobs may be keeping the craft alive, but why aren't we commissioning new stained glass? Mary Miers immerses herself in a world saturated in colour

He who pays the piper

Learning a language is one thing, getting to grips with a pig in a poke is another altogether. Octavia Pollock explores some of our best idioms

Hitting the sweet spot

How did an imported Eastern delicacy become a favourite of our Tudor monarchs and an enduring British Christmas staple? Matthew Dennison discovers why so many of us love marzipan

What to serve when

Village drinks? Teenage gatherings? Carol singers? Christmas and Boxing Day lunch? Wine savant Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler MW has a wine for every festive occasion

Well, isn't that just the icing on the biscuit?

Gin and tonics, first-aid assistance and hugs are all on the menu at Biscuiteers, where there is always a reason to biscuit'

I'll have a side of drama, please

Tableside cooking is nothing new, but modern-day diners have forgotten how fun it can be, says Tom Parker Bowles, who makes his case for its renaissance

Glory of the garden

Flower farmer and florist Rachel Siegfried uses woody plants and perennials to bring colour to late-season arrangements, three of which she has made for COUNTRY LIFE

Mastered in every detail

The stories of Henry James are full of descriptions of country houses. Jeremy Musson explores the messages these houses convey, with the help of specially commissioned drawings by Matthew Rice

Claus for celebration

Lights and turkeys and bells, oh my! Embrace the festive spirit with Amie Elizabeth White's A to Z of Christmas

County of contrasts

The Garden of England provides the ideal backdrop for three beautiful country homes

Time and tide wait for no avocet

On a lonely November day at Thames end, where the wildness of Nature is intensified by the closeness of our capital city, John Lewis-Stempel is happy to be accompanied only by the birds of the mudflats

Cure and simple

Flavoursome and flourishing, the British air-dried sausage offering is catching up with its Continental counterparts

As hard as nails

Known as ironwood thanks to its ability to blunt saws, the densely muscular hornbeam is often overlooked and frequently misidentified

Enjoy your winter greens

THE minor early-19th-century poet Thomas Hood is best known for writing ‘I remember, I remember, the house where I was born’, listing roses, violets, lilac and lilies. Less well-known is his gloomy November poem, which begins:

Devoted to daphne

The bewitching scent of daphnes hangs heavy in the winter air, making them an essential plant at this time of year

Betty, Belle and other stories

leaves the city behind to go wild in Exmoor in a Land Rover Defender

The devil is in the detail

Devil’s Dyke? Satan did it. The Devil’s Shovelful? Guess who. The Devil’s Punch Bowl? Actually that one was giants. recounts some imaginative explanations for our ancient monuments