MARCH 2019 £4.

75

DECORATING CRAFTS HOUSES GARDENS FOOD TRAVEL HEALTH

Ideas for GET GROWING

SPRING DAYS
PLANT HEAVENLY
HELLEBORES
plus
Bring new life to your kitchen A GLORIOUS SPRING
Stay in a boathouse GARDEN TO VISIT
Bake treats for afternoon tea
Find peace of mind

ALL ABOARD!
TRAVEL BRITAIN
BY RAIL

COME-BYE!
THE TALE OF
A SHEEPDOG
CALLED BESS

Kate Humble
ON LONELINESS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

03

9 770951 028293
countryliving.com/uk

SPECIAL-PRICE TICKETS FOR THE CL FAIR BOOK NOW!

 March 2019 issue 399

78

154 11

Contents 30
Houses & gardens 136 HEAVENLY HELLEBORES These elegant
flowers are the stars of the show in spring ON THE COVER
11 EMPORIUM New ways to introduce 143 GARDEN NOTES Everything you need to Ideas for spring days
elements of country style to your home know to get the most from your plot pages 46, 17, 154 and
30 IN FULL BLOOM Use buds and blossom 165 Get growing

46
to create fragrant accessories to enjoy
A ROOM FOR ALL REASONS How the
right furniture, storage and tools can make
your kitchen work for all your needs
60 A STITCH IN TIME Turn charming
flea-market finds into Scandi-style makes
114 ECHOES OF THE PAST The former
inhabitants of Barrie and Jo Stewart’s
historic home in Rye have been rich
material for its sensitive renovation
122 MAKING THE MOST OF SPRING
Rosemary Alexander’s garden is a lesson
in seasonal planting
128 A COLLECTOR’S LOT An 18th-century
converted farm cottage in Somerset is filled
with the owner’s carefully curated treasures
Features pages 136 and 122
All aboard! page 86
25 TALES FROM THE BLACKSMITH’S Come-bye! page 38
COTTAGE Octavia Lillywhite discovers that Kate Humble page 186
her father has unexpected plans for his next home CL Fair tickets page 112
27 THE GOOD LIFE Practical ideas and good
advice for would-be smallholders
38 A SHEEPDOG CALLED BESS Lake District-
based James Rebanks explains what’s involved
in the making of a great working dog
68 A BRUSH WITH MAGIC Under the eaves of
her home in west Wales, Jackie Morris produces
beautiful work with a touch of the otherworldly
78 TURNING THE TIDE At The National
Lobster Hatchery in Cornwall, marine biologist
Carly Daniels helps to support crustacean stocks

countryliving.com/uk MARCH 2019 05

 Contents

38
136

46
March 2019 issue 399
106

86 ON THE RIGHT TRACK Take advantage

of Britain’s historic railways to enjoy beautiful
News & views
landscapes without braving the elements 17 A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY What to do,
104 WILD WONDER Frogspawn where to go and simple pleasures in March
106 FORGOTTEN CRAFTS… The cordwainer 173 WHERE TO BUY Stockist details
174 NEXT MONTH IN COUNTRY LIVING
Food & drink 186 LOVE OF THE LAND Kate Humble

146 A FLAVOURSOME FEAST Favourite

seasonal recipes from Irish chef and
Reader offers & events
restaurateur Clodagh McKenna 67 THE CL COLLECTION AT
154 SWEET INSPIRATION Home bakes that CARPETRIGHT
are perfect for springtime celebrations 76 SUBSCRIBE TO COUNTRY LIVING TAKE OUT A
96 WOULD YOU LIKE TO BECOME A SUBSCRIPTION
Health & beauty COUNTRY LIVING ARTISAN? Sell your
products in our Pavilions at shows this year
TO COUNTRY LIVING
THIS MONTH See
165 PEACE OF MIND For an all-day sense 97 COUNTRY LIVING HOLIDAYS page 76 for details
of calm, discover the benefits of mindfulness Hand-picked trips and tours
with our easy-to-follow guide 112 COME TO THE COUNTRY LIVING FAIR COVER CREDITS
171 HEALTH NOTES Our regular round-up 169 ORDER THE NEW EDITION OF Photograph by Camera
from the world of health and beauty MODERN RUSTIC Press/Julia Hoersch

06 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

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SPRIG) LINEN IN PEONY; ALL SARAH HARDAKER. NARCISSUS PAPERWHITE BUNCHES, PULTENEY BRIDGE FLOWERS. PENCILS, PAPERCHASE. RIBBONS AND PAPER TWINE: JANE MEANS AND PIPII. PAPER JUG, JENNIFER COLLIER. CHERRY SPRIG LINEN IN BLUE/PINK,
STYLING BY ALAINA BINKS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY PENNY WINCER (MOODBOARD) AND ALUN CALLENDER (PORTRAIT). LINEN, DE LE CUONA. DASHI (STRIPE) LINEN IN PEONY; WILLOWHERB (FLORAL) LINEN UNION IN POPPY AND FADED DUCK/PINK; COCO (SMALL

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March is a time of indoors and out… PINTEREST.COM/UKCOUNTRYLIVING
Sunshine might tempt us to get gardening or take a bracing walk,
but cutting winds and sudden showers can soon drive us back inside,
where there is much-needed spring cleaning to be done. No matter
– there’s pleasure to be had in both. On our cover this month, we say FIND RECIPES, DECORATING ADVICE AND TRAVEL IDEAS ONLINE
‘Bring new life to your kitchen’. This space around which daily life COUNTRYLIVING.COM/UK
revolves is the most important room in the home: for ideas on how to
create your ideal style and atmosphere, turn to page 46. We follow this
with ‘Stay in a boathouse’ (page 20) and suggest where to find these
quirky buildings, but anywhere you book for a country stay will JOIN US ON FACEBOOK FOR REGULAR UPDATES
bring joy as you escape the everyday and watch spring start to unfold. FACEBOOK.COM/COUNTRYLIVINGUK
Then comes ‘Bake treats for afternoon tea’ – get your favourite recipe
out (see page 154) and soon the comforting aroma of cake will bring
a sense of wellbeing to all who encounter it. That leads nicely on to
‘Find peace of mind’. Mindfulness has become the watchword of SIGN UP FOR OUR WONDERFUL FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
today and our piece on page 165 provides a beginner’s guide to WWW.COUNTRYLIVING.COM/UK/
meditation. Let’s make March a calm month. NEWSLETTER

OUR DATING SITE FOR COUNTRY-LOVERS

COUNTRY-LOVING.CO.UK
MIMI PICKARD. BEESWAX CANDLES, THE FUTURE KEPT

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE

27 FEBRUARY
 Extendable kitchen table with reclaimed fir top and painted legs, £845, Loaf

A lino-cut gooseberry
print by Sarah Jefferies
decorates this cotton picnic
blanket (backed with a waxed
cotton), £95, Folksglove

Plant up
narcissus
bulbs Screen-printed by hand,
into rustic this lampshade (26.4cm
terracotta diameter) is available as a
pots and pendant or table lamp fitting,
group together £44, Lush Designs
for impact

Cornwall-
based artisan
Esther Smith
handcrafts
automata
using patinated
copper, enamel
and reclaimed
Open-knot weave basket handwoven from wood – this
water hyacinth fibres, £85 for two, Habitat piece has
a detachable
hare brooch

emporium
and is £164

Combine interesting prints and

textures with duck-egg blues, gentle pinks,
spring greens and fresh yellows
COMPILED BY ALAINA BINKS

This French enamel Gamelle

tin makes the perfect
lunchbox, £24, RE

Cowslip lino print

by Jane Kendall from
her hand-printed
collection of native
wild flowers, £8,
Striped Pebble Hand trowel and fork set, which comes
presented in a beautiful box decorated in
a chrysanthemum pattern from the RHS
Lindley Library archive, £22.50, Burgon & Ball

countryliving.com/uk MARCH 2019 11

 Women’s cotton
dress with floral print,
£65, Seasalt

Vintage-style
green enamel
wall light with
dark- brass arm,
£80, Dyke & Dean

CL writer Caroline Atkins paints beautiful still-lifes, such as this

Summer in a Blue Jug oil on board (30cm x 40cm). Similar
paintings, with handmade frames, from £400

Take colour
inspiration from the
bright contrasting
tones of chard with
its rich green leaves
and vibrant stems

Devol has a collection

of charming one-off
vintage pieces, such as
this stool, £65, available at
its Cotes Mill showroom

Mike and Kim

of Abbott and
Ellwood handmake
individual
hand-printed
stainless-steel
brooches in
Cornwall,
Lavender soap made by hand in small batches using
from £45
the cold-process method and beeswax from a local
beekeeper, £4.25, The Dartmoor Soap Company

Rose ceramic
pitcher by
John Derian
and Astier
de Villatte,
£270,
Designers
Guild
PRICES AND AVAILABILITY CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING

Large absorbent cotton

TO PRESS. PHOTOGRAPHS BY SIMON BEVAN. STYLING

doormat* (60cm x 85cm),

BY LAURA VINE. *AVAILABLE FROM MID-FEBRUARY

which is machine washable

and can also be tumble
dried, £49.95, Turtle Mat

Digitally printed cushion featuring

vintage-style, hand-drawn illustrations
of flowers, £40, Katie Hipwell

12 MARCH 2019 For stockists, see Where to Buy

 Cotton lampshade with Lottie Day’s hand-
Textile artist Paula Robinson creates screen-printed hare illustration, £80-£100
pretty embroidered pieces with a nature (stand C34; madebylottieday.com)
theme, from £33-£100 (stand E24;
thelittlebunnystudio.co.uk)

SPRING FAIR ALEXANDRA PALACE 28-31 MARCH

Left: Rabbit kit; mouse pincushion kit
(stand A42; coolcrafting.co.uk). Bird
house; cards; flower and peg doll
(stand G28; papersam.co.uk).
Allium seed-
Embroidered picture
head wooden
(stand B23; jobutcher.
printing block,
co.uk). Hare jug (stand
£10 (stand C49;
W55; janehogben
theartycrafty
terracotta.co.uk)
place.co.uk)
Egg cup (stand A20;
mosneymill.co.uk)

This linen-cotton
union cushion features
a hand-drawn blue
tit design by Emma
Sutton, £35 (stand A20;
mosneymill.co.uk)

Lisa
Smith
hand-
decorates
earthenware
pieces, from
£25-£45 for a plate
Discover unique crafted (stand E35; thehandmade
mugcompany.co.uk)
pieces made by independent

STYLING BY ALAINA BINKS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATO WELTON. PRICES, STAND NUMBERS

artists and artisans
AND AVAILABILITY CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. PRICES QUOTED MAY
INCLUDE OFFERS AVAILABLE AT THE FAIRS ONLY; ONLINE PRICES MAY DIFFER
Hand-stamped
vintage cutlery
by Allison Brook.
Knives, £14 each
(stand W52; hello
lovelyshop.co.uk)
Side table handcrafted Find a selection
from reclaimed of ethically made
scaffold boards by Mike children’s clothing at
Vincent, £150 (save 10% Rosie & Cooey. This
at the fair – stand B26; Hand-painted polka-dot pinafore
vincenttrading.co.uk) egg cup with Kim is £30 (stand G20;
Thompson’s Retro rosieandcooey.co.uk)
Chicken design,
£5 (stand D23;
littlefarm
ceramics.
com)

For more information and to book tickets,

visit countrylivingfair.com
 W H AT T O S E E A N D D O I N M A R C H
TAKE PART
IN WALK
ALL OVER
CANCER
The simple act of putting
one foot in front of the other
can work wonders for the
mind, body and soul. Regular
walking helps reduce stress,
increase energy levels
and improve sleep – and
COMPILED BY ANAM ALAM, SARAH BARRATT AND LAURAN ELSDEN
throughout the month of
March, Cancer Research UK
is encouraging us to Walk
All Over Cancer, by taking
10,000 steps each day (the
equivalent to around five
miles) in the name of charity.
Whether you stroll to work,
take the family for a countryside
ramble or meet friends for
a weeknight wander, it’s a
wonderful way to step into
spring, discover new places
and raise money for a worthy
cause. For more information,
visit cancerresearchuk.org.
countryliving.com/uk
IN THE
FIELDS
THIS
MONTH
Track the baby boomers Before lambing season
starts in earnest, farmers
need to get their ducks
BROUGHT TO OUR SHORES BY BOTH THE ROMANS AND – or, rather, their sheep –
THE NORMANS, the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a row. Ewes are sorted
can be spotted in numerous habitats around the UK: from heathlands into groups, according
to hedgerows, woodlands to wetlands. Starting in March, baby rabbits to how many lambs are
– or kits – venture above ground for the first time. Aged between four expected, before being
and five weeks old, the youngsters feed on vegetation alongside their vaccinated and having
ever-watchful mother. Once common (much to the ire of farmers and their feet treated against
gardeners), disease and habitat loss are thought to have contributed rot. Birth often happens
to a decline in numbers in recent years. As wild populations are hard in the fields, but an eye
to monitor, help record sightings on a Mammal Mapper. Download is kept out in case any
one at mammal.org.uk. problems arise.
QUIRKY COUNTRYSIDE
Newark Penny Loaf Day
During the English Civil War, the lives of alderman Hercules
Clay and his family were saved when a dream forewarned him
that his home was going to be set ablaze. In gratitude, he left
money in his will to be used to distribute penny loaves to the
poor on the Sunday nearest the anniversary of the fire on
March 11. Four hundred years on, the tradition continues.
MARCH 2019 17
 A simple make...
VINTAGE-
STYLE CASE
Upcycle an
embroidered
placemat into a
pretty purse for
travel essentials
MAKE & STYLING BY
CATHERINE WORAM

1 Find vintage embroidered

A WALK cloths at flea markets
and antiques markets.
TO TAKE Placemats make the
SISSINGHURST perfect choice, because of
CASTLE ESTATE their rectangular shape.
WALK, NEAR 2 Measure one long edge
CRANBROOK, and roughly divide the
KENT measurement by five.
Visit the Sissinghurst 3 With the wrong side facing,

PHOTOGRAPH BY SUSSIE BELL

Estate in early spring
and you’ll be rewarded
with crocuses and
daffodils dotted across
the vast woodland and
surrounding fields. This
three-mile walk will lead 4 Machine stitch along the
you around the castle,
which was little more
than a run-down 5 Fold over the top edge and
Elizabethan mansion
until acclaimed poet 6 Sew a snap-fastener in place
and writer Vita Sackville-
West bought it in 1930,
transforming its grounds
into a world-renowned
garden. The route takes
you along the moat, until
you reach the gazebo.
Built as a memorial to
Vita’s husband Harold,
it has wonderful views
of the wider Wealden
countryside. After
circumnavigating the
lake and taking you
through Park Field, the
return leg leads you
through Bull and Birches
Wood, the Orchard and
across the vegetable
patch before a hop
over the stream brings
you back to the castle
(nationaltrust.org.uk).
fold up the bottom long
edge two-fifths and pin in
place. This will form the
purse section. The top
remaining part of the
cloth will become the flap.
two edges of doubled cloth,
where it is pinned. – one piece to the top flap the pouch, so they are in
(in the centre, just above line when pressed closed.
press flat with an iron. the edge of the cloth) and 7 Sew a crochet flower on by
the other to the front of hand to hide the fastener.
An ingredient to enjoy HERRING
Designer, cook and author Sophie Conran
shares her favourite seasonal flavour
The herring or ‘Silver Darling’ was once a staple of
the British diet – abundant in our cool coastal waters
and teeming with prosperous properties due to its
superior omega content. Recently, however, it’s fallen
from grace and is now missing from most
fishmongers and supermarkets. With a little
grilling, the herring makes a delightfully
buttery, smoky breakfast dish, which I for one
relish, especially if it’s from one of our fine
Scottish smokehouses. It can also be pickled
as rollmops to be enjoyed served with boiled
potatoes, sour cream or pickles. To me, though, the best way to enjoy
herring is to coat a fresh fillet in beaten egg, roll in oatmeal, then fry in
bubbling butter. Eat with a peppery watercress salad and homemade
tartar sauce. For more information, see sophieconran.com.

18 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 A BOOK
TO READ

Root to Stem (Penguin

Life, £9.99)
Plants are vital, not just for
our health but for that of
the planet, too. This book,
by medical herbalist
Alex Laird, guides us
STAY IN… A BOATHOUSE
through the seasons while
exploring the natural
ingredients that help
treat everyday ailments.

For tranquillity For romance For nature

Moss (Michael
Joseph, £14.99)
Damp and shade-loving,
moss is often overlooked,
but cast a second glance
and you will realise it
is vividly coloured and
primevally beautiful.
In this illustrated guide,
Ulrica Nordström teaches
readers about the world’s
most ancient plant.
FOLLOW US…
INSTAGRAM.COM/
COUNTRYLIVINGUK
FACEBOOK.COM/
COUNTRYLIVING
TWITTER.COM/
COUNTRYLIVINGUK
The Boathouse, Sennowe
Park, Norfolk
Through a gatehouse and a mile
down a private road sits this
wattle and daub building with
a luxurious interior featuring a
mezzanine bedroom, king-size
bed and open fireplace. Outside,
you can even take to the water in
your own rowing boat (top). Sleeps
two. From £525 for three nights
(blakeneycottagecompany.co.uk).
The Boathouse at Knotts End, The Boat House, Belford,
Lake District, Cumbria Northumberland
Perched on the western shores Set amid 30 acres of wonderful
of Ullswater, this secluded woodland, the Boat House offers
sanctuary is perfect for a the perfect opportunity to watch
relaxing weekend away. Step wildlife close up, whether it’s
out onto the Juliet balcony otters frolicking in the lake or roe
for spectacular views out and deer roaming through the trees.
across the lake to the mountains Afterwards, head inside to unwind
beyond. Sleeps two. From in the rolltop bath. Sleeps two.
£195 per night (theboathouse From £493 for three nights
atknottsend.com). (exploremiddletonhall.co.uk).
NEWS YOU CAN USE
FOREST LIVE MUSIC FESTIVALS
Fancy a dance in Delamere Forest or a sing-a-long
in Sherwood Pines? Hosted by the Forestry
Commission England, Forest Live – now in its 19th
year – is a series of seven music events hosted in
beautiful woodland locations across the country.
Renowned for their informal and relaxed atmosphere,
each concert raises funds to maintain forests
sustainably. Last year’s acts included Blondie, UB40
and Simply Red, and 2019 promises similar talent,
such as Paul Weller who will be performing at
Bedgebury Pinetum in Kent. To find out more and
book tickets, visit forestryengland.uk/music.

20 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 INFORMATION CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALAMY; GETTY IMAGES. ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOANNA KERR. HAND-LETTERING BY RUTHROWLAND.CO.UK
F I N D YO U R D R E A M C O U N T RY H O M E
Our property of the month THERE’S SOMETHING FAIRY TALE-ESQUE ABOUT
THIS GRAND TURRETED ABODE IN THE HEART OF
BALHOMIE, CARGILL, PERTHSHIRE – and, indeed, the story of its creation is a rather
romantic one. Built in 1901, it’s said the location was chosen during
PERTHSHIRE a picnic: when Lady Emma Moon admired the views stretching
£950,000 across the River Tay, her husband, Lord Ernest, vowed to build
a house on the exact spot. Now this Scots Baronial ‘C’-Listed
property sits amid its own orchard, former kitchen garden, original
glasshouses and stables. Inside, in addition to five bedrooms, is
a galleried landing centred around an open fire, where you can
thaw out after a chilly morning spent on the slopes of Glenshee
snowsports centre, less than one hour away.

For details of more rural houses for sale, visit

countryliving.com/uk.

Enjoy the latest home and property features, plus

much more, in the CL free weekly newsletter. To sign
up, go to www.countryliving.com/uk/newsletter.

22 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 C O LU M N

Tales from the

Blacksmith’s Cottage
While helping her ageing parents move out of her childhood home, OCTAVIA LILLYWHITE
discovers that her father has some unexpected – and unrealistic – plans for their next home

n the manner of most elderly neighbours, Stamford comes over to worry about finding a space again: parking in rural villages
embarrassingly early; he’s dropping off the first of the rhubarb. is often a nightmare. Not just that: the house has a single
This is thrilling, not just because I love rhubarb but because entrance – a modest doorway at the front. This means that
we don’t have any other option available for Saturday’s pudding. everything – bins, lawnmowers, felled trees – has to come
So I’m grateful, even though the household is still in pyjamas. through the house and through that door. Too tight.
Stamford is now 90, which gives him nearly 20 years on either Still, the picture is getting clearer, in a kind of Three Bears
of my parents. Despite their relative youth, however, neither has way. We (they) are after a large/small, spacious/compact, three/
ever taken to rhubarb-growing, or any other kind of growing, for four-bedroom place with nice/no garden and parking space.
that matter. Granny was our chief gardener. Her speciality was Characterful but not exhausting. Central but secluded. Forty
roses – she loved pinks and blues but hated anything yellow. So years in a 400-year-old thatch puts a new-build out of the
forsythia, St John’s wort and Scotch broom, all of which she was question; it also puts a thatch out of the question. All in
far too frugal to get rid of, were relegated to one corner next to all, I’m pretty sure that what they’re looking for doesn’t exist.
the orchard scathingly named ‘The Yellow Bed’. I’m making the crumble topping for the rhubarb when my
But what was a labour of love father comes in from walking
for her was just labour for the
rest of us. “What I’d like,” says
All in all, I’m pretty sure Eric the Manchester terrier with
a triumphant look. He will buy
my father, musing on where to
move next, “is a really small
that what they’re looking Stamford’s barn, knock it down
and build the house of their
garden. And no lawn.” So it’s a
bit of a surprise when the first
for doesn’t exist dreams on the plot. He’s grasping
some blueprints in his fist, which
property we view comes with he lays out over the dining-room
five acres, a river and two table and begins to pore over with
independent cottages, plus a a pencil, calling me from the crumble
vague plan that we could all continually to review his plans.
move in together in order to It sounds like the worst of all
afford such extravagance. The possible worlds: months (if not
perimeter fence is nearly half a years) of planning and building to
mile long. “I keep meaning to get end up in a plot that will still need
our fence redone,” I tell Mama as mowing and, crucially, is still in
we’re beating the bounds with the same isolated hamlet three
my husband, the Lawyer, on a miles from the shop – thus not
reconnoitre, “but fencing is so giving my ailing mother the
expensive, isn’t it?” She agrees. independence that motivated
“How long is your fence at home?” the move in the first place. He’s
I ask. “Seven foot.” The house jubilant, Mama is confused, I’m
turns out not to be the one. sceptical; the Lawyer, wisely, has
The second place is a dream, his head in last Saturday’s Times.
ILLUSTRATION BY CLARE MELINSKY

with a dappled brook at the The scheme doesn’t last

bottom of the garden and much longer than the crumble:
ducks on the lawn. But it has Stamford’s family decide the
no parking – not even streetside barn is not for sale and that is the
– which is a great lesson to city end of it. I’m slightly disappointed
folk who assume that, once only when I realise that his
they flee the double yellows of rhubarb patch would have
suburbia, they’ll never have been included.

Read next month’s issue of Country Living for more true-life village tales
countryliving.com/uk MARCH 2019 25
 Inspiration and advice for
aspiring smallholders
How to...GROW HERBS AND SPICES INDOORS
Many plants that provide great seasoning grow well on
warm windowsills, where they can happily wait until the
temperature picks up outside, or stay put if you’re limited
on space. As you need only a few leaves or seeds for each
dish, you can have a ready-to-pick selection at arm’s reach.
FENUGREEK You’re probably familiar with the
seeds that form the basis of many curry dishes, but
fenugreek’s fresh leaves (above left) also have a delicious
sweet, nutty flavour. Scatter the seeds in pots of moist
compost now, or sow direct outside when the weather
warms up. Treat the leaves as cut-and-come-again and
sauté with garlic, add to dhal or steam like spinach.
CHILLIES It’s best to get a head start on sowing chilli
seeds early in the year to optimise the amount of fruit
countryliving.com/uk
and the time it has to ripen in summer. They will
germinate best in a heated propagator (28°C) or you
can just cover with a plastic freezer bag secured with
an elastic band and put on a warm, sunny windowsill.
Take off the cover the minute they start to sprout.
Chillies such as Apache and Prairie Fire are happy
indoors (you’ll need to do the job of bees and pollinate
by dabbing flowers with a soft paintbrush), but they’ll
Grow edible survive the summer outside in a sheltered, sunny spot.
‘house plants’ Try seeds from seaspringseeds.co.uk.
– the leaves
of kaffir lime THAI BASIL With more of an aniseed flavour than its
have a vibrant Mediterranean cousin, Thai basil is great in Southeast
citrussy flavour Asian curries and soups, but also salads, too. Sprinkle
and look seeds (try chilternseeds.co.uk) over a tray of moist
attractive, too compost, and cover. When they germinate, remove
MARCH 2019 27
the cover, and, when the seedlings are big enough to
handle, move them to their own pots (three or four
per pot). Wait until pots feel light before watering.
CORIANDER This starts to lose its aromatic oils as soon
as it’s cut, so is best used freshly picked. Like basil, it is
easily grown from seed (use the same technique) – you
can even use the ‘micro-greens’ to add flavour to salads.
Alternatively, make supermarket plants last longer
by separating into three or four smaller clumps and
re-potting. And don’t worry if the plants start to bolt
– the seeds can be used in curries.
LEMONGRASS You can sprout plants from the fresh
sticks you get in the supermarket. Simply scrape away the
dry outer layer at the base of the stalk and pop it in a glass
of water. When roots emerge, plant an inch deep in a pot of
gritty compost. It needs to be warm, so is best kept on a
windowsill. Although you’re unlikely to get new stalks,
the leaves are also fragrant and will add a zing to dishes.
BREED OF THE MONTH
Araucana
Attractive-looking Araucanas are available in
12 colours including lavender, crele (barred golden
brown, black and grey), cuckoo and spangled. Many
hen-keepers choose them not for their plumage but for
their eggs – the blue-green shades of the shells look
wonderful in an egg box. Originally from Chile, the hens
can be ‘rumpless’ (thought to have evolved to make them
harder to catch by predators) or with a tail. They have
a triple pea comb and some have quirky ear tufts, too.
28 MARCH 2019
Go on a course:
SPOON CARVING
SET DEEP IN THE HEART OF
DORSET WOODLAND, it’s hard to
think of a more apt place to learn about
carving green wood. But while the setting
– beneath a parachute awning and
beside a woodburning stove – is tranquil,
it turns out that the craft of spoon carving
is more energetic than I’d imagined. “Let
that axe really swing!” says course tutor
Adam Hawker, as he directs me on how to transform my small
log into a roughed out spoon shape. Slightly fearful of my fingers,
I can’t chop away as freely as Adam, but under his instruction
I gain more confidence in using various axe techniques. After
lunch we move on to the next step, using knives and gouges to
finesse the handle and create a bowl in the spoon. Sat by the fire,
whittling away, it’s a surprisingly mindful experience as curls of
wood drop to the floor. The end result is a slightly wonky cooking
spoon. “I prefer asymmetric designs,” Adam says, tactfully. His
sculptural creations (available at adamhawker.com) celebrate
the grain and character of native wood far better than my effort,
WORDS BY KATE LANGRISH. PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALAMY; GETTY IMAGES
but I still look forward to stirring a pot.
Guy Mallinson’s Crafty Camping & Woodland Workshop,
Dorset; one-day spoon-carving course, £150 (mallinson.co.uk).
OTHERS TO TRY…
FOR MAKING A STOOL Aaron Sterritt Woodwork, Forres,
Moray; £180 for two days (aaronsterrittwoodwork.co.uk). You’ll
be taught how to craft a ‘Highland stool’ from green wood in a
woodland workshop overlooking the River Findhorn.
FOR WOODTURNING Woodland Skills Centre, Bodfari,
Denbigh; £150 for two days (woodlandskillscentre.uk). Discover
how to use tools and a traditional pole lathe to turn a wooden
bowl with techniques that date back to the Iron Age.
FOR CARVING BIRDS The Big Tree Society, Jedburgh, Scottish
Borders; £60 for one day (thebigtreesociety.co.uk). Learn knifework
and carving techniques to create Inuit-style birds and bears.
countryliving.com/uk
 IN FULL
BLOOM
As buds and blossom begin to emerge in this fresh new
season, use them to create fragrant accessories to enjoy
WORDS AND STYLING BY BEA ANDREWS PHOTOGRAPHS BY EVA NEMETH

FLORAL
ARRANGEMENTS
PART 4
Spring
 S E A S O N A L I N S P I R AT I O N

Lay out your selection

of chosen varieties,
along with wire, florist
tape and ribbon

countryliving.com/uk MARCH 2019 31

SEAS ONAL INSPIR ATION

Find ideas for floral flowers and foliage,

accessories in charming including blossom
vintage nature books, cuttings, for their seasonal
then take a selection of colour and form

BEA ANDREWS

Bea is a horticulturalist
by heart. “I have been
working with plants and
flowers for more than
20 years, but using them
in floral displays has
opened up a whole new
ith winter rolling into spring, world that I am still
the pace of change is quickening passionately exploring,”
and the garden awakens from its she says. She also worked
slumber. The hedgerows erupt in an as head gardener with
abundance of blossom and the air is full of scent. Sarah Raven at her Sussex
As we welcome back the warmer and longer days, farm, Perch Hill, where she
the arrival of the new season sees the emergence had the opportunity
of spring bulbs taking centre stage. Making the available to plant in the autumn, will flower from to indulge her enthusiasm
most of this glorious time of year with small floral early spring and make enduring cut flowers. for growing a wide
projects and involving children in these creative I grow a variety called ‘Valerie Finnis’, with an variety of flowers and
sessions will add a special touch to any spring exquisite powder blue shade and fantastic scent. experiment with design.
festival, family party or Easter celebration. Its smaller form is perfect for making posies and More recently, she set
Although flowers are mostly worn at weddings wired designs. The name grape hyacinth comes up Botanika, a small
nowadays, in the past they used to be popular from the round flowers being tightly packed independent floral design
fashion accessories – a tradition we could revive together like tiny bunches of grapes, creating a studio based in Hassocks
and incorporate into seasonal events. A few shape that resembles hyacinths. Unlike many in West Sussex, where she
simple blooms wired into a circlet, worn as bulbs, muscari set plentiful seed, which creates displays that reflect
a hairpiece or tied with a ribbon around the germinate and grow rapidly if undisturbed the seasons, using natural
wrist, as well as a little buttonhole posy, are the and therefore naturalise easily. elements, interesting
simplest ways to wear them. Gathering them to I also used blackthorn blossom (Prunus textures and pleasing
use is as easy on a family walk as picking spring spinosa), wallflowers (Erysimum cheiri ‘Sunset colour combinations.
blooms from your garden or selecting a few Apricot’), spiraea and rice flower blossom, double Find out more at
long-lasting stems from your local florist’s. white Persian buttercups or ranunculus, small botanikafloral.co.uk or
The star ingredient in these projects here is spray roses, rosemary and pittosporum sprigs. follow Bea on Instagram
the humble grape hyacinth, or muscari. The See overleaf for instructions on how to create @botanika_floral.
bulbs (mainly M. armeniacum) are readily pretty spring floral accessories.

32 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 MAKING FLORAL ACCESSORIES
1. Floral bracelet or crown
HOW TO MAKE
Cut a piece of florist’s binding wire long
enough to go around your wrist or head.
Cut all flowers and foliage to 5cm, then
make a small hook at each end of the
wire, cover it with florist tape and start
adding and taping stems along the whole
length. Attach ribbon at each end.
I made a short half-moon head piece, but
try a longer length for a full flower crown.
34 MARCH 2019
2. Floral buttonhole
HOW TO MAKE
For this project, I used 8cm sprigs
each of pittosporum, blackthorn
blossom and grape hyacinth. Simply
make a tiny posy and tie together with
green florist tape. As you stretch the
tape, it becomes adhesive and will stick
to itself, holding the blooms
securely in place.
3. Muscari necklace
HOW TO MAKE
Cut a piece of wire long enough to go
around the neck of a toy or person. Cut
the stems of the grape hyacinths very
short and prepare some small leaves – I
used the leaves of Eucalyptus cinerea.
Thread them onto the wire, alternating
flowers and leaves. Secure the necklace
by twisting the wire ends together or by
attaching florist tape as before.
countryliving.com/uk
FA R M I N G

A sheepdog called
BESS
Lake District-based shepherd and award-winning
author James Rebanks explains what’s involved
in the making of a great working dog
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALUN CALLENDER
 THIS PAGE Shepherd
James with Bess;
hitching a ride on a
quad bike; traditional
drystone walls line the
fields, where daffodils
herald the arrival of
spring OPPOSITE Bess
will soon be taught
how to round up sheep
on the open fells,
where James keeps
his Herdwick and
Swaledale flocks

t was blowing a snowstorm outside when they were born. Ten

slick black-and-white pups wriggling in a box by the fire in
the farmhouse. Their mother, Floss, licked them and snuffled
them towards her teats, doing her best not to roll on them. The
pup’s father, Tan, and I worked outside bringing the sheep down
from the worst of the blizzard. When I got back to the house, my
children had named two of the pups Stormzy and Apple Chunk.
I explained that they would get their ‘proper sheepdog names’ at
their new homes. They are meant to have monosyllabic names that
can carry in the wind or rain on the fells. I think they should have
a different-sounding first syllable than their workmates, so they know
a command is for them on the ‘B of the Bang’. Why my neighbours
have a sheepdog called Rhubarb remains a mystery to me.
Floss doted on the puppies for the first few days, and then grew
tired of them constantly feeding and crawling all over her. She begged
to go with me to work each day. And after a week or two, I gave in.
When we got back, the pups would be sleeping in a warm heap.
Sheepdogs are
Floss would jump in and the pups would explode in all directions
and probe the darkness with their noses to find her milk. From a few
days old, one of the pups stood out for me. I called her Bess. She had a
meant to have
white face, wrinkly ears that folded over the top of her head and sky-
blue eyes. She would sleep on my lap in the evenings while I watched
monosyllabic names
TV or read a book by the fire, and when I spoke, she would hold her
head on one side as if trying to work out what my words meant.
When they were four weeks old, we moved the pups to a stable,
that can carry in the
and they got their first experience of the farm. Most of them were
disinterested, preferring to play rough and tumble in the straw, wind or the rain
40 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

but Bess would listen to my every move. I would peer over the stable
door and she would be sitting up, looking at me, head cocked to
one side. And when I opened the door, she would barge through it
and follow me wherever I went. She was determined to be my dog.
When she was six weeks old, we met a curious sheep in the
doorway of the barn. Bess crouched down and crept towards it,
barking gently with the most intense look I have ever seen in a
puppy. The sheep bolted and Bess gave chase; before I knew it,
she’d stopped it in its tracks, fixing it with her steely blue gaze.
She seemed quite surprised at what she had done and ran back
to me to see what I thought. I made a fuss of her, and she looked
at me as if to say, “Should I go and do that again?” and I said, “Yes,
but not until you’re a bit bigger.” I love a dog to have the ability to
control sheep through a determined stare. We call it having good
FA R M I N G
‘eye’. It is a sheepdog superpower. Bess had that sheep mesmerised
with her ‘eye’ and she barely came above its knees. The experts say
that most puppy selection theories are old wives’ tales. Most pups
from good parents can become good working dogs. Perhaps, but all
I knew was that no one else was having Bess. The other pups went
to farms at eight weeks old, and Floss seemed pleased to get a rest.
I started ‘training’ Bess early, teaching her to come to me when
I called her name, building trust with her and showing her how
to earn praise. Every sheepdog has been different. Floss was
the quickest to train – she came almost pre-programmed and
I simply had to show her what I wanted for each command. A
sheepdog is, to me, a very different thing to a pet. The work gives
them an outlet for their energy, agility, intelligence and instincts.
They live to work, and many of them are fairly disinterested in
FA R M I N G

A sheepdog is, to me, a very

different thing to a pet. The work
gives them an outlet for their
energy and intelligence
FA R M I N G
Bess is a very talented teenager now,
capable of acts of brilliance – and silliness
playing. (I believed this sincerely until I got back from a trip away
two years ago to see Tan playing catch with a shepherdess friend.
He looked a bit sheepish, as if caught in the act of slacking off work.)
When Bess was four or five months old, I started working her with
sheep in controlled settings. Sheep can rough-up a young dog and
ruin their confidence, so we like them to learn to chase and gather,
and feel their instincts rise in them, in a setting where we can stop
them, if needed, and protect them from harm. We make a circular
pen in a large field, and put in half a dozen sheep; the pup then races
around the outside, chasing the sheep without being able to grab
them or get knocked down by them. I turn the sheep back the other
way and block the dog to stop it going round and round endlessly.
We use this to teach the dog some basic commands, particularly
‘away’ and ‘come bye’, which are basically go left and go right.
The art of training a young sheepdog is about converting their
wolf instincts into a disciplined, controlled and useful thing. If you
stop them obeying their instincts to chase sheep, they will stand
confused, with plummeting self-esteem, and may become afraid to
work. If you’re too soft, and let the urge to chase get too strong, they
become too rough for the sheep and a danger to themselves. We
ABOVE, FROM LEFT James the farmhouse with wife
with his three sheepdogs, Helen, daughters Molly
Floss, Tan and Bess; outside and Bea, and son Isaac
44 MARCH 2019
try to find a happy medium – slowing a keen and strong dog down
is, in my experience, easier than getting a cautious or shy one to work.
Bess is strong, and keen, and in her early lessons was a bit like
a loose cannon on the deck of a ship, going off in all directions. If
I took my eye off her for a moment, she would dart under a gate
and gather up two ponies, or the hens, or 200 ewes belonging to
my neighbour. She is a very talented teenager now, capable of acts
of brilliance, but also moments of silliness and lapses of judgment.
When she does something wrong, as young dogs do, the temptation
is to get cross, but I scold her gently, and give her a cuddle and use my
tone of voice to let her know that what she just did was clever, but not
what I wanted. I’m slowly but surely persuading her to chill out a bit.
As the days pass, she listens more and more. She means to be
my top dog. She already tries to beat the older dogs in gathering the
sheep and is disgusted if they get praise from me. She loves me in the
way that great dogs do, beyond reason, like it is the meaning of her
life. In the next few months, she will learn even harder skills, such as
how to gather in the open spaces of the fells. I suspect Bess and I will
have our moments, but I believe she is special. They say a shepherd
only has two or three great dogs in their lifetime. I have a feeling in
my gut that Bess is one of those superstars in the making.
James Rebanks is the author of bestseller The Shepherd’s Life
(Penguin Books). Follow him on Instagram at @herdyshepherd1.
countryliving.com/uk
D E C O R AT I N G

A ROOM
FOR ALL
reasons
Once purely functional, the kitchen now
plays lots of different roles – social space,
dining room and a creative hub for the
serious cook. Here’s how the right furniture,
storage and tools can make it work for you
WORDS BY AMY BRADFORD

46 MARCH 2019
FROM FAR LEFT A sunny
yellow wall gives this open-plan
kitchen-diner and living room a
distinct identity; in this spacious
beach house, a kitchen ranged
around two sides of the room
has attractive implements and
cookware on display
D E C O R AT I N G

The SOCIAL kitchen

Open-plan kitchens are an increasingly familiar feature
of British homes. As rooms have become less formal and
we now prefer much larger spaces, we’ve knocked down
dividing walls, moved the dining table into the kitchen
and got into the habit of eating, socialising and relaxing
there. It’s the heart of the home, and that is reflected in
our growing desire to add more comfortable elements.
No longer just for eating, the dining table needs to
play multiple roles. It’s a good idea to choose one with
extending leaves so it can be used for everything from
grabbing a quick snack in the week to a big family roast
on Sundays. What goes around the table has changed,
too – built-in banquettes or benches with cushions
instead of chairs can make it feel like somewhere to CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
linger. Island units with breakfast bars are another LEFT A blue-painted Shaker
way to make your kitchen more social, allowing you style has a freestanding, partly
to cook, eat and talk all in one place. open work table, separating it
Perhaps the biggest evolution, though, is the trend from the dining room; the top
for bringing soft furnishings into the kitchen – sofas, of an old scored butcher’s
armchairs and even rugs – transforming it into an block has been reworked into
extension of your living room. Think about the way you a central island; a built-in wine
position furniture and key kitchen features. For example, rack inside a walk-in larder;
it helps to have the sink, hob and some workspace on bar stools make this Somerset
an island, so you can talk to other people while you cook kitchen a companionable space
rather than facing a wall. Tables and sofas should frame OPPOSITE Airy and open-plan,
views of the kitchen that you want to show off or the this streamlined Cornish kitchen
garden to bring the outdoors in. integrates into a living area

48 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
As well as sofas and armchairs, consider
other decoration you can bring from the living
room into the kitchen – such as artworks,
mirrors and sideboards – to make the space
feel more convivial.
Make sure the area is still easy to navigate, as
this will encourage people to spend time there.
Sofas and tables need space around them, and
there should be a clear path from the hallway
to the kitchen and the garden beyond.
Good lighting makes a kitchen more sociable.
Have mood lighting on walls and tables, and
put overhead lights on dimmer switches so
you can easily change the atmosphere.
Think about ways to let in more natural
light. Skylights work really well and if they’re
recessed into the ceiling, they’re less obtrusive
and more in tune with a country interior.
Use uplifting colours to draw people to key
areas – perhaps an island unit in a contrasting
hue to the rest of your cabinets, or a sofa
with bright cushions.
Invest in appliances that make socialising
easier. Think fridges with ice dispensers, built-
in wine coolers and boiling-water taps so you
never have to wait for the kettle to boil.
 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
Variety is key for kitchen lighting. Warm
LED strips beneath wall cabinets and under
worktop edges are ideal for when you really
need to see what you are doing. If you go for
spotlights, choose the angled type so you can
direct them where needed and avoid glare.
In the middle of the room, a row of pendants
is better than one, as it will distribute light
evenly. Have them on adjustable cables to
quickly change the mood.
If you don’t have space for a separate pantry,
consider a larder cupboard instead – it will
keep all your dry goods and spices in one
convenient place. A built-in one is more
streamlined, but a painted freestanding
design adds a cheerful note to a room.
Committed cooks should invest in dividers
for the drawers next to the cooker so your
utensils will be organised and save you
scrambling for things in a hurry. Look for
individual elements that you can customise
rather than one-size-fits-all trays.
Professionals favour cast-iron and copper
saucepans for results as well as looks,
but they’re not all suitable for induction
hobs. For these, go for 3-ply stainless steel
– Le Creuset makes a good range.
To protect your worktop, have a selection
of chopping boards to hand. Wooden
ones carved in interesting shapes or
marble blocks look good enough for
serving dishes at the table.
Consider a butcher’s block for heavy tasks,
such as carving joints, and storing extra
tools. If it’s on wheels, you can move it closer
to the cooker or dining table as needed.
 D E C O R AT I N G

The COOK’S kitchen

If you do a lot of cooking and entertaining in your CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE
kitchen, you need it to function like clockwork. Key LEFT A freestanding table
to achieving this is organisation. Divide the room into can extend your working
zones: one for dry goods and storage (a larder cupboard area; regularly used tools
is useful here, so you can reserve cabinets for your kit); above a stainless-steel range
and another for wet preparation, ideally with the fridge cooker and knives on a
well positioned between the two so you can locate magnetic strip (far left) are safe
everything with ease before you start cooking. Have deep and easily accessed; a range
drawers at floor level for storing small appliances and cooker with double oven and
cookware (an overhead view helps you see things quickly). composite stone worksurfaces
Functional worktop materials are crucial. Those are versatile and hardwearing
that strike the right balance between practical and
pretty in a country kitchen include granite (it’s long-
lasting, but bear in mind its heavy weight), quartz
composite (scratchproof and has a similar timeless
look), wood (maple, beech and oak last for ever and
can be sanded back if they scratch). Keep heat resistance
in mind – if you’re always putting hot pans on the
counter, a tiled area around your hob is a great idea.
There’s nothing to stop you mixing a couple of different
worktop materials to suit your needs, and it will add
interest to the overall look.
The oven is the heart of a multifunctional kitchen.
An Aga looks good in any period property but requires
an understanding of how best to cook on one. Many
serious cooks will use a range of sources, such as
innovative range cookers with ‘domino’ hobs, combining
different fuel types and incorporating specialist cooking
surfaces such as griddles and teppanyaki grills. You
might combine gas and induction hobs with a combi
oven (professionals love ones with warming drawers
for proving dough and heating plates).

countryliving.com/uk MARCH 2019 51

D E C O R AT I N G
A combination of
concealed and open
storage is most flexible
D E C O R AT I N G

The MULTIPURPOSE kitchen

So many things can take place in a kitchen – cooking, CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW
cleaning, children’s homework and even running your A slender part-glazed antique
business – that organised storage is more important in cupboard utilises ‘dead’ space
such a space than in almost any room. It’s not just about beside stairs; a well-considered
planning enough cabinets into your design, but also larder is ideal; pigeon-hole
thinking creatively about how to best utilise the area. drawers can be good for
For example, if you have a lovely set of saucepans that storing small sundries and
are worth showing off, hang them on a rack above the a collection of cookbooks
cooker or over an island instead of taking up valuable
space in cupboards. Above or either side of a window
or door, there might be space for extra shelving. Use
these for things you don’t need all the time, and, if they
are high up, get a sturdy wooden ladder that you can
also use for kitchen linens.
Be strategic with your main cabinets, too. Look for
narrow cupboards you can squeeze into corners between
units (these often have pivoting doors and hold much
more than you think). Similarly, niches for chopping
boards can be built in between cabinets – and a plate
rack above the sink will save you sorting through
precarious stacks of crockery.
Think about the usefulness of drawers versus
cupboards. Deep drawers at ground level are useful
for storing heavier items you don’t want to lift, or bulky
things such as tablecloths; cupboards are better for
smaller items (keep objects organised in labelled
baskets). Utensils should be in drawers near the cooker;
crockery and glass are best near the sink or dishwasher
to save time when putting them away. Lastly, if space
means the kitchen also doubles as the laundry room,
hide big appliances behind doors – look for ones that
feature the Quiet Mark, so you don’t have to talk over
the rumble of a noisy washing machine.

countryliving.com/uk
D E C O R AT I N G
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
Kitchens get used for other things than
cooking, so factor this into your layout.
Have some surface space on an island where
you can sit down to work with a laptop, and
if you don’t have a laundry room, create a
dedicated area away from the cooking zone
with an extra sink, a washing machine hidden
behind cabinet doors, and space for storing
laundry products.
Used cleverly, storage can make your kitchen
feel more personal. Repurpose antique
cabinets or armoires as pantry cupboards
or use a vintage glass-fronted display cabinet
for your best china.
If your freezer’s always filling up and you
don’t have space elsewhere in your home
for a chest freezer, think about adding extra
56 MARCH 2019
freezer drawers into a kitchen island. If they’re
cabinet depth, they’re ideal for bulkier items.
Open shelves on the walls can be a lovely way
to store and display favourite things, as well
as making a small kitchen feel airier. If you
are worried about things collecting dust
and grease, though, glass-fronted cabinets
give a similar look.
Wherever space is tight, use folding cupboard
doors rather than ones that open outwards,
so you have more space to move around.
Don’t forget access to storage. D-shaped
handles are more practical with wet hands
than fiddly knobs.
The end of an island or run of cabinets is a
great place to add open shelves for cookbooks,
so they are easily accessible.
A simple white kitchen from
Howdens with classic fielded-
panel doors and cup handles
has a slender shelf for display
countryliving.com/uk
D E C O R AT I N G
KITCHENS
BRITISH STANDARD (020 7870 7688;
britishstandardcupboards.co.uk) Timeless,
traditional-meets-modern cupboards and
worktops, handmade in Suffolk and supplied
ready to paint. Prices from £8,000.
DEVOL (01509 261000; devolkitchens.co.uk)
Classic English and Shaker kitchens, all handmade
in painted timber. Also a range of antique
accessories, such as storage and lighting.
Prices from £12,000.
JOHN LEWIS OF HUNGERFORD (0700 278 4726;
john-lewis.co.uk) A wide range of styles, from
country classics to contemporary and quirkier
looks. Also freestanding storage and appliances.
Prices from £25,000.
MARK WILKINSON (01380 850007; mwf.com)
Bespoke kitchens in luxurious materials, made
in Wiltshire. Also has a complete design service
for flooring, lighting and appliances. Prices
from £50,000.
MARTIN MOORE & CO (0845 180 0015;
martinmoore.com) Custom-made kitchens,
hand-built in its family-run Yorkshire workshop.
Has its own stone company and mixes its own
paints for an individual look. Prices from £35,000.
NEPTUNE (01793 427300; neptune.com)
Traditionally made timber kitchens in classic
Shaker styles. They can be painted in any of its
many shades, from greys and whites to sage
green and deep blue. Prices from £10,000.
PLAIN ENGLISH (020 7486 2674;
plainenglishdesign.co.uk) Georgian and
Shaker-style kitchens, handmade in Suffolk.
Can also make bespoke elements, such as
glazed and metal partitions to divide your
kitchen space. Prices from £45,000.
SMALLBONE OF DEVIZES (020 7589 5998;
smallbone.co.uk) Kitchens celebrating various
English architectural styles, including 18th-century
Pilaster and the ‘unfitted’ kitchen for a less formal
look. Precious woods such as macassar and walnut
are a focus. Prices from £50,000.
TOM HOWLEY (0161 848 1200; tomhowley.co.uk)
Hand-painted oak and walnut kitchens in a classic,
pared-down style, crafted in the UK. Lots of
bespoke elements, including pantries and islands.
Prices from £40,000.
APPLIANCES
AGA (0800 111 6477; agaliving.com) Traditional
range cookers in an ever-expanding range
of colours, plus new energy-efficient and
space-saving models. Also cooker hoods
and Rayburn stoves.
58 MARCH 2019
Directory
BRITANNIA (0344 463 9705; britannialiving.co.uk)
Streamlined range cookers in stainless steel and
coloured enamel. Plus a range of specialist hobs
and ovens.
EVERHOT (01453 890018; everhot.co.uk) Classic
range cookers in various colours, as well as sizes
for smaller spaces (right down to 60cm wide).
ILVE (0845 548 3130; ilveappliances.co.uk) Range
cookers in classic and modern styles, which can
be matched to more than 200 RAL colours. Also
a range of professional and domino hobs, with
mix-and-match functions and fuel sources.
LACANCHE (01202 733011; lacanche.co.uk)
Classic and modern range cookers in a wide
choice of bright and neutral colours. Plus
specialist cooking accessories, such as
griddles, wok rings and rotisseries.
LA CORNUE (lacornue.com) Fine French range
cookers with a decorative, statement look and
ornamental details, such as brass controls.
MARSHALL SCOTT (01621 858255; marshall-scott.
co.uk) A great place for cutting-edge gadgets,
from wine fridges to innovative hobs and extractor
designs. Also worktops in granite, quartz and
Dekton, a high-tech stone-like material.
QUOOKER (0345 8333 555; quooker.co.uk) Boiling
water taps for maximum convenience in a working,
multifunctional kitchen.
RANGEMASTER (0800 8046261; rangemaster.
co.uk) As well as its signature range cookers, this
brand has a range of fridges, stainless-steel sinks
and kitchen taps.
SUB-ZERO & WOLF (020 7858 3480;
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAN BALDWIN; CHARLIE COLMER; BRENT DARBY; DAVID GILES; CATHERINE GRATWICKE; BRIAN HARRISON; HUNTLEY HEDWORTH; LINA IKSE; DEBI TRELOAR; HENNY VAN BELKOM; RACHEL WHITING; PENNY WINCER
subzero-wolf.co.uk) Professional-style
fridge-freezers, wine storage and hobs,
plus gadgets such as built-in, barista-standard
coffee makers.
LIGHTING &
ACCESSORIES
BRITISH IRONMONGERY (0845 257 1147;
britishironmongery.co.uk) Simple, classic cabinet
handles, hooks and shelf brackets in polished
brass and cast iron.
THE COTSWOLD COMPANY (0333 200 1725;
cotswoldco.com) Freestanding pantry cupboards
in painted wood, kitchen shelving and ladders,
islands and butcher’s blocks in various sizes.
DAVID MELLOR DESIGN (01433 650220;
davidmellordesign.com) Purveyor of the most
stylish designer kitchenware, including high-
end French Mauviel saucepans in copper and
stainless steel, elegant glass storage jars and
drawer organisers.
HECTOR FINCH LIGHTING (020 7731 8886;
hectorfinch.com) A wide range of glass and
metal pendant lights, plus pendants on rods
that are suitable for hanging over islands.
HOLLOWAYS OF LUDLOW (020 7602 5757;
hollowaysofludlow.com) Lighting in various
materials and styles, including adjustable brass
spotlights on rods. Plus sinks in ceramic, copper
and cast iron, and traditional and modern taps.
LE CREUSET (0800 373792; lecreuset.co.uk)
Besides its signature cast-iron cookware, this brand
sells stylish and colourful stoneware storage jars
with wooden lids, plus professional kitchen knives.
MARK LEWIS INTERIOR DESIGN (020 3490
1140; marklewisinteriordesign.com) As well as
remodelling your kitchen, this London-based
interior designer sells elegant brass pan racks,
hooks, D-shaped cabinet handles and other
accessories in his online shop.
ORIGINAL BTC (020 7351 2130; uk.originalbtc.
com) Ceramic, metal and glass pendant lights
with a simple, traditional-meets-modern look,
all handmade in the UK.
RETROUVIUS (020 8960 6060; retrouvius.com)
Wonderful vintage storage furniture, reclaimed
timber for worktops, kitchen fittings and more.
SOHO HOME (020 3819 8199; sohohome.com)
Simple, traditional range of enamel kitchenware,
storage jars and linen tablecloths.
WATERWORKS (020 7384 4000; waterworks.com)
Kitchen taps, wall lighting and a huge selection of
tiles and worktops, plus hardware.
countryliving.com/uk
 A stitch in
TIME
Turn charming flea-market finds or timeworn
treasures into Scandi-style makes to cherish
WORDS BY CHRISTIANE BELLSTEDT MYERS
PHOTOGRAPHS BY CAROLINE ARBER

60 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 CRAFT

Fabric bunting
Nothing says ‘celebration’ better than
row upon row of bunting fluttering
in the breeze. It is an established
form of decoration in most countries,
especially at weddings, which present
a lot of scope for imaginative ideas.
Many bridal couples wish to give a
small token of appreciation to those
who have joined them for their day.
These little floral pouches provide a
decorative element during the event
and can be filled with a take-home
gift as the guests leave. Simply remove
the peg that holds the pouch and
take it away. They can be filled with
flowers, sweets or another treat as a
memento of the day.

YOU WILL NEED

Friction pen
Pieces of old plain quilt
Scissors
Needle and matching thread
Cord or ribbon
Pieces of floral fabric
Wooden pegs

1 Draw as many triangular

bunting pieces as you need onto
pieces of quilt. Cut out.
2 Fold over the top of each bunting
piece and stitch along close to the
fabric edge to create a small channel.
Thread a length of cord or ribbon
through each one.
3 Collect several floral fabrics to
create a variety of simple pouches of
different shapes and sizes – see left
for the ones I used. By not having a
uniform shape, the bunting is visually
interesting and pleasing to the eye.
4 Cut out your shapes and sew right
sides together, leaving the top open.
You could also stitch different fabrics
together in a patchwork.
5 Turn right side out and press neatly.
6 These are now ready to be pegged
onto the cord or ribbon of the bunting
and filled with your choice of gift
– avoid using anything too heavy.
 This is a lovely
tradition that can be
used for special days

Hanging tin vase

Surprise loved ones with a beautiful
posy of seasonal blooms hanging from
their front door handle. Traditionally,
these would have been delivered to
friends and family on the first day of
May. I think it is a lovely tradition, and
one that can be used for other special
days, too, such as Mother’s Day,
birthdays or anniversaries.

YOU WILL NEED

Tin can, washed and labels
removed (including the glue)
Cream-coloured water-based
eggshell paint
Paintbrush
Tape measure
Piece of old lace fabric
Scissors
Needle and thread in matching
tone to the lace
Flowers of your choice

1 Make sure your tin can is clean and

dry. Then carefully paint it inside and
out with an even layer of paint. Leave
to dry completely.
2 Measure the circumference and
double the height of your can and cut
a piece of lace fabric to wrap around
it, so it covers the entire circumference
(and folds over to create a loose ‘skirt’).
3 Using a needle and thread, sew the
two ends of the lace fabric together, so
the tin slips into the fabric sleeve but
doesn’t fall through (you want it to fit
fairly tightly).
4 Cut a strip of fabric and shape into
a hanging loop. Sew this to the top of the
fabric sleeve where the seam is. Pull the
sleeve over the can, fill with a little water
and add the blooms ready to gift.

Gardening apron
Gathering the tools needed to complete
simple gardening jobs is always the
first tick on my list. As any gardener
knows, it’s useful to have more than
two hands. This prompted me to create
an apron especially for outdoors with
pockets to hold secateurs and plant
labels but also a pocket with a hole
in for string. The pocket holds the
ball of string and the end can then
be pulled through the hole and cut
to any desired length with ease.
YOU WILL NEED
Length of strong reversible fabric
(approximately 76cm x 43cm)
countryliving.com/uk
Needle and matching thread
Embroidery scissors
204cm strong woven ribbon for
the apron ties
Small piece of red gingham fabric
(20cm x 5cm)
1 Start by folding and stitching a
double hem about 1cm along each side
of the fabric. Fold the bottom half of the
fabric up to create a pocket that is 23cm
deep. Sew down both sides, leaving the
long edge open at the top. Sew a seam
down the pocket to create two sections.
I sewed one 13cm from one edge, which
is perfect for a pair of secateurs.
2 Using sharp embroidery scissors,
CRAFT
cut a small hole in the larger pocket,
making sure it is just wide enough for a
piece of string. Sew around the edge of
the hole using buttonhole stitch.
3 Cut the woven ribbon to create two
102cm lengths. Sew a length in place to
each side of the apron at the top edge.
4 With the gingham fabric, fold and
press the short sides by 5mm. Fold each
long edge in towards the centre and
fold in half lengthways to hide the raw
edges. Stitch it closed. You will be left
with a piece of fabric resembling a
thick ribbon. Fold in half and attach
to the outside of the apron to create a
loop to hang things through, such as
a cloth, as seen above.
MARCH 2019 63
CRAFT
Lavender pillow
The thought of re-using a much-loved
and worn quilt to make something
delicate and charming in this throwaway
world is very pleasing to me. It is also
lovely to give as a present. I made
one for my mother’s 85th birthday
and included little pockets where
I placed small notes for her to find.
YOU WILL NEED
Piece of old quilt
Backing fabric
Embroidery thread
Needle and matching thread
64 MARCH 2019
Scraps of fabric
Buttons
Toy stuffing
Pins
Dried lavender
Scissors
1 Decide on the size you would like your
lavender pillow to be. Cut a piece from
the old quilt to this size, adding 1cm on
all edges for seam allowance. Cut the
backing fabric to the same size.
2 Using two strands of embroidery
thread, stitch simple designs such as
flowers, hearts and cross-stitch motifs
onto the quilt. I also added buttons and
scraps of fabric cut into squares.
3 Once you’re happy with your design,
pin the backing fabric to the quilt piece,
right sides together. Stitch the pieces
together with a 1cm seam allowance,
leaving a gap at one short end. Turn
the pillow right side out.
4 Fill the pillow with dried lavender.
I added a little stuffing, too, to give it
a better shape, especially in the corners,
but it is up to you.
5 Turn the edges under at the opening
and slip-stitch the opening closed. Shake
the pillow to distribute the lavender.
countryliving.com/uk
CRAFT
Button jars
Collections of old buttons
can be found at every flea market
or thrift shop. There was a time
when nothing was thrown
away, the thinking being that,
in time, they would be needed
once again. While admiring my
button collection, I wondered
how I could use them so I could
admire them on display and
this was the result.
66 MARCH 2019
PHOTOGRAPHY © CICO BOOKS. CHRISTIANE MYERS IS ON INSTAGRAM AT @THECOZYCLUBX
YOU WILL NEED CL BOOK
Buttons OFFER
Old jars Adapted from Seasonal
Flowers Scandi Crafts by
Christiane Bellstedt
1 Pour a handful of clean buttons Myers (CICO Books,
into each old jar. You only need to fill £12.99, published on
a couple of inches in each. 12 March 2019). CL readers can order a
2 Add clean water and a few copy at the special price of £10 including
seasonal blooms and that’s it. These free p&p (UK only) until 31 May 2019 by
are lovely displayed in small groups quoting the offer code SEASONAL10
– a quick and simple project. when ordering online at rylandpeters.com.
countryliving.com/uk
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countryliving.com/uk MARCH 2019 67

RU R A L A RT I S A N

A brush with
MAGIC
Under the eaves of her home in west Wales, acclaimed
painter, illustrator and author Jackie Morris produces
beautiful work with a touch of the otherworldly
WORDS BY KITTY CORRIGAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY NATO WELTON

68 MARCH 2019
 otoring along narrow roads hedged
with blackthorn blossom is a study
in nature when Jackie Morris is at the
wheel. She’s scanning the sky for the
first swallows, which arrive early here
in Pembrokeshire. Seconds later, she brakes to watch a
buzzard swooping down on a young rabbit. As a result,
it can often take a while to reach home – a white cottage,
sitting on a hilltop on the west coast of Wales. Swallows
and buzzards are just some of the birds that provide
Jackie with constant inspiration. “It’s the shape of them,
their flight, their soul,” she says, explaining why they
appear with such regularity in her illustrations, notably
in The Lost Words, her award-winning collaboration
with writer Robert Macfarlane, which celebrates the
goldfinch, kingfisher, magpie and other marvels of
the natural world that were omitted from the Oxford
Children’s Dictionary.
Hares are another favourite of Jackie’s: “They are
elusive, magical and fierce. The first one I saw was in
Wiltshire as a child with my father, who took me for

THIS PAGE AND paints ethereal pictures

OPPOSITE Jackie takes of birds and animals in her
inspiration from her attic studio in a cottage by
countryside and coastal the sea. Hares and otters
walks, and draws and are particular favourites

“I can pull otters out of my
head – their shape and muscle
strength fascinate me”
walks and taught me how to find a skylark’s nest. It was
early one frosty morning, the earth crusted with mist.
A barn owl floated silently above the surface, then,
suddenly, hares erupted from the ground. They live
in a different world. We have separated ourselves from
that world and are no longer in tune with nature.”
There’s a stuffed hare in her attic studio, a reminder
of her 2013 book Song of the Golden Hare, one of more
than 30 titles she’s written, including The Snow Leopard,
The Ice Bear and Tell me a Dragon. Her most recent
release, Mrs Noah’s Pockets, came out last year, and is
based, she says, irreverently, “very loosely on a book
called the Bible”. The hare is joined by various other
stuffed creatures – owls, a duck, a heron, as well as
sundry feathers and wings; all study pieces for
reference. There’s a drawer full of sinuous otter
countryliving.com/uk
RU R A L A RT I S A N
sketches of all shapes and sizes, swirling across the
page. These are drawn in Sumi ink (used by scribes
since the seventh century), which she grinds on an
inkstone and mixes with water, then applies with a
brush made from squirrel, sable or weasel hair. Some
swim on smooth Arches paper, others dive on rough-
textured, cotton-based sheets made with well water
at the 400-year-old Two Rivers paper mill in Somerset.
“I can pull otters out of my head,” Jackie says. “It’s
their shape and muscle strength that fascinate me.”
Now in her fifties, Jackie knew from the age of six
that she wanted to draw, “to conjure birds from paper
and colour” after her father had magicked up a lapwing
for her on a scrap of paper. She uses, appropriately,
Blackwing pencils, with paper stumps for smudging,
Winsor & Newton watercolours, and a panoply of
MARCH 2019 71
RU R A L A RT I S A N

“I don’t do
books for
children. I do
books for
people”
pens with a range of coloured inks – “Sepia creates a
lovely effect”. Often labelled a children’s author, she
explains: “I don’t do books for children. I do books
for people. They have to appeal to children, parents,
illustrators.” Initially, however, she was told she was too
working class to pursue a creative career – presumably
because she didn’t have a private income – but was
determined to go to art college. At Exeter University, her
tutor said, “Your attitude is as substandard as your work.”
She transferred to a different course at Bath, where another
tutor recognised that she was hungry to learn – “which is
good, as you don’t have much talent”. She proved both of
them wrong after graduating, when she was commissioned
by national magazines including Radio Times, New
Statesman and Country Living, supplementing her income
by working on a cheese stall while living in a farmhouse
on the edge of Bath, saving money; and walking, always
walking. She drew illustrations for Greenpeace, Amnesty
International and Oxfam, and it was when her greetings
cards were spotted by children’s author Caroline Pitcher
that she was encouraged to work on storybooks. A few
years later, she started writing them, too: “I have always
loved chasing words, seeing them in my mind’s eye.
Writing is like drawing words.” When asked if it’s difficult
to create both the words and the images for a book, she
says no, “because you use different parts of the brain.
And you get paid twice”.
What’s surprising – and encouraging – is that Jackie
couldn’t read fluently until she was 12, and her spelling
was atrocious. But her advice to other aspiring artists and
authors is: “Read everything. If you’re not enjoying it, put
it down. You might pick it up again in ten years’ time.” In
Jackie’s case, the words start on a Remington typewriter
that belonged to her father: “He was a policeman and
used it to write up murder reports. Now I write poems on
it.” Despite being highly regarded – “The Lost Words has
taken on a life of its own and brought new audiences
to Robert Macfarlane and to me” – she is never content
with her work. In fact, she doesn’t like it. While other art,
including Tamsin Abbott’s folkloric stained-glass

Jackie also likes to focus keeping with this, she

on magical and mythical paints pebbles found on
themes, dreaming up fairy the shoreline with labyrinth
tales for her storybooks; in designs in gold leaf

72 MARCH 2019
RU R A L A RT I S A N
Jackie spends hours watching, writing
and drawing in the open air
pieces, hang in the low-beamed, slate-floored kitchen
and sitting room, very little of hers is on display. “It’s not
the finished product I like, but the process. That’s what
keeps me going – it will be better next time.” She says in
the past she’d be in tears sending off her work, thinking
it wasn’t good enough, and she still gets nervous. “Then,
when I see it in print, I usually decide it’s okay.”
Jackie spends hours watching, writing and drawing
in the open air, in fields fringed with snowdrops or on
clifftops punctuated by gorse, to get natural features
exactly right; for The Wild Swans she spent days
observing them at Slimbridge Wetland Centre. On
her daily walks with Ivy the lurcher cross, Pi the cocker
spaniel and Elmo the ginger moggie (the two Bengals,
Lady Spittifer and White Boy, remain at home in the
comfiest chairs), she collects large pebbles and small
stones. Taking them home, she decorates them with gold
leaf in a labyrinth design before placing them by running
water to be re-found. Her current regime is to work on
the beach alone for two hours before a 10am dip in the
icy water off St David’s Head with her regular swimming
group, the Bluetits. She then dons her Dryrobe and
74 MARCH 2019
returns home to carry on. A collection of wooden sand
timers, measuring from 15 minutes to one hour, nag her
to settle down to work: “I fool myself that if I turn two
of them, I will get double the work done.” Her son
Tom, 26, who lives with her, keeps the hearth stacked
with logs (the woodburner is her only source of heat).
He used to live in Plymouth, where daughter Hannah,
24, is based, but came back to west Wales: “He says
I make life too comfortable for him.”
In quieter moments Jackie says she likes to “watch a
good film under a blanket of cats”, but, with a deadline
for her next book looming, as well as requests pouring
in for her to speak and live-draw at literary festivals,
visit schools and tutor on creative writing courses, she
can’t afford to let time slip away. So, for now, she’ll be
heading back upstairs to the attic to transfer today’s
natural wonders onto the page.
For more information, visit jackiemorris.co.uk.
Numerous campaigns are crowdfunding to buy a
copy of The Lost Words (Hamish Hamilton, £20)
for every primary school in the UK.
countryliving.com/uk
For when your heart
is in the country
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C O N S E RVAT I O N

TURNING
the TIDE
Through her pioneering work at The National Lobster
Hatchery in Cornwall, marine biologist Carly Daniels helps
to support sustainable crustacean stocks, aiding coastal
communities in the process
WORDS BY LAURAN ELSDEN PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID CHARBIT

78 MARCH 2019
C O N S E RVAT I O N
 ou wouldn’t ordinarily think of lobsters as charismatic
but, according to marine biologist Dr Carly Daniels, they’re
actually quite charming. “They have their own distinct
personalities,” she says, “and, as much as people might say
they look fearsome, I think they’re rather beautiful.” Able to
taste with their feet and regenerate lost legs, antennae and
claws, there’s no doubt that these crustaceans are remarkable.
Carly certainly thinks so and, as head of production, science and
development at The National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow,
she’s working to help ensure native lobsters continue to walk
the seabeds around Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
In a bid to avoid the same fate as Mediterranean and Scandinavian
stocks – which have never fully recovered from overfishing – the
charity was set up in 2000 when lobster numbers showed signs
of decline in Cornish waters. “Lobsters are known as a ‘keystone
species’,” Carly explains. “Not only are they a coveted food, they
also play a crucial role in the underwater ecosystem. They feed
on the likes of starfish and sea urchins, which, if left unchecked,
can affect the abundance and balance of other marine life.” On the
quayside overlooking the Atlantic, The National Lobster Hatchery
conducts important research and education projects. Most
notably, Carly works tirelessly to raise young lobsters through their
vulnerable larval stages before using Aquahive® systems – hexagonal
trays that sit within a cylinder of water where feeding can be done in
situ – to rear the juveniles. The team nurture the lobsters until they
are around three months old, by which time they have developed
a natural survival instinct, including learning how to hide in the
sediment on the seabed, and can be released into the ocean.
This important conservation work couldn’t be done without
the help of local coastal communities. “Fishermen bring female
lobsters in to us when their fertilised eggs are between two to four
weeks away from hatching,” Carly says. “In the wild, the babies
released from their mother’s tail would float around as plankton;
fish food basically. Only one in every 1,000 might ever make it
through to adulthood.” It’s also the fishermen, along with local
divers, who release the young lobsters back into the sea with

OPENING PAGE Newly hatched assistant Emma Theobald – an

lobster larvae CLOCKWISE increasing number of women
FROM LEFT The harbour at are now pursuing a career in
Padstow; The National Lobster aquaculture; Carly prepares to
Hatchery; Carly with research release a lobster into the wild

countryliving.com/uk
C O N S E RVAT I O N

With oceans covering more than 70 per

cent of the earth’s surface, Carly rightly
points out that caring for them is paramount
C O N S E RVAT I O N
the hope they’ll grow into sizeable adults. “It’s great for it to go full
circle and for the fishermen to get something back at the end.”
After studying marine biology at the University of Plymouth,
Carly started to volunteer at the Hatchery. This marked the
beginning of her fascination with lobsters, and in 2004 she was
offered a permanent job. “I love that there’s always something new
to learn about them,” she says. “Every time you’re trying to find the
answer to a question, you’ve got to turn around and ask ten more.”
Having woken up in the early hours, Carly has made the journey
from Padstow on the north coast to Par Docks on the south before
sunrise. “My schedule varies drastically,” she says. “One day I’m in
the office from nine to five writing funding applications, another I’m
presenting our research to international audiences.” But today she’s
doing what she loves most. Pulling on yellow waterproofs and a life
jacket, she’s about to set out onto St Austell Bay.
Diversification is a key part of the Hatchery’s work, and, as part
of an innovative ‘on-growing’ project* (whereby juveniles are reared
in containers in the ocean before being released back into the wild
once they’re larger and more experienced), it has teamed up with
Gary Rawle, founder of West Country Mussels of Fowey. Using the
existing infrastructure of his operation – which includes an area
of water that extends to the size of 40 football pitches – lobster
containers are secured to vast ‘long lines’ that run two metres
PREVIOUS PAGE The Hatchery at the Hatchery for more
uses a vessel owned by West than 15 years, and each day is
Country Mussels of Fowey different; at just a few months
FROM TOP LEFT Carly (pictured old, lobsters are ready to be
centre with Emma Theobald released into the wild, where
and Charlie Ellis) has worked they will hopefully thrive
84 MARCH 2019
under the sea’s surface and are used to grow mussels. “People are
realising that rearing just one animal isn’t necessarily the way
forward. It’s all about harnessing a multi-species system,” Carly says.
After a 15-minute boat journey – luckily today’s fine weather
WEST COUNTRY MUSSELS OF FOWEY, THE CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES & AQUACULTURE SCIENCE
makes for smooth sailing – Carly and the team reach their
*THE LOBSTER GROWER 2 PROJECT WAS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE NATIONAL LOBSTER HATCHERY,
destination. With help from the ship’s crew, the containers are
hauled from the murky depths below: treasure troves brimming
with jewel anemones, pink scallop shells, skeleton shrimps and
delicate brittle stars. With a heavily gloved hand (those claws can
give quite a nip), Carly carefully lifts out a medium-sized lobster.
“They’re scavengers, so will eat anything,” she says. “The on-growing
system mimics their natural habitat, providing them with wild food
sources and an ecological conditioning step, which allows them to
grow larger and healthier.” The crustaceans will be assessed to
determine whether this sea-based on-growing has been a success (CEFAS), THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER AND FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY
before they are transported under dampened hessian sacks to
where they will be released.
With oceans covering more than 70 per cent of the earth’s surface,
Carly rightly points out that caring for them is paramount: “We’ve
got to be respectful of what we’ve got. We’ve lived off the land for
so long and in some ways have destroyed it. We need to make sure
we don’t do the same thing to our seas.” Spending her spare time
kayaking, paddle-boarding and walking Cornwall’s coastal paths
(The Lizard Peninsula is a favourite), she can trace her love of water
back to childhood: “I remember looking over the side of my parents’
boat with a sense of awe,” she says. “Not being able to see the bottom
and wondering what was down there in that vast expanse. It makes
you realise there are bigger powers out there than us.”
To find out more, visit lobstergrower.co.uk.
countryliving.com/uk
Best for dramatic
scenery…
SNOWD ON
M O U N TA I N
R A I L WA Y
THE JOURNEY
This plucky little rack and pinion
railway winding 4.7 miles up Mount
Snowdon takes the puff out of scaling
Wales’s highest peak – with diesel and
steam services both setting off from
Llanberis station. On the way, the
single carriage climbs past gorges,
rock formations, tumbledown stone
dwellings and fields dotted with sheep.
It provides a cocoon from the March
mountain chill, especially at Halfway
station, from where you watch walkers
on the trackside footpath braving the
cold. Everyone is heading upwards –
and visitors have been able to buy a cup
of tea on Snowdon’s top, the ultimate
destination, since the mid-19th century.
Visit snowdonrailway.co.uk.

T H E D E S T I N AT I O N
From Clogwyn station, 45 minutes and
three-quarters of the way up, you can enjoy
dramatic views of Snowdonia National
Park in all its emerald spring finery.
 T R AV E L

On the right
TRACK
The first signs of spring might be on the horizon, but
there’s still a nip in the air, so take advantage of
Britain’s historic railways and enjoy some of our most
beautiful landscapes without braving the elements
WORDS BY ANNA MELVILLE-JAMES
Best for sea views…
EXETER TO PENZANCE
THE JOURNEY
Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel,
the South Devon Railway was planned
as an ‘atmospheric’ stretch of rail and,
thanks to its geography, trains still have
to slow down along parts of it; this makes
it great for watching the scenery, which
is as impressive today as when the line
was first built. Past the Exe Estuary, the
tracks lead into Dawlish, where the train
sweeps along the seafront, metres from
the water. In spring, the horizon meets
huge blue skies, and high spring tides
water-pattern the windows and break
over the tracks. Breathe in the seaweed
tang before you clatter on through
Plymouth to Cornwall, where the route
ducks inland, popping out to the sea at
St Austell and finally again at the UK’s
westernmost tip. It’s a reasonably long
journey – around three hours – but the
Night Riviera sleeper from London also
runs along this line if you want to see
the sights by moonlight before bed.
Visit gwr.com and search ‘Exeter to
Penzance’.
T H E D E S T I N AT I O N
Walking trails take you from the Land’s
End signpost past Bronze Age burial
mounds and an Iron Age hill fort to
cliffs above the churning Atlantic – to
look for America in the distance, or at
least seals playing in the waves below.

Best for foodies…
GROSMONT TO PICKERING
THE JOURNEY
Little is more civilised than afternoon
tea in a Pullman carriage, and this
journey offers beautiful moorland
scenery to boot. The North Yorkshire
Moors railway’s steam and diesel
trains take in the quiet drama of this
heather-coated landscape sculpted
by shadows on a 24-mile, hour-long
moveable feast. Of course, you don’t
have to dine – and non-dining day
There’s no scenery
that can’t be
improved with a
round of dainty
sandwiches and a
cup of Darjeeling
tickets can take you even further along
to Whitby – but there’s no scenery
that can’t be improved with a round
of dainty sandwiches and a pot of
Darjeeling. Or indeed gin tasting, wine
tasting or even fish and chip nights,
which are also on offer. All are served in
carriages of bouncy upholstery, chrome
fittings and white tablecloths, the way
train travel was surely intended.
Visit nymr.co.uk.
T R AV E L
T H E D E S T I N AT I O N
The round-trip afternoon tea ticket
only stops in the ancient market
town of Pickering long enough
for a 15-minute leg stretch before
returning you to Grosmont. But
this is no great loss as the sleepy
Esk Valley village is delightful for a
stroll, especially during late spring
when the local woods fill with
expanses of bluebells.
MARCH 2019 89
T R AV E L
Best for wilderness…
INVERNESS TO KYLE OF LOCHALSH
THE JOURNEY
Rolling out from Inverness into wild
expanses of natural drama, presided over
by the formidable Torridon Peaks, the
untamed beauty of the Kyle Line is hard
to beat. Cutting across the Northwest
Highlands, this two-hour-long journey
skirts the still waters of Lochluichart and
Loch a’Chroisg, passing mountainside
forests and abandoned crofts before
stopping at a series of quaint villages.
Along the route, you can enjoy a panorama
of moors, red deer, weather-hewn rock
90 MARCH 2019
outcrops and peaks, often with the added
drama of the changeable Scottish weather.
Visit scotrail.co.uk and search
‘Kyle Line’.
THE DESTINATION
Kyle of Lochalsh village sits right at the
end of the Lochalsh Peninsula, across the
water from Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye.
A ferry used to connect the two villages
until 1995 when the Skye Bridge was
built, making this the perfect jumping-
off point for a trip to the island.
countryliving.com/uk
T R AV E L

Best for nostalgia…

AV O N VA L L E Y
R A I L WA Y
THE JOURNEY
Beeching’s axe fell on this three-mile
stretch of branch line between Bristol
and Bath in the 1960s, but it survived
thanks to volunteers who began
restoring and re-laying it just a decade
later. Today, it’s as if the 1950s never
left, with the huff and whistle of steam
sounding in the valley – the heritage
engines make the hour-long journey
daily between Bitton, a restored
Victorian station, Oldland Common
and Avon Riverside. The railway shares
its route with the Bristol and Bath
Railway Path, a 13-mile pedestrian and
cycle track that runs alongside it and
connects the two city centres. In spring,
this wildlife corridor is alive with
nature waking up, full of unfurling
leaves, dappled sunlight and birdsong
– year-round, though, you can spot
artwork from the sculpture trail
along its route.
Visit avonvalleyrailway.org.

T H E D E S T I N AT I O N
Take to the waters in Bath’s ancient
natural thermal spa (below) like
the Victorians did – the city is a short
distance further along the Railway
Path from Avon Riverside station
and the Thermae Bath Spa’s open-
air rooftop pool is the modern soak;
then hunker down for a traditional
afternoon tea at The Country Living
Hotel Lansdown Grove.

92 MARCH 2019
T R AV E L
Best for embracing the season…
OX F O RD T O L E D B U RY
THE JOURNEY
For many of us, the cheery sight of
daffodils bobbing in the breeze is the
first sign spring is finally here. And no
more so than in the ‘Golden Triangle’
of the Gloucestershire-Herefordshire
border, where swathes of wild daffodils
mark the season as they have done for
centuries. Back in the 1930s, the Great
Western Railway even put on special
day trips – “Daffodil Specials” – from
London to Ledbury for people to
admire them and gather bunches
94 MARCH 2019
to take home. Today, you can enjoy
the perennial show as you travel along
the Cotswold Line that winds for two
hours through some of the UK’s most
bucolic landscapes and honey-
coloured villages, including Moreton-
in-Marsh and Chipping Campden.
Visit gwr.com and search ‘Oxford to
Ledbury’.
T H E D E S T I N AT I O N
Pick up a map from a local shop and
walk the Daffodil Way, a ten-mile
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALAMY; ANDREW MONTGOMERY; SHUTTERSTOCK.
INFORMATION CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS
circular route that takes you through
meadows and woods lit with nodding
yellow blooms. If you prefer a more
manageable stroll, there are plenty of
marked short cuts, and be sure to stop
for a ‘daffodil tea’; many village churches
run them from mid-March onwards.
See page 100 for details of an
exclusive Country Living reader
four-day railway tour in the Scottish
Highlands, travelling on the iconic
Jacobite steam train.
countryliving.com/uk
 Would you like to become a
Country Living
ARTISAN?
Sell your products around
the UK in our CL Pavilions –
contact us now to find out how
COUNTRY LIVING IS ON THE ROAD!
We are travelling the country, taking our popular
CL Pavilions to some of the most prestigious and fun
events around the UK this summer. At eight different
shows in 2019, from the RHS Hampton Court Palace
Garden Festival to Burghley Horse Trials, the
Pavilions are sought-after shopping attractions.
Every event features small businesses selling
beautiful items, and each one is hand-picked by
us to be part of this unique Country Living retail
showcase. We are always looking for new talent
and products, so if you have a small business, are a
maker or producer and are interested in becoming
a CL exhibitor, we would love to hear from you!

FIND COUNTRY LIVING PAVILIONS AT:

OBadminton Horse Trials
O RHS Malvern Spring Festival
O RHS Hampton Court Palace
Garden Festival
O The Great Yorkshire Show
O RHS Tatton Park Flower Show For more information about all the benefits
O The Game Fair of being a CL exhibitor, email
O Burghley Horse Trials countrylivingshows@hearst.co.uk,
O CL Christmas at Ascot with brief details of your products.
We look forward to hearing from you!
 HOLIDAYS
We’ve hand-picked a selection of wonderful trips and travel experiences
we know you will enjoy. Book them before they’re gone!

DON’T MISS OUT!

FIND MORE OPTIONS
If the dates shown for each holiday
aren’t right for you, call our tour
operators on the specific phone
numbers to discuss alternatives
VISIT THE WEBSITE
We are continually adding new
trips and tours. You can view all
Country Living Holidays at
countryliving.com/uk/holidays
SIGN UP NOW!
Join our email list to be the first to
know when we launch new holidays
and offers like these. Visit
countryliving.com/uk/holidaylist

countryliving.com/uk/holidays MARCH 2019 97

 HOLIDAYS
E XC LU S I V E TO U R

See Japan in bloom

Experience the beauty of
Japan’s cherry blossom on this
exclusive 17-day tour that
includes Tokyo and a luxury
cruise along the Pacific coast

Kiyomizu-dera
Temple in Kyoto

See the magnificent

Mount Fuji by
bullet train

THE HIGHLIGHTS
TOKYO’S CHERRY MOUNT FUJI BY
BLOSSOM BULLET TRAIN

T
o visit Japan in
spring, when the
iconic cherry
blossom covers the
country in beautiful pink
blooms, is sure to be an
experience on many people’s
lists of travel destinations.
This wonderful bespoke tour
takes in the very best of the
sakura (blossoms), as well as
the rest of Japan by land and
sea. You’ll stay in neon-lit
Tokyo for three nights in a
four-star hotel, and enjoy two
exclusive day trips. One will
take you to the best spots in
the city for hanami (cherry
blossom viewing) and the
other will whisk you to see
majestic Mount Fuji on one of
Japan’s famous bullet trains.
You’ll then board luxury
ship Celebrity Millennium
for an 11-night round-trip
cruise from Tokyo, including
stops at Osaka for Kyoto,
Kochi Castle and Busan,
the second largest city in
South Korea.
With April being peak
cherry blossom season,
this perfectly timed tour is
simply not to be missed. It’s a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
to experience the magic and
mystery of Japan at the very
best time of year to go.
The flowers are deeply
symbolic in Japan, and their
short-lived existence taps into
a long-held appreciation of the
fleeting nature of life. You’ll get
the most fabulous panoramic
view of the blossoms from the
dizzying heights of the Tokyo
Tower, as well as visit some
of the prettiest and most-
photographed cherry trees in
the world. More than a million
visitors enjoy the delicate pale
pink flowers that symbolise
new beginnings. You can
admire them in the Zojoji
Temple and Chidorigafuchi
and Kitanomaru national parks.
You can’t visit Japan without
seeing Mount Fuji or travelling
by high-speed bullet train. So
we’ve included a wonderful
day trip from Tokyo to Japan’s
most iconic mountain. Enjoy
the scenery of rural Japan as
you travel to Mount Fuji’s fifth
station, 2,300 metres above
sea level, and stop for lunch.
Take a cable car ride on the
Komagatake Ropeway, which
boasts great views of the
Hakone National Park, and
a scenic boat cruise on Lake
Ashi. Keep an eye out for the
bright red torii gates that
span the lake shore, too.

OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS

Cruise Direction specialises in luxury tailor-made cruises and escorted tours to
destinations across the world. Tripsmiths partners with the world’s leading tour
operators and select media brands to deliver exclusive travel experiences.

countryliving.com/uk/holidays

Tokyo’s
Chidorigafuchi
Park resplendent
in blossom
Enjoy luxurious
cabins on the ship
SAIL IN STYLE
The Celebrity Millennium (right)
will be your home for a luxury
full-board 11-night cruise around
the coastline of Japan. You’ll board
at Tokyo’s port at Yokohama and
sail to Osaka, Kobe – home of
the famous beef – and Busan in
South Korea. With a capacity of
2,158 passengers, the ship is small
enough to still feel intimate but
large enough to support multiple
countryliving.com/uk/holidays
restaurants, Jacuzzis, outdoor
pools, an adults-only solarium
and a big Broadway-style theatre.
You can choose from six different
cabin types and upgrade to ocean-
view or balcony cabins and suites.
17-DAY
TOUR
INCLUDES A LUXURY
CRUISE
YOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1 Fly overnight from London to Tokyo DAY 2
Tokyo DAY 3 Tokyo’s best cherry blossom spots
Tour DAY 4 Mount Fuji and Hakone tour on bullet
train DAY 5 Transfer to Celebrity Millennium
DAY 6 Shimizu, Mount Fuji DAY 7 Osaka for
Kyoto DAY 8 Kobe DAY 9 Kochi DAY 10 Fukuoka
DAY 11 Busan, South Korea DAY 12 Day at sea
DAY 13 Aomori, Japan DAY 14 Day at sea DAY 15
Tokyo DAY 16 Flight departs DAY 17 Arrive in UK
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Return flights and blossom spots
private airport Full-day Mount Fuji
transfers and Hakone tour
Free airport lounge including lunch, Lake
pass Ashi cruise and bullet
Three nights’ four- train journey
star accommodation 11-night full-board
in Tokyo cruise on the
Tour of Tokyo, taking Celebrity Millennium
in the best cherry All port taxes and fees
THE PRICE From £3,199pp*
THE DATES 6-22 April 2020
TO BOOK OR DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE
DATES OR ITINERARIES, call 01462
323738, quoting CLJAPAN
For more details and to see the full itinerary, go to
countryliving.com/uk/japancherryblossom
*Based on two people sharing a cabin. Subject to availability. Regional flights
may be available at a supplement and are subject to availability. Single cabins
are available on request and at a supplement. Ask about upgrades to all-
inclusive packages including drinks. This promotion is exclusive to Hearst UK
and may be promoted by other Hearst UK brands. This trip is ATOL-protected

Explore the Scottish
Highlands by steam
Experience breathtaking scenery by paddle steamer
TAKE ONE OF and the iconic Jacobite steam train
THE
WORLD’S
GREATEST
RAILWAY
JOURNEYS
F
or hundreds of years, the wooded
hills and glens and the crystal-
clear lochs of the Trossachs have
inspired visitors from all over the
world. On this exclusive four-day holiday,
you will travel over land, sea and loch – all
powered by steam. Travelling on the famous
Jacobite steam train, the paddle steamer
The Waverley and the SS Sir Walter Scott,
you will take in the impressive sight of
Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis,
enjoy a unique experience on the world’s
first rotating boat lift, and pass over the
spectacular 21-arch Glenfinnan Viaduct,
as seen in the Harry Potter films.
VOYAGE BY PADDLE STEAMER
Aboard the world’s last ocean-going
paddle steamer, The Waverley, you will
set sail across the Firth of Clyde, enjoying
the gentle beauty of the Argyll hills and the
Kyles of Bute from the deck. The SS Sir
Walter Scott has been piloting tourists over
Loch Katrine for more than 100 years and
is one of only a few surviving screw-driven
steamers in service. She retains her original
engines, now using smokeless solid fuel,
and many passengers enjoy pressing their
noses against the viewing pane to watch
the triple-expansion steam engine. The
scenery around the loch is breathtaking –
at its northern end is Glengyle, the birthplace
of Scottish outlaw and folk hero Rob Roy.
OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS
Brightwater Holidays is an award-winning travel operator specialising in garden and specialist-
interest escorted tours worldwide. Tripsmiths partners with the world’s leading tour operators
and select media brands to deliver exclusive travel experiences.
HOLIDAYS
E XC LU S I V E TO U R
THE FALKIRK WHEEL
As part of your boat journey,
you will experience the
world’s first rotating boat lift
– the Falkirk Wheel – before
sailing along the Union Canal
below the Antonine Wall to its
visitor centre. This UNESCO
World Heritage Site marked
the northernmost frontier of
the Roman Empire, some 99
miles north of Hadrian’s Wall.
A STEAM JOURNEY
The Fort William to Mallaig
line is frequently voted
the world’s greatest railway
journey. Aboard The
Jacobite, you will puff past
rugged scenery, craggy
coastlines and inland lochs.
After a stop for seafood or fish
and chips at Mallaig, you will
return to Fort William with
Champagne and chocolates.
S TAY I N G I N L U X U RY
Your base for three nights is
the four-star Macdonald
Forest Hills Hotel & Spa in
The Trossachs, where the 55
classically styled bedrooms
are inspired by the landscape.
YOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1 Falkirk Wheel DAY 2 Fort William to Mallaig
(return trip) on The Jacobite DAY 3 River Clyde on
The Waverley DAY 4 Checkout/Loch Katrine
on the SS Sir Walter Scott
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Three nights’ dinner Clyde on the PS Waverley
(with wine), B&B at the A trip on the Fort
four-star Macdonald William/Mallaig line on
Forest Hills Hotel & Spa, The Jacobite steam train
Aberfoyle (with Champagne and
Return flights from chocolates on the return)
London Stansted to Sailing Loch Katrine
Edinburgh on the SS Sir Walter Scott
A ride on the Falkirk The services of a
Wheel boat lift Brightwater Holidays
A journey on the Firth of tour manager
THE PRICE From £1,095* per person
THE DATES 27-30 June OR
16-19 August 2019
TO BOOK OR DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE
ITINERARIES, CALL 01334 441826,
quoting code CLSTEAM
For more details and to see the full itinerary, go to
countryliving.com/uk/scotlandbysteam
*Based on two sharing a room and flying from London Stansted. A £30pp supplement
applies for August. Regional flights and/or overnight accommodation before/after tour
are available and at a supplement. A discount for no flights is also available. Single
rooms are available on request at a supplement. This trip is ATOL protected. This
promotion is exclusive to Hearst UK and may be promoted by other Hearst UK
brands. For full terms and conditions, visit countryliving.com/uk/scotlandbysteam
 HOLIDAYS
E S C O R T E D TO U R

Learn the secrets of the

English country garden
with Sarah Raven
Enjoy dinner and afternoon tea with the garden designer, writer and
broadcaster, as well as private tours of Sissinghurst, Perch Hill and
other renowned gardens in Kent and Sussex LIMITED
PLACES
BOOK
TODAY!

YOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1 Great Comp Garden and Lullingstone Castle
Hear Sarah Raven’s DAY 2 Pashley Manor, Great Dixter and Sissinghurst
knowledgeable talks DAY 3 Scotney Castle and Sarah’s garden at Perch Hill
DAY 4 Marchants Hardy Plants and Parham House
WHAT’S INCLUDED

F
ew things in life can compare VISIT SISSINGHURST Three nights’ bed and tea at Perch Hill
with the joy of strolling through You will go on a private after- breakfast at the four- Visits to the gardens
an English country garden at the hours tour and three-course star George in Rye hotel of Lullingstone Castle,
height of summer, when roses, dinner at Sissinghurst, Two dinners at the Great Comp, Pashley
sweet peas and clouds of azaleas are all the famous Kent garden hotel Manor, Great Dixter
spectacularly on show. This four-day trip, created by the writers Vita Comfortable coach and Parham House,
exclusively for readers of Country Living, Sackville-West and Harold travel throughout Marchants Hardy Plants
features private visits to world-class gardens Nicolson in the 1930s. Special talks and nursery and garden
in Kent and Sussex, plus two special events events with Sarah Raven, Services of a
hosted by the inspirational Sarah Raven. TALKS AND TIPS including Sissinghurst Brightwater Holidays
Anyone with a passion for gardens and The following day sees a dinner and afternoon tour manager
gardening will delight in the itinerary. trip to glorious Scotney
Highlights include the shrubs and perennials Castle, then on to Sarah’s
THE PRICE From £1,195* per person
of Great Comp Garden, Scotney Castle, garden at Perch Hill, for a THE DATES 16-19 JULY 2019
magnificent Lullingstone Castle, the roses private afternoon event. TO BOOK OR DISCUSS
and lavender of Pashley Manor, another
classic English garden at Great Dixter, the YOUR STYLISH HOTEL
ALTERNATIVE ITINERARIES,
nursery at Marchants Hardy Plants and You will stay throughout CALL 01334 441835, quoting
the herbaceous borders at Parham House. at the four-star George code CLGARDENS
What’s more, you will have the chance in Rye. This stylishly For more details and to see the full itinerary, go to
to join Sarah Raven for talks and a flower- renovated hotel is ideally countryliving.com/uk/gloriousgardens
arranging masterclass during a special located at the heart of *Based on two sharing a room. Single rooms are available on request at a
supplement and subject to availability. Timings of Sarah’s events are subject to
event at her garden, Perch Hill, plus an the charming town, change and there may be slight alterations to the itinerary due to operational
exclusive dinner at Sissinghurst, one of the and has its very own restrictions. This trip is ATOL protected. This promotion is exclusive to Hearst UK
and may be promoted by other Hearst UK brands. For full terms and conditions,
most admired flower gardens in the world. Georgian ballroom. visit countryliving.com/uk/gloriousgardens

OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS

Brightwater Holidays is an award-winning travel operator specialising in garden and
specialist-interest escorted tours worldwide. Tripsmiths partners with the world’s leading
tour operators and select media brands to deliver exclusive travel experiences.

countryliving.com/uk/holidays
STRAPLINE
Enjoy the ultimate gourmet
getaway at Belmond
Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons
Escape to the country with a luxurious
overnight stay at Belmond Le Manoir and
enjoy a fabulous dinner at Raymond
Blanc’s two-Michelin-star restaurant
T
ucked away in the Oxfordshire
countryside, the creeper-
covered Belmond Le Manoir
is one of the country’s most
luxurious hotels. Surrounded by
manicured gardens, the honey-coloured
stone manor is the ultimate countryside
retreat, with perfectly groomed lawns, a
vegetable garden that feeds the kitchen,
cosy corners and friendly staff. But,
with Raymond Blanc at the helm, it’s
the Michelin-starred restaurant that
takes centre stage, which is why we’re
thrilled to offer Country Living readers
this exceptional gourmet stay.
Each of the individually designed
guest rooms draws inspiration from
Raymond Blanc’s extensive travels,
and you will enjoy complimentary
Champagne while you settle in. Spend
OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS
Tripsmiths partners with the world’s leading tour operators and select media brands to deliver
exclusive travel experiences. Belmond Ltd is a hotel and leisure company that operates luxury
hotels, train services and river cruises around the world.
HOLIDAYS
E XC LU S I V E O F F E R
YOUR ITINERARY
WHAT’S INCLUDED
One night’s accommodation based
on two people sharing a room
Half-bottle of Champagne
in your room on arrival
Full English breakfast
the afternoon relaxing in the manor Dinner from any of
house or explore the delightful local Raymond Blanc’s menus*
area, before returning to the hotel for Signed copy of Raymond Blanc’s
what promises to be an unforgettable book A Taste of my Life
dining experience. Sample exquisite
flavours from any of Raymond Blanc’s THE PRICE FROM £538PP**
celebrated fine-dining menus, before
retiring to bed. An extensive breakfast
THE DATES 10 JANUARY-
spread awaits the following morning, 31 MARCH 2019†
while you savour the final moments of TO BOOK, CALL
your five-star getaway.
01325 271549
Treat yourself to an quoting code CLBELMOND
indulgent escape For more details and to see the full itinerary,
go to countryliving.com/uk/
belmondlemanoir
Terms & conditions *Wine not included. **From price based
on two sharing. Subject to availability. †Valid Sunday-Thursday
until 31 March 2019. Selected dates subject to availability. This
promotion is exclusive to Hearst UK and may be promoted by
other Hearst UK brands. For full details of the itinerary and terms
and conditions, visit countryliving.com/uk/belmondlemanoir
countryliving.com/uk/holidays
 wild
d
wonder

Frogspawn
WORDS BY KATE LANGRISH. PHOTOGRAPH BY ALAMY
IT MAY BE COLD OUTSIDE but, across the country, ponds
and waterways are quietly springing into life. Look carefully
among the reeds or at the water’s edge and you could be rewarded
with the sight of glistening frogspawn lying just below the surface.
While toads create long strings of eggs that drape over pond
plants, frogs lay their jelly-like clutch in big clusters. Over the
coming weeks, the tiny black dots at the centre of each egg will
transform into wriggling comma shapes before emerging as
tiny tadpoles. Once they have hatched, it takes around 14 weeks
for the astounding metamorphosis to take place. The tadpole’s
tail shrinks and its body becomes less rounded; its legs grow;
N AT U R E
lungs and eardrums develop; and, finally, it transforms into
a froglet that can leave the pond. Incredibly, it’s a process that
tadpoles can control; slowing it down if the weather is too cold
or speeding it up if threatened by a pond full of predators.
Although it’s fascinating to observe, especially for children,
frogspawn needs very specific conditions and care, so, unless
you have a Field Studies Council chart (details below), it’s best
to watch it in the pond rather than taking it home.
The FSC Keeping Frog Tadpoles chart is available
at field-studies-council.org.
MARCH 2019 105
 Forgotten
CRAFTS
The cordwainer

Once found on every high street, traditional shoemakers

are now in short supply. But Alison Hastie and her
team, based in a busy workshop on the edge of
Dartmoor, are bringing the skill back
WORDS BY HESTER LACEY PHOTOGRAPHS BY PENNY WINCER
 CRAFTSMANSHIP
Unlike commercial
factories, which can
produce thousands
of pairs of shoes per
day, Green Shoes
makes between 15
and 30 per week
CRAFTSMANSHIP

magine stepping out in a pair of shoes, made just for

you, that really fit, that accommodate your high arches
or narrow heels, your long, slender bones or extra-wide feet;
and even (whisper it) work around a bunion. This level of
expertise and comfort sounds like the preserve of the very
highest end of the bespoke market but, perhaps surprisingly,
handmade shoes are not that much more expensive than off-the-
shelf footwear. And, unlike mass-market purchases, such shoes
are made with longevity and repair in mind. “This pair is on its
third set of soles – I made them in the 1990s,” says shoemaker
Alison Hastie, pointing to a rather fine-looking pair of Chelsea
boots on the resoles shelf. They are one of several pairs handmade
by the team at Green Shoes, based in the Devon market town of
Moretonhampstead, which have been brought back by customers
to be rejuvenated. “How long shoes will last depends on how much
wear they get and how carefully you look after them,” says Alison,
adding that you can expect at least four to five years of use and
often up to ten or more. Once you start looking at cost per wear,
a pair of handmade shoes starts to look like quite a bargain.
However, you are lucky if there is an independent shoemaker in
your town – the days when the cordwainer, who made shoes, and
the cobbler, who repaired them, could be found on every high street
are long gone. The art of shoemaking, which has been around since
prehistoric times, has dwindled to an all-time low. Alison co-founded
Green Shoes in 1981 – one of half a dozen start-ups sharing premises
in a Georgian house in Totnes, Devon. When Country Living
first visited nearly ten years ago, the business was already an
established champion of the handmade, ethically produced and
long-lasting. Since then, it has come on in leaps and bounds. Last
year it won the Heritage Crafts Association Made in Britain Award,
and has recently been listed among the 15 top shoemakers in
the world for its ethical standards. In 2013, Green Shoes also
relocated to larger premises in a listed former Wesleyan chapel.
Today, its beautifully high-arched etched-glass windows look down
on a thriving workshop. Piles of leather stacked under a sturdy
wooden workbench are graded from chocolate and conker browns,
caramels and tans through to blues and greens to jazzier shades
of pink, yellow, silver and gold. The temperamental squawk of the
zig-zag sewing machine blends with the whirr of the more docile
top-stitchers; the press adds its hefty thump as the Green Shoes logo
is stamped into another pair of insoles. Customers can view this hive
of activity from the shop, upstairs in the chapel’s mezzanine.
“For me, it’s all about the craft,” says Alison, who began making
shoes after seeing the process in action at the Hood Faire, a
festival with a focus on crafts, held near Dartington in the 1970s
and 80s. “I hope that by allowing access to what we do – letting
people look at the process – more will get the bug. There’s no
reason why it can’t be replicated in every town.” It’s a strategy that
appears to work. Alison regularly takes on apprentices and two of
her current trainees joined the company after getting a taste for
shoe-making at one of Green Shoes’ workshops. Apprentice Polly
Collins grew up nearby and returned to Devon after graduating in
2013 with a first-class degree in jewellery and silversmithing from
Edinburgh College of Art, where she experimented with texture
and grain – “I was interested in making metal look like leather,”
she explains. Supported by an award from the Queen Elizabeth
Scholarship Trust (QEST), Polly started in 2015 and learned

THIS PAGE Using traditional often return to get their

skills, methods and tools, the
company has a sustainable
ethos, keeping energy,
waste and packaging to a
minimum and it also employs
local people. Past customers
shoes repaired and resoled,
increasing the longevity
OPPOSITE Alison Hastie is
proud that her company has
organically become a female-
led establishment

108 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 Piles of
leather are
graded, from
conker brown,
caramel
and tan to blues
and greens
CRAFTSMANSHIP
“I love making something that
is both beautiful and functional”
how to make a pair of shoes from start to finish. The process
begins with selecting the leather (Green Shoes are made from
high-quality surplus leather commissioned by larger brands but
not used, thus making good use of otherwise redundant material)
and cutting out the pattern pieces from the hide using an ultra-
sharp ‘clicking’ knife, then gluing in a lining of soft pigskin. Skiving
in shoemaking terminology doesn’t involve sneaking a long
lunchbreak, but carefully shaving away the edges of the leather to
ensure a smooth seam that won’t rub the wearer’s foot. “The most
satisfying thing is when all the 3D elements come together,” Polly
says. The sole is attached using a chunky, heavy-duty sewing machine,
then the shoes are steamed on a last to achieve their final shape.
Like Polly, Sarah Spicer’s first experience of shoemaking was
at a Green Shoes workshop. She moved from Yorkshire to join the
company as an apprentice in 2012 and her current Saturday-only
working hours fit around her two-year-old son. Today, Sarah is
working on bootees for toddlers, made in soft grey suede, with
ABOVE Customers value 30 years or so. While Green
the perfect fit, good looks Shoes already offers footwear
and green ethos – some made of vegan microfibres,
have purchased from the Alison is keen to explore
company for the past entirely plant-based ‘leather’
110 MARCH 2019
orange leather stars, and destined for the shop upstairs. Around
half of the Green Shoes output goes to personal visitors, and the
rest goes by mail order or online – the company’s website shows how
to draw and measure your feet. When Sarah joined Green Shoes,
she fulfilled a long-held ambition. “I had always wanted to live more
rurally while learning a useful skill,” she recalls. “Now I love making
something that is both beautiful and functional for a specific
person. When you make shoes, you recognise them when they come
back for repair – and are thrilled to give them a new lease of life.”
There was never any specific policy to have an all-female team,
it just happened, says Alison, who estimates she has employed
around 45 women over the years – currently three full-time and two
part-timers: “There was a time when women’s businesses were rather
under the radar, with a feeling that we couldn’t do practical stuff,
but we can be loud and proud now.” A recent round of interviews
for their latest apprentice has left Alison optimistic about the
future: “When Green Shoes started out, there was barely a glint of
interest, but this time I was seeing highly qualified young women
with practical skills, very up on social media – and living locally.”
She hopes some of them will take over when she eventually steps
aside, but hopefully that won’t be for a good few years yet…
Green Shoes (01647 440735, greenshoes.co.uk).
countryliving.com/uk
 CL PROMOTION

Walking on air
With quaint villages, mountain scenery and accessible hiking
routes, the Swiss Alps make for a relaxing yet rejuvenating escape

Ancient paths take you

through sublime scenery
as you travel between
villages, exploring the
Alps at your leisure.
Larger historic settlements
include the lakeside city
of Locarno, which you can

C
visit as part of an Inntravel
self-guided holiday

risp mountain air, the gentle clang

of cowbells and acres of unspoilt
meadowland – the Swiss Alps are a
walker’s haven. And, while the craggy
slopes and crystal-clear lakes might seem a
million miles away from your everyday, it’s
actually surprisingly easy to reach them – thanks
to Switzerland’s famously efficient network of
trains, boats, cog railways and cable cars. A short
journey from Zurich, cutting straight through the
countryside, will have you high up in the hills –
eating raclette in a charming mountain restaurant,
before heading out for an invigorating hike.
From meandering trails in the foothills to steeper
ascents for the more seasoned trailblazer, there
are routes to suit every pace and preference.
A stint in the Swiss Alps offers a wonderful
way to slow down, unwind and reconnect with
nature. To ensure total relaxation, Inntravel
carefully crafts itineraries, selects characterful
family-run hotels and offers detailed route notes,
so you can enjoy a self-guided walking holiday
without having to worry about the legwork.

Inntravel offers a wide range of carefully

curated self-guided walking trips to suit all
abilities. Visit inntravel.co.uk to learn more
and book today.
THIS PAGE The
decorated lid of a
sailor’s trunk, bought
in Turkey, hangs above
an 18th-century Irish
oak console table
in the dining room
OPPOSITE Barrie
outside the property
in East Sussex

ECHOES
of the past

The former artisan inhabitants of Barrie and Jo Stewart’s

historic home in Rye have been rich material
for its sensitive renovation
WORDS BY JO LEEVERS PHOTOGRAPHS BY PENNY WINCER
INTERIORS
INTERIORS
hen Barrie and Jo Stewart opened
the front door to their new home in
Rye, East Sussex, they were greeted by a curious parcel
of papers. “In the middle of the floor was a package
wrapped in white cotton and tied with red ribbon. It
contained the original deeds and also documents relating
to the house, which date back to 1703,” Barrie says.
Interestingly, those handwritten records also
detailed the various professions of the property’s former
inhabitants. Over the centuries, ‘The Mint’ (so called
because money was once coined on the street where
it sits) had been home to tallow chandlers, sailors,
wheelwrights, cordwainers and linen wrights, while
a wig maker, a hairdresser and tailors had used its
leaded windows as a shop front.
The house, parts of which date back to Tudor
times, also held its own clues to other, off-the-record
occupants. “We found a tiny smugglers’ door in the
eaves,” Jo says. “If there was a raid, smugglers could
swiftly vanish through to the attics of neighbouring
houses and emerge at the other end of the street.”
Reading about the artisans and craftspeople who
had lived within its walls helped to inspire the couple’s
renovation of the Grade II-listed property. “When
it came to decorating the rooms, we included some
references to the tradespeople who have lived here
over the centuries,” Barrie says. So a vintage mannequin
head in one of the bedrooms is a subtle reminder
116 MARCH 2019
BELOW, FROM LEFT The dining room from the
characterful property is set kitchen’s working area;
on a road that runs from in previous centuries, the
the town’s high street rear outside space was
down to a riverside quay; a working yard, but it’s
original beams divide the now a paved seating area
of the wig maker, while beeswax candles provide a nod
to the chandlers who worked here.
With such a creative tradition among the house’s
former occupants, it’s fitting that Jo and Barrie also
work in the world of textiles and fashion. Vintage linens
dotted around the bedrooms are the couple’s tribute
to the tailors and linen wrights of bygone times. “Using
textiles to add texture to the spaces was particularly
appealing,” Barrie says. Vintage French sheets, softened
with wear, have been hemmed and hung as curtains.
Striped mattress covers have been given a new lease
of life as bedcovers and old linen shirts are hung as
decorative items. “The detail and fine needlework
– even on everyday workwear – is incredible,” Barrie says.
But before the couple could start trawling local shops
and fairs for these finishing touches, there was a lot
of careful restoration work to do. While ideas for the
house’s redesign came from delving into its artisan past,
rebuilding it sensitively required the expertise of modern
builders and craftspeople. “We liked the idea of creating
something that felt bespoke rather than off the peg
countryliving.com/uk
 The vintage French
farmhouse table in the
dining room had its
legs lengthened for
modern-sized diners by a
local furniture restorer

“We liked the idea of creating something that

felt bespoke rather than off the peg”
INTERIORS

“The goal was to put

back authentic
character but with
our modern
eye for simplicity”
OPPOSITE AND BELOW
RIGHT A stack of historic
documents relating to
the house sits on an
antique bench on the
landing. Hungarian mining
bottles decorated with fuse
wire and an artist’s vintage
palette add colour to the
pale-shaded space

by using local artisans and experts,” Barrie explains. “The

aim was to bring the house back to life in an authentic
style that took its lead from the building itself.”
Early on in the project, the couple visited a forge
in nearby Robertsbridge to find replacement backplates
for the large inglenook fireplaces. “They were the things
we loved about the house, so we wanted to reinstate them
as faithfully as possible,” Barrie says. The forge was “like
a graveyard of old fireplace ironware” and the couple
had their pick of original and recast pieces. But, having
made contact with the blacksmith, they also commissioned
him to make other pieces for the house, such as the curtain
rods and rings. “He combined a simplicity of shape with
the slightly rough, visibly hammered finish that we
wanted,” Barrie says.
A local carpenter, with experience of working in listed
buildings, was employed to make a bespoke kitchen and
sets of simple, rustic shutters from salvaged planks. “We
wanted someone who understood the quirks of the building
and would approach the work in a sympathetic way,” Barrie
adds. A seamstress ran up the curtains from French linen
sheets, which give privacy without completely obscuring
the leaded windows and frames. During the renovation,
the couple also visited other old properties for inspiration
(Cotehele in Cornwall was a favourite) but they didn’t
want to create a look that was “preserved in aspic”. Instead,
Jo says, the goal was “to put back its authentic character
but with our modern eye for simplicity”.
In the upstairs bathroom, the walls had to be taken
back to the original wooden laths and reconstructed
with increasingly fine layers of plaster, mixed with horse
and goat hair, as the couple were keen to replace like for
like. “An unforeseen benefit was that because the exposed
laths were made from chestnut timber, they filled the
house with an amazing rich smell,” Barrie says. Then

ABOVE RIGHT Beneath

the stripped-back beams
in the living room is a
vintage armchair from
The French House,
reupholstered in old linen
sheets for a deliberately
unfinished feel. Paintings
by Luke Hannam provide
a contemporary balance
LEFT An antique wooden
side table, also in the
living room, brings warmth
to the white scheme
INTERIORS

LEFT Ornate antique

wooden carvings hang
above the roll-top bath
BELOW This cosy bedroom
is decorated in reds and
creams. The chest came
from Goose Home and
Garden, with a duck
decoy adding a whimsical
touch. Jo and Barrie found
the oil painting on ebay

there were the original beams, which were still sound but
had more recently been painted a thick, dark brown. “As
the house is listed, there was no way we could sandblast
them,” Barrie explains. “We started stripping them back by
hand, but it was a huge and messy job, so we got two local
chaps in to help. There are a lot of painters, collectors and
creative people around Rye and bringing The Mint back to
life introduced us to lots of them.”
The couple also enlisted the help of a dealer in medieval
and primitive oak furniture in nearby Herstmonceux and
a furniture restorer, who seamlessly added inches to an
18th-century farmhouse table’s legs to make it comfortable
for modern diners. Alongside the antique pieces are
smaller curios and vintage items with a contemporary feel,
including the paintings by Luke Hannam in the living room.
When they aren’t in Rye, Barrie and Jo rent out The Mint:
“It’s lovely when guests appreciate the artisan details that
we’ve worked into the property,” Barrie says. “There’s a real
sense of the history in this house.”

For holiday rentals or to buy Barrie and Jo’s

vintage finds, visit themintinrye.com.

120 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 Now a dressing room,
the attic has a secret
smugglers’ door, which
was once an escape
route into the lofts of
neighbouring houses

“It’s lovely when guests appreciate the details

we’ve worked into the property”
GARDENING

STYLE
Quintessential English
country garden
SEASONS OF INTEREST
All year round
SIZE
Two acres
SOIL TYPE
Thin, well-drained, sandy
 Rosemary Alexander’s
garden is a lesson in seasonal
planting, combining
beautiful bulbs with carefully
chosen shrubs,
trees and perennials
WORDS BY PAULA MCWATERS

Making
the most
of spring
 he prospect of a garden visit to the home of the founder
and principal of The English Gardening School could
seem daunting. After all, Rosemary Alexander is one of
Britain’s gardening gurus. She has headed up the
internationally renowned school since 1983, written six
books – two of them award winning – and lectured all over the
world. So it is good to find that she is not only warmly welcoming
but also refreshingly honest about her own garden. “Oh, that’s
a mess,” she’ll say, waving a hand dismissively over a bed that
needs attention. “This all needs to come out” or “We need to
make changes here”. These are statements guaranteed to
encourage any gardener, for if Rosemary Alexander can’t
always get it right, there is hope for us all!
Of course, to a less discerning eye, her garden – particularly
in early spring – looks to be brimming with successful plant
combinations and design techniques. Analysis and evaluation
are second nature to Rosemary, so in the 18 years she has lived at
Sandhill Farm House, near Petersfield in Hampshire, she has
constantly refined and improved it. An excess of conifers was the
first thing to go, enabling Rosemary to devise a delicate woodland
area that perfectly frames the 17th-century farmhouse.
Some existing trees – a mature, multi-stemmed Amelanchier
lamarkii and twin Betula utilis var. jacquemontii – have had
room to shine since the conifers went. The amelanchier is
reassessed every spring so any new growth that might spoil
its elegant, open framework or threaten to shade the planting
beneath can be judicially pruned. A ladder is leant against the
white birch trunks, which are then scrubbed with a scourer
and bucket of water (plus a tiny drop of washing-up liquid)
until their barks seem to glow, just like freshly exfoliated skin
– a trick that Rosemary learned on her travels in Japan.
Beneath them comes an under-storey of early flowering shrubs
– equally carefully pruned and many sweetly fragrant – including
spike witch hazel Corylopsis spicata, with pale yellow flowers
hanging like delicate tassels from its naked branches, and
white-flowered evergreen Osmanthus x burkwoodii, which wafts
its scent right across the garden. One of Rosemary’s favourite
witch hazels, Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Vesna’, forms a goblet
shape of twiggy growth, dotted with deep orange-yellow flowers.
Rosemary has banked up the borders in the woodland area
by piling up peat blocks and back-filling with soil. This was done
18 years ago, and although the use of peat has since come into
question it has proved an effective device here, raising the beds
almost three feet higher in the middle than the edges, so the
plants appear to spill down towards the paths and are easier

THIS PAGE, FROM and ‘Thalia’ narcissi, greets

TOP Glistening white birches
and Helleborus foetidus
are reflected in the pond;
the green and white border,
with ‘Spring Green’, ‘Maureen’
and ‘Exotic Emperor’ tulips
visitors as they arrive
OPPOSITE, TOP In the
woodland garden, the juneberry
Amelanchier lamarkii is
pruned regularly to maintain
a graceful open shape
 GARDENING

“Use every inch – you

can have two or three
things in one area”

to see and admire. The ground is carpeted with hellebores and

pulmonaria, erythroniums, narcissi and honesty, and dotted
with early tulips including rich orange ‘Ballerina’.
Tulips ‘Maureen’, ‘Exotic Emperor’ and ‘Spring Green’ are stars
in the green and white border, which is an area that strikes visitors
as they arrive through the gate. It looks particularly effective in
the evening, so supper guests are greeted by a luminous planting
scheme. Among the tulips, Rosemary grows white bleeding heart
Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Alba’, fluttery white ‘Thalia’ narcissi and
summer snowflakes Leucojum aestivum. “For years we had roses FROM LEFT The
here but they never did well, so eventually out they came,” Rosemary terrace, framed by box
says. She adds to the bulb numbers every year, as tulips, unlike the and euphorbia, offers
more reliable narcissi, don’t always re-flower. a welcome place to sit;
Irish yews provide structure all year round, along with box balls, Rosemary Alexander
which Rosemary has pruned into nimbus cloud shapes either

countryliving.com/uk MARCH 2019 125

GARDENING

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE

FROM FAR LEFT A
decorative beech
archway; tulips, narcissi,
euphorbia, muscari and
box balls lead the eye to
the South Downs beyond;
hellebores are always
reliable OPPOSITE A
sheltered bench under
Prunus serrula acts as a
focal point on the path

side of the path to the front door. As part of her constant

reassessment, Rosemary has been breaking up the lines of what TIPS FROM SANDHILL
she calls “the motorway” – a wide gravel path that runs right across
the front of the house – with low-growing grey-leaved helianthemums,
FARM HOUSE
Dianthus cruentus alpine pinks and several varieties of Bowden Regularly reassess your snapdragons eg Antirrhinum
lilies Nerine bowdenii, which should thrive in the gritty, well- trees and shrubs and cut out majus ‘Admiral White’ and
drained soil here and give a wonderful show of colour in autumn. any branches crossing or filigree-leaved umbellifer
Rosemary has made fine use of vertical space, too. “You can casting too much shade. Ammi visnaga.
never have enough walls in a garden,” she says. “Make the most
Choose scented spring Semi-evergreen berberis,
of every inch – you can have two or three things in one area”.
shrubs – Osmanthus x eg Berberis thunbergii
Her climbing roses include the very early primrose-yellow Rosa
burkwoodii, witch hazels, f. atropurpurea ‘Dart’s Red
banksiae ‘Lutea’ and pink Rosa ‘Eden Rose’, which flowers three
Corylopsis spicata and Lady’, makes a useful low
times a year. “Its only snag is that the blooms are so heavy they
Daphne bholua hedge for defining areas.
tend to hang their heads.” She also grows Clematis ‘Princess Diana’
‘Jacqueline Postill’.
and star jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides: “The trick with To decide planting positions
trachelospermum is to cut it hard back after flowering.” To keep back soil from for clumps of tulips, dot
In the rear garden the spring colour palette is more jewel-like. gravel paths, edge beds with the borders with upturned
Rosemary and her gardener plant hundreds more tulips every year plants such as glossy-leaved plastic pots of the
in magenta and pink in a double rose and peony border that embraces wild ginger Asarum appropriate height to
views over the South Downs. Grape hyacinths Muscari armeniacum europaeum, London pride represent them and stand
and Alchemilla mollis provide ground cover. Recently, Rosemary (Saxifraga x urbium) and back to assess any gaps.
found the structural elements wanting, so she whipped out two evergreen ferns.
Honesty (Lunaria annua)
lines of variegated standard Italian buckthorns and replaced them
Select the best varieties is much underrated. Use it
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ABIGAIL REX/GAP GARDENS

with silver weeping pears, Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’, which she will
of old favourites such as for its pretty purple flowers
prune into balls. Nothing in this garden stands still for long.
pulmonaria. ‘Blue Ensign’ followed by translucent
has plain green leaves papery seed heads.
Sandhill Farm House, Rogate, Petersfield, Hampshire,
and gentian-blue ‘Chedglow’ and ‘Corfu Blue’
opens for the National Garden Scheme on 13 and 14 April,
flowers; ‘Diana Clare’ has are varieties to look out for.
and 28 and 29 September, 2-5pm (also 10 February, 10am-
silvery-green leaves and
4pm, for snowdrops). See ngs.org.uk or rosemaryalexander. Source Cyclamen
violet-blue flowers.
co.uk for details. Rosemary’s classic, The Essential Garden hederifolium in pots, as
Design Workbook, written with co-author Rachel Myers, is in Follow white tulips with bare corms have often dried
its third edition (Timber Press, £25). For details of The English long-lasting, showy out when you buy them.
Gardening School, see englishgardeningschool.co.uk.

126 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 A
collector’s
LOT
In the heart of a pretty
Somerset village, an 18th-
century converted farm
cottage and sheds are filled
with the owner’s carefully
displayed treasures

WORDS BY JANE STACEY

PHOTOGRAPHS BY HUNTLEY HEDWORTH
STYLING BY BEN KENDRICK
 INTERIORS

countryliving.com/uk MARCH 2019 129

 INTERIORS

he artistic eye of Susie Smith is evident in every corner

of her 18th-century farm cottage in the Somerset village
of Batheaston. Vivid paintings hang on the walls, floors
are scattered with brightly coloured rugs, and open
cupboards and shelves are home to carefully curated
displays. “I like surrounding myself with pieces that aren’t
worth anything but are precious to me, picked up over the years
in junk shops and while on holiday. I deliberately put different
objects and textures together. A ceramic sheep bordering on
kitsch and a beautiful piece of coral, for instance,” Susie says,
pointing to a curio-filled shelf above the dining table. “I love the
serendipitous juxtaposition of pieces. I’ve got cupboards full of
stuff that I’ll wheel out to change things around occasionally.”
As a calm backdrop to her “installations”, as Susie jokingly
calls them, she has painted the whole house in pale colours.
“I wanted the rooms to flow into each other, so I’ve chosen white,
neutrals and soft greys, adding colour with rugs, chairs and
cushions.” She follows the sunlight around her house as each
day progresses, spending the morning painting in the kitchen,
before moving on to her sitting room to read, and then changing OPPOSITE Susie made the is painted in Farrow & Ball’s
position again to enjoy the late afternoon sunshine that floods coffee table from a workshop Pavilion Grey and the darker
the top of the house. “It is so peaceful and quiet,” she says. bench, cutting down its legs unit in Mole’s Breath. The dolls’
But this former farm cottage hasn’t always been so light or so and painting it THIS PAGE, house, purchased from a junk
colourful. When Susie first viewed the property in 2007, it was FROM TOP Staffordshire dogs shop in Bath, is for Susie’s
still part of a working farm, and the outbuilding that now forms keep guard on top of glazed grandchildren to play with
her kitchen was just a tractor shed. “The top part of what is now cupboards, which display Susie’s when they visit; rooflights and
my garden was hard-standing for the tractors and we had to drill collection of Victorian pottery new, larger windows give the
down quite a way to get to the soil beneath,” she says. The and plates. The pale woodwork old farmhouse a more airy feel

countryliving.com/uk MARCH 2019 131

INTERIORS

Various paintings by Susie,

her family and friends
adorn the wall above the
table. The chairs, some
of which Susie painted
in Farrow & Ball’s Pavilion
Grey, are gifts from her
daughter. Colourful Indian
rugs are scattered on a
travertine floor from
Mandarin Stone

132 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 “I wanted the rooms
to flow into each other,
so I’ve painted in
neutrals throughout”
INTERIORS
main farmhouse was built in the 17th century and added
to over the years, with Susie’s cottage an 18th-century addition.
“It was a bit of a rabbit warren inside; lots of small, dark rooms
leading into one another. But I could see that there was actually
a lot of space, especially downstairs,” Susie says. “It had been
rented out to a series of tenants, so perhaps inevitably it had an
unloved, neglected feel.” With her grown-up children in homes
of their own, she saw the scope for a house that would provide
space for painting, reading and entertaining. “There was a large,
sad-looking piece of south-facing land, which I knew I could
shape and turn into somewhere special over time,” she adds.
The first space Susie tackled was the kitchen. The original one
was divided from the dining area by a huge wall containing a
fireplace with a mezzanine floor – a set-up that Susie initially
thought charming. “It felt enchanting and cosy when I moved
in, but it soon became apparent that it just didn’t work. Both the
dining room and the kitchen were dark because there was only
one small window in each room,” she says. An architect friend
THIS PAGE The downstairs Georgian windows, lending
splashes of bright colour give the space a tranquil air
way to gentler shades of blue OPPOSITE The collections
upstairs. In this guest bedroom, continue in Susie’s bedroom,
striped cushions are arranged where a display cabinet houses
on the window seats, and swags pieces from an old French blue
of fabric soften the tops of the and white dinner service
134 MARCH 2019
helped her develop ideas for the two rooms, which were knocked
through into one large space. The mezzanine floor was removed,
the kitchen window enlarged and a French window installed in
place of the old dining room window. Roof lights were also added
to bring in even more daylight.
The existing solid-wood kitchen cupboard carcasses were kept
because they were well made, but were repainted and given new
handles; a couple of the doors were also removed to create some
open shelving. “The wood worksurface was a bit rough, but we just
sanded that down and it’s fine,” says Susie, who also added glazed
wall cupboards made from windows that were salvaged when
work was done on a friend’s cottage – another opportunity to
artfully display the collections of items that delight her.
“I prefer making do and taking on any changes gradually,”
says Susie, who, over the years, has had the roof retiled and a
staircase opened up to the top floor, where she has created an
extra bathroom. Now, her own paintings hang on the walls,
alongside those of her artist son and friends. And, in every room,
she has added shelves or display cabinets – or found little nooks
– to add pops of colour with much-loved objects – a row of orange
paperbacks lined up in the crook of the stairs; a vintage blue and
white dinner service in the bedroom; yellow china on the hall
table that complements the linen toile curtains; even a group of
stuffed birds and figurines in the downstairs cloakroom. These are
the clever curated touches of someone who understands colour and
shape – and how to use them to create a character-filled home.
countryliving.com/uk
In every room, Susie
has added shelves or
found little nooks to
bring bursts of colour
 HEAVENLY
hellebores
A love for the Lenten rose has led to a new-found career for one
woman, resulting in elegant flowers that are stars of the show in spring
WORDS BY STEPHANIE DONALDSON PHOTOGRAPHS BY CLIVE NICHOLS
 GARDENING

Picotee double Cream spotted anemone Picotee semi-double

There is a
variety and
colour of
hellebore
hybrid to
suit every
Small-flowered picotee
situation White double
MAIN PICTURE: APPLE BLOSSOM DOUBLE

Yellow double Apricot single Pink-red single

countryliving.com/uk MARCH 2019 137

GARDENING

n the dark days of winter when garden flowers are

scarce and generally modest in appearance, hellebores
(Helleborus x hybridus) emerge to delight the eye and lift
the spirits. Seemingly unperturbed by anything the weather
may throw at them, their flowers unfurl from among the
deeply divided evergreen leaves, in shades that range from
purest white, through yellows, pinks and reds, to smoky black.
Hellebores are flowers of infinite variety, encompassing single
colours, bi-colours, spotted, freckled and picotees with petals
edged and veined in a contrasting colour. There is variation
in their forms, too – single, semi-double, fully double and the
anemone-flowered hybrid that features a ruff-like central boss.
Once you awaken to the charms of the hellebore, they are hard
to resist and choosing which ones to grow becomes a pleasurable
dilemma. Before you know it, you will have started a collection
– and your winters will be brighter for it.
Lorna Jones of Hertfordshire Hellebores certainly started
small. “My sister gave me my first plant – a native stinking
hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) – that was not in flower, so it must
have been the shape of the leaf that attracted me,” she says. “It BREEDING HELLEBORES
was later on that I came across the hybrids with their wonderful If you’re patient and would like to try breeding your own
colours and shapes, but I didn’t make a conscious decision to plants, you’ll find that the large flowers make the transfer
start growing and selling them – I just fell into it.” of pollen to the stigma relatively easy. The bud should be
In the early days, it was very much a case of trial and error just opening with a little gap at the end of the petals. Peel
but – encouraged by some early successes – the number of plants the petals back carefully and pick an anther that has visible,
Lorna potted up each year gradually increased. Over time she ripe pollen on it, then, holding the filament of the anther,
has developed more than 60 different breeding lines within a transfer the pollen to each individual stigma of another plant
collection of several thousand individual plants, each line with (not the same plant – inbred hellebores don’t do well) before
their own unique characteristics. “It has taken me decades of gently pushing the petals back in place.
work to reach the point where I am today,” she says. “This has
Tie a length of wool round the stem (see above) to mark
been achieved through ‘line breeding’ where similar plants are
the pollinated flower. Harvest the seed in May and sow fresh
in pots of gritty soil-based compost. Stand the pots outdoors
THIS PAGE, FROM TOP length of red wool denotes a
in dappled shade, protected from birds and mice with wire
LEFT This heavily spotted pollinated flower OPPOSITE
netting. The seedlings will germinate in winter and should be
single has golden nectaries The dusky tones of this red
potted on until they reach flowering size, in about three years.
at its centre; a small-flowered single with dark foliage glow
torquatus picotee single; a in low winter sun

138 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 GARDENING

GROWING HELLEBORES
IN THE GARDEN
Hellebores prefer deep soil, high in humus, moist but
not waterlogged; they also do very well in clay. Improve
light soils with garden compost and leaf mould
They do best in a cool, semi-shaded position provided
by a house or garden wall, or when shaded by shrubs
and small trees
Hellebores survive on surprisingly little feed, but given
the chance they will benefit from a good feed. Apply
pelleted plant food annually and mulch with leaf mould
Lorna removes all the old foliage around Christmas – the
leaves can look tatty beyond a certain point and any black
spot may be passed on to new foliage, but you can leave a
few healthy leaves to frame the flowers
Mature hellebore plants have extensive leaf canopies that
can obscure companion snowdrops, cyclamen and wood
anemones – they will gain from the removal of some of this
foliage at flowering time
Lorna does not recommend dividing hellebores – they are
slow-growing and rarely get too big; it’s better to buy new
plants or grow some from seed

IN POTS
Hellebores develop an extensive root system, and require
a large pot to allow for growth and space for companion cross-pollinated over a number of generations to produce
planting, eg ivys, grasses or spring bulbs increasingly consistent results. Individual strains now yield
Plant in a gritty soil-based compost and mulch with gravel reliable results, but only if hand-pollination is used.”
Lorna explains that with garden-grown, insect-pollinated
Move pots into prime position close to the house when
hellebores, results will always be unpredictable. This can be one
they are in flower
of their joys, as they will all be slightly different, but can also be a
Do not neglect them once they have finished flowering. source of potential disappointment. Double flowers only produce
If you tuck them away, remember that they will need similar offspring if both parents are double, and some colours
regular water and liquid feed through the summer if – such as pink, red or white – will dominate, but she thinks it is
they are to continue to thrive worth allowing some seedlings to develop, if space permits. The
Stand potted hellebores in dappled shade when they’re biggest advantage of purchasing a hybrid hellebore in bloom is
not on display that it is possible to see just what the plant will look like. And it’s
not just the flower shape, colour and form that should be considered.
The apparent vigour and health of individual plants, the way
the flowers are held and the angle of the stem (some grow at an
awkward 45 degrees) are also factors. One of Lorna’s aims has been
to develop plants with blooms that face outwards rather than down.
There is a variety and colour of hellebore hybrid to suit every
situation. The whites and yellows are the most visible when
planted in shade; large, bi-coloured doubles create an extravagant
show; while doubles derived from H. torquatus are ideal for
windy, exposed positions as they tend to be short, and the
greens help to blend and unite a mixture of brighter colours.
For Lorna, the most exciting moment of the year is when she
walks down the rows of new flowering plants. “Most are nice
enough,” she says, “but my real hope is for an exceptional
specimen that is better than any of the existing plants in my
collection. The search for perfection is never-ending – there
OPPOSITE Hellebores need are distinctly marked; this is always something that could be improved upon.”
a large pot with room to grow pink semi-double and pale
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE pink anemone-flowered Hertfordshire Hellebores is open to the public on plant sale
FROM TOP RIGHT Petal hybrid both have outward- days in February. Visit herts-hellebore.co.uk or call 01920
edges of this picotee double facing flowers 438458 for dates. Hand-pollinated seed can be bought online.

countryliving.com/uk MARCH 2019 141


garden
notes
WHATEVER THE EARLY
SPRING WEATHER THROWS
at us, it’s time to get busy if we’re
to have a chance of keeping
up with all the jobs that are coming our
way. There are borders to be tidied and
mulched, cornus and buddleja to be
hard pruned and, most pressing of all,
flower seeds to be sown. A light, portable
potting tray with a wide, flat working
surface and high-sided surround is
ideal as it can be moved to wherever you
have space to work, whether in the shed,
greenhouse or even at the kitchen table.
Compost mix needs to provide good
countryliving.com/uk
Eastern
promise
Japanese flowering quinces
(Chaenomeles) have long been spring
favourites, but the bright pink and
red shades can prove too showy for
some gardens. C. speciosa ‘Geisha
Girl’ (left) is altogether more subtle
with double flowers in a deliciously
creamy apricot. It flowers later than
other varieties and can be kept nice
A GOOD READ
and compact, so is ideal for training Houseplants are in full-scale
against a wall or a trellis. Prune revival and if you’re new to their
after flowering to keep it in trim. charms, are rediscovering them
A three-litre pot costs £16.99 from after a long while or want an
Crocus (01344 578111; crocus.co.uk). indoor gardening book to give
to a young friend, The Little
Book of House Plants and
Other Greenery by Emma
Sibley (Quadrille, £8.99) could
prove useful. It’s an easy guide
about 60 popular plants, with
advice on light and watering,
and notes on how to propagate
them. Concise and accessible,
it will have you growing
elephant’s ears, ponytail palms
and devil’s ivy in no time.
Everything you
WHAT TO DO
need to know to Source hazel beanpoles and
get the most from twiggy peasticks (coppice-
products.co.uk has suppliers)
your plot in March Prune winter jasmine after
flowering
WORDS BY PAULA MCWATERS
Rake out dead foliage from
aeration and free drainage – Dalefoot ornamental grasses or cut to
wool compost for seeds has a good 10cm, depending on variety
texture (dalefootcomposts.co.uk), as Dig in any overwintered green
does Sylvagrow sustainable growing manures
medium (melcourt.co.uk). Keeping it
Sow tomato and pepper seeds
somewhere warm for a few days before
in a heated propagator
sowing will give seeds a cosier start.
Once everything is to hand, fill clean Lift and divide clumps of
pots and trays with compost and tamp summer-flowering perennials
them down so it sits beneath the rim, Plant out chitted early potatoes
then sow seeds onto the surface and towards the end of the month
cover with a fine layer of horticultural Prune autumn-flowering
grit, which prevents mosses forming. raspberries
With tiny seeds, it’s easier if you empty
Cut down winter seedheads
them onto a white plate first. Label,
and stems from perennials to
date and very gently water using a
make way for new growth
watering can with an upward-facing
rose. Put them in a cold frame Tackle overgrown climbers
or propagator and keep an eye – honeysuckle and ivy can
on them while you wait for results. be cut back hard
The promise of things to come.
MARCH 2019 143
STRAPLINE

Tip Choose varieties

named after famous
plantspeople, eg Bergenia
‘Eric Smith’ or Phlox
‘Bill Baker’ – they tend to
be ‘good do-ers’

Under the arches

A side return on a house can seem like dead space
but framing it with a smart, wall-mounted pergola
1 HOUR to make
like this one from Harrod Horticultural introduces
visual interest and opens up new possibilities for
a difference
planting. Made of galvanized steel with a high- If time is short, focus on one
temperature matt-black powder coating, it comes satisfying task – and the rest
in four widths. Starting with a 2.08m or 3.08m long of the garden can wait
base unit, from £399, you can add as many sections
as you need. CL readers can claim a ten per cent
discount with the code NTCLPERG until 30 March
2019 (0333 400 1500; harrodhorticultural.com).

KNEELING

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALAMY; MARK BOLTON; THE GARDEN-COLLECTION. ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARIANA.IO

GOOD
Burgon & Ball has
raided the extensive
botanical art archives
of the RHS’s Lindley
Library (rhs.org.uk)
to source this
luscious new dahlia
and peony design for
its British Bloom range.
CHARLESTON CHARM The Kneelo has a If you don’t already own a compost bin, now’s
Visit Charleston – home of the Bloomsbury good cushioning effect, the moment to set one up. A natural fertiliser
Set – in East Sussex just as the garden is waking with a waterproof and soil enricher, compost feeds your plants
up. Head gardener Fiona Dennis, who arrived neoprene cover over and improves your earth’s structure, and
in 2016, has been revising and overhauling the a layer of firm, making it at home saves trips to the dump.
planting to make it more ‘period-correct’ to shock-absorbing foam Best of all, it’s free, so forking it over your beds
Vanessa Bell’s time in the 1930s-40s. Spring bulbs and two layers of is hugely satisfying. Simple flat-pack wooden
include heirloom narcissi – snowy white ‘Thalia’, memory foam. It’s bins are available online (primrose.co.uk has
the oldest pink daffodil ‘Mrs R O Backhouse’ light and easy to carry a planked version for less than £30) or you can
(introduced in 1921) and cheery white and around, too, and knock one up out of pallets. In tight spaces,
orange ‘Barrett Browning’. A clump of Vanessa’s costs £19.99 from opt for a lidded plastic one (eg Garden Easy
favourite Iris reticulata has been reinstated garden centres and compost bin, £29.99, clasohlson.com).
by the gate. For details of opening times, see Burgon & Ball
charleston.org.uk or call 01323 811626. (burgonandball.com).

EVENT Weave willow garden structures at Waterperry Gardens in Oxford on 2 March or

27 April. At £110, tools and materials are included (01844 339254; waterperrygardens.co.uk).
144 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk
 A flavoursome
FEAST
Irish chef, restaurateur, author and broadcaster
Clodagh McKenna shares her favourite seasonal
recipes for entertaining at home
PHOTOGRAPHS BY DORA KAZMIERAK FOOD AND DRINK EDITOR ALISON WALKER

146 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 FOOD & DRINK
am never happier than when seeing
my loved ones sitting around the table
with smiles on their faces as they
enjoy delicious home-cooked food in
a beautiful setting. The importance of
supper at home has been instilled in
me since I was a child. I have so many
amazing memories of meals shared with
my family when we were children, the
table laid with proper linen, fresh
flowers and bowls of home-cooked food.
The suppers nearly always ended with
someone singing a song or one of us
giving some sort of performance. This
has now become a tradition in my own
home, sometimes even beginning before
the main course hits the table! For me,
this is what life is all about, enjoying
memorable moments together, sharing
food made by you around a table
where your friends and family feel
completely at home and relaxed.
HAZELNUT AND HERB-
CRUSTED LAMB CUTLETS
WITH PEA AND WILD
“Just one spoonful
GARLIC PURÉE
Preparation 20 minutes, plus resting
transports me back
Cooking about 20 minutes Serves 6
The flavours of the herbs and hazelnuts
roasted with the lamb cutlets are
to the forest”
utter heaven here, but you could use
almonds or pine nuts if you prefer.

3 French-trimmed racks of lamb

(about 6 cutlets per rack)
2 tbsp finely chopped mixed
rosemary, thyme and flat-leaf parsley
120g blanched hazelnuts,
roasted and crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
FOR THE PEA AND WILD
GARLIC PURÉE
600g frozen peas
75g wild garlic leaves, thoroughly
washed and chopped
75g salted butter
wild garlic flowers and pert leaves,
thoroughly washed, to garnish

1 Remove the racks of lamb from the

fridge at least 30 minutes before
cooking. Preheat the oven to 180˚C
(160˚C fan oven) gas mark 4.
2 Using a sharp knife, score the fat
of the lamb racks in a criss-cross
pattern. Heat a large frying pan
over a high heat. Add each rack in
turn, fat side down, to the hot pan
and sear the fat, then transfer to
a large roasting tin.
3 Mix the herbs, hazelnuts and oil
together in a small bowl, then press
the mixture onto the seared fat of
the lamb racks. Roast for 15 minutes.
4 While the lamb is roasting, prepare
the pea and wild garlic purée. Cook
the frozen peas in a saucepan of
boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain
and add to a blender or food
processor along with the wild garlic
and butter. Season with salt and
freshly ground black pepper and
blend to a smooth consistency.
Transfer the purée to a saucepan
ready to warm through before serving.
5 Remove the lamb from the oven and
leave to rest for 5 minutes, then slice
into individual cutlets. Spoon the
warmed pea and wild garlic purée
in the centre of four warmed plates
and lay three lamb cutlets on top.
Garnish each serving with wild
garlic flowers and a wild garlic leaf.
WILD GARLIC SOUP
WITH TOASTED ALMONDS
AND SHEEP’S CHEESE
Preparation 25 minutes
Cooking about 25 minutes Serves 6
Just one spoonful of this wild garlic
soup is so deliciously pungent, it
transports me back to the forest where
I picked it. During other seasons, you
can replace it with spinach, watercress
or wild nettle tops.
50g butter
300g potatoes, peeled and
roughly chopped
100g onions, roughly chopped
1 litre hot chicken or vegetable stock
200g wild garlic leaves, thoroughly
washed and chopped
100ml double cream
FOR THE TOPPING
50g blanched almonds, toasted
and chopped
80g sheep’s cheese, such
as feta, crumbled
80ml extra-virgin olive oil
wild garlic flowers, thoroughly
washed, to garnish
1 Place a heavy-based saucepan over
a medium heat and add the butter.
Once the butter has melted, add
the chopped potato and onion, stir
well and cover the pan with a lid.
Reduce the heat to low and leave
the vegetables to sweat for about
10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2 Add the hot stock and wild garlic
leaves and bring to the boil. Then
reduce the heat and simmer,
uncovered, for about 10 minutes,
until the potatoes are tender.
3 Transfer the soup to a blender or food
processor, or use a hand-blender, and
blend to a smooth consistency.
4 Return the soup to the saucepan (if
necessary) and season with salt and
freshly ground black pepper. Stir in
the cream and place over a medium
heat for just 2 minutes to warm through.
5 Meanwhile, for the topping, mix the
almonds, sheep’s cheese and extra-
virgin olive oil together in a small bowl.
6 Pour the soup into warmed bowls,
spoon the almond and cheese mixture
on top of each serving and sprinkle
with wild garlic flowers to garnish.

148 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 FOOD & DRINK
ASPARAGUS MIMOSA high heat for 5 minutes, turning often
Preparation 20 minutes Cooking 10 minutes Serves 4 so that they are evenly cooked.
These green spears look so beautiful served on the table – and the combination 3 For the dressing, whisk the lemon
of the roasted asparagus with the egg flecked on top, finished with the sweet, juice, shallot, basil and mustard
citrusy flavours of the lemon and basil in the dressing, is so delicious. The eggs and together in a small bowl, and season
dressing can be prepared the day before, so it’s quite an easy starter to pull together. with salt and pepper. Then add the
extra-virgin olive oil in a slow stream,
20 asparagus spears, / tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 8 whisking constantly.
woody ends trimmed 80ml extra-virgin olive oil 4 Shell and halve the eggs, then push
1 tbsp olive oil through a medium-mesh sieve into
2 hard-boiled eggs 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan another small bowl or finely chop.
FOR THE DRESSING oven) gas mark 4. 5 Toss the asparagus spears with 1 tbsp
juice of 1 lemon 2 Toss the asparagus spears in the olive of the dressing in a large bowl, then
1 tbsp finely chopped oil and season with salt and freshly divide the dressed asparagus between
shallot ground black pepper. Place on a four plates. Spoon the remaining
1 tbsp torn basil leaves baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, dressing over the asparagus and
1 tsp Dijon mustard or roast on a hot griddle pan over a sprinkle the egg on top.
FOOD & DRINK
WILD GARLIC TAGLIATELLE WITH GOATS’ CHEESE, 2 Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan
COURGETTES AND TOASTED ALMONDS of salted water to the boil over a
Preparation 15 minutes Cooking about 5 minutes Serves 4 high heat. Stir in the fresh pasta
I love making this dish in spring because it’s so light and fragrant. At other times, I and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the
simply replace the wild garlic with other fresh herbs that are in season, such as basil, cooked pasta and return to the pan,
mint or oregano. I sometimes add grilled Dublin Bay prawns for a weekday supper. then add the remaining tablespoon
of olive oil and gently toss to coat.
2 tbsp olive oil 50g Parmesan cheese, shaved 3 Stir the courgette ribbons, soft
4 courgettes, cut into ribbons goats’ cheese, wild garlic leaves
using a vegetable peeler 1 Place a griddle pan or frying pan and almonds into the pasta, and
500g fresh tagliatelle over a medium heat and add 1 tbsp season with salt and pepper.
200g soft goats’ cheese olive oil. Add the courgette ribbons 4 Serve the tagliatelle on a warmed
4 tbsp chopped wild garlic leaves to the pan and cook for 2 minutes platter or on individual plates,
100g blanched almonds, on each side. Season with salt and with the Parmesan shavings
toasted and chopped freshly ground black pepper. sprinkled on top.

150 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

FOOD & DRINK

LEMON VERBENA POSSETS

Preparation 10 minutes, plus chilling Cooking about 10 minutes Serves 4 CL BOOK
I have added lemon verbena, as it gives such a delicious depth, but don’t worry OFFER
if you can’t find it as you can just leave it out. This dessert can be made up to Extracted from
two days before serving if you keep it in the fridge. Clodagh’s Suppers by
Clodagh McKenna
2 lemons bring to the boil, stirring (Kyle Books, £20). To
125g caster sugar occasionally until the sugar order a copy for the special price of
6 lemon verbena leaves, has dissolved. Whisk in the £14 including p&p, call 01235 759555,
plus 4 leaves to serve cream and cook for 3 minutes. quoting reference 9952100016.
425ml double cream 3 Divide the mixture between four
small glasses or ramekins. Leave to
1 Grate the zest of the lemons into cool, then chill for 2 hours until set.
a saucepan, then squeeze out and 4 Remove the possets from the
add the juice, followed by the sugar fridge at least 30 minutes before
and lemon verbena leaves. serving and top each posset with
2 Place the pan over a low heat and a lemon verbena leaf.

152 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

Sweet
INSPIRATION
Treat friends and family to these home bakes that are
perfect for springtime celebrations or a special afternoon tea
RECIPES BY HEARST FOOD NETWORK FOOD AND DRINK EDITOR ALISON WALKER

RYE DARK CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Preparation 20 minutes, plus chilling Cooking about 25 minutes Makes 10
Rye flour adds a deep toasty flavour to these delicious biscuits.
200g dark chocolate, finely chopped
25g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
2 large eggs, at room temperature
100g light brown sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
40g rye flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
sea salt (optional)
1 Gently melt the chocolate and butter
together in a heatproof bowl set over a
pan of barely simmering water. Remove
and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2 With electric hand-beaters, whisk the
eggs and sugar in a large bowl for about
5 minutes until pale and mousse-like.
Fold in the melted chocolate mixture
along with the vanilla extract.
FOOD & DRINK
3 Mix in the flour and bicarbonate of
soda. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
4 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan
oven) gas mark 4. Grease and line two
baking sheets with baking parchment.
Scoop the dough into 10 mounds,
spaced well apart on the sheets (each
cookie will be about 2 tbsp). Wet your
hands with cold water, then roll the
dough into balls, squashing slightly
down. Sprinkle with sea salt, if you like.
5 Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes until
slightly puffed and firm around the
edges – the tops should crack a little.
Allow to cool for 15 minutes on the
baking sheets before transferring to
wire racks to cool completely. Store in
an airtight container for up to 2 days.
MARCH 2019 155
FOOD & DRINK
RICH COFFEE AND WALNUT SPELT CAKE
Preparation 1 hour, plus cooling Cooking 3 hours 20 minutes Serves 12-16
Cardamom pairs beautifully with coffee and brings a modern twist to this classic cake.
150g walnut halves
20 cardamom pods
2½ tbsp instant coffee powder
375g unsalted butter, softened,
plus extra to grease
275g light muscovado sugar
6 medium eggs, lightly beaten
375g white spelt flour
1 tbsp baking powder
50g caster sugar
FOR THE MERINGUE KISSES
2 medium egg whites
100g caster sugar
1 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tsp hot
water, plus extra, sifted, for sprinkling
FOR THE SYRUP
40g light brown muscovado sugar
1 tsp instant coffee powder
8 cardamom pods, bruised
FOR THE COFFEE BUTTERCREAM
200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
400g icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp instant coffee powder dissolved
in 1 tbsp boiling water
1 First, make the meringue kisses:
preheat the oven to 110˚C (90˚C fan
oven) gas mark ¼. Beat the egg whites in
a grease-free bowl with electric hand-
beaters until stiff peaks form. Gradually
add the caster sugar, whisking constantly
– the meringue should be thick and
glossy. Whisk in the coffee mixture.
2 Line two large baking sheets with baking
parchment (use a little meringue to stick
down the corners). Spoon the remaining
meringue into a piping bag fitted with a
1cm round nozzle. Pipe 20 ‘kisses’ on to
the lined sheets, spacing apart. Bake for
2 hours, then turn off the oven and leave
to cool completely inside. Put into an
airtight container until ready to use.
3 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan
oven) gas mark 4. Put the walnuts on to
a baking tray and toast in the oven for
10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Bash the
cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar
to release the seeds; continue to grind
the seeds as small as you can. Put the
10 Spoon 6 tbsp into a piping bag fitted
seeds and husks into a cup with the
instant coffee and 4 tbsp boiling
water. Stir, then set aside to infuse.
4 Grease and line a 20cm deep
loose-bottom cake tin. In a large
bowl, beat together the butter and
sugar with electric hand-beaters
for about 5 minutes until light and
fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, a
little at a time, adding a little flour
if it looks like it might curdle.
5 In a separate bowl, sift together
the flour and baking powder. Strain
the coffee into a jug and discard the
husks. Set aside 50g walnuts for
the decoration; chop the rest.
6 Fold a third of the flour into the egg
mixture, followed by half the coffee.
Repeat until it has all been added.
Finally, fold in the chopped walnuts.
Turn into the prepared tin. Bake for
1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer
inserted comes out clean.
7 To make the syrup, in a small pan,
melt the sugar with 75ml water over
a low heat, then bring to the boil and
simmer for 2 minutes. Off the heat,
whisk in the coffee and cardamom
pods. Leave to cool and infuse
before removing the cardamom.
8 Spread out the reserved toasted
walnuts on a tray lined with baking
parchment. Put 50g sugar and 1 tbsp
water in a small heavy-based pan.
Cook on a low heat until the sugar
has dissolved, then increase the heat
and bubble for 8-10 minutes until it
begins to turn a deep golden colour.
Drizzle the caramel over the walnuts
and leave on the baking tray to set.
When cold, put a couple in a food
bag and crush with a rolling pin.
9 To make the buttercream, in a large
bowl, beat the butter and sugar until
light and fluffy; add the coffee mix
and whisk to combine.
with a closed star piping nozzle and
set aside. When the cake is cool, slice
horizontally into three. Brush the
syrup on to each layer and let it soak
in for 10 minutes. Spread a thin layer
of buttercream on each, then stack.
Spread a thin covering on top of the
cake and the rest around the sides.
11 Pipe rosettes randomly around the
top edge, dot with the meringue kisses
and caramelised walnuts; sprinkle
with the crushed caramelised
walnuts. Dust meringues with a
little instant coffee, then serve.

CHERRY BAKEWELL LOAF
Preparation 20 minutes,
plus cooling and setting Cooking
about 1 hour 15 minutes Serves 8-10
In season, the glacé cherries in this cake
can be replaced with pitted fresh ones.
250g unsalted butter, softened,
plus extra to grease
250g caster sugar
4 large eggs
½ tsp almond extract
150g gluten-free self-raising flour
75g ground almonds
FOR THE STREUSEL
50g unsalted butter, melted
50g light brown soft sugar
75g gluten-free self-raising flour
25g flaked almonds
200g glacé cherries, washed
FOR THE ICING
175g icing sugar
1 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C
fan oven) gas mark 4. Grease and line
the base and sides of a 900g loaf tin
with baking parchment, allowing it
to come 5cm above the top of the tin.
2 In a large bowl, beat the butter and
sugar with electric hand beaters for
about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
3 In a small jug, beat the eggs with the
almond extract. Add the egg mixture,
flour and ground almonds to the butter
and beat until smooth. Turn into the
tin, level and bake for 55 minutes.
4 Meanwhile, for the streusel, mix the
butter, sugar, flour and flaked almonds.
Remove the cake from the oven and
sprinkle the streusel over in clumps,
then scatter over the cherries. Return
the cake to the oven for 15-20 minutes
until a skewer inserted in the centre
comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
5 When the cake is cool, remove from
the tin and peel off the parchment.
To make the icing, mix the icing sugar
with 1½ tbsp water to make a thick
consistency (add a drop more water,
if necessary). Spread over the cake,
sprinkle over the almonds and leave
to set before serving. It will keep in
an airtight container for up to 3 days.
FOREST FRUIT CUPCAKES
Preparation 25 minutes
Cooking 20 minutes Makes 12
For a change, use fresh raspberries
and raspberry jam instead.
FOR THE CUPCAKES
175g caster sugar
175g unsalted butter, at room
temperature
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
175g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
100g blackcurrant jam
FOR THE ICING
200g unsalted butter,
at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
375g icing sugar, sifted
50g fresh blackberries
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C
fan oven) gas mark 4. Put paper
cases into a 12-hole muffin tin.
2 Put the caster sugar and butter into
a large bowl and beat with electric
hand beaters until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs, beating
constantly – if the mixture looks as
if it’s about to curdle, add 1 tbsp of
the flour. Beat in half of the zest.
3 Use a metal spoon to fold in the flour
and baking powder. Divide among
the cases. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
4 Spoon the jam into a piping bag with
a 5-7mm plain nozzle. Push it into the
top of each cake; squeeze in a little jam.
5 For the icing, put the butter, vanilla,
remaining zest andtwo-thirds of the
icing sugar into a large bowl and beat.
Gradually beat in the remaining icing
sugar. Briefly whisk in the berries.
6 Pipe or spread the icing on to the
cooled cakes and serve.
FOOD & DRINK
APRICOT SCONE CAKE
Preparation 15 minutes, plus cooling
Cooking about 20 minutes Serves 8
A simple way to cook scones, this is at
its best enjoyed warm from the oven.
375g self-raising flour, plus
extra to dust
1 tsp baking powder
100g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
50g caster sugar, plus extra to sprinkle
125g dried apricots, finely chopped
100ml whole milk
2 medium eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
clotted cream and jam, to serve
160 MARCH 2019
1 Preheat the oven to 220˚C (200˚C fan
oven) gas mark 7. Line a baking tray
with baking parchment.
2 Mix the flour, baking powder and ¼ tsp
fine salt in a large bowl. Add the butter
and, using your fingertips, rub it in
until it resembles breadcrumbs‚ or
pulse the butter into the flour mixture
in a food processor (then tip into a bowl).
Mix in the sugar and dried apricots.
3 In a jug, beat the milk, eggs and
vanilla extract to combine. Set aside
1 tbsp of this mixture for the glaze.
Make a well in the centre of the flour
mixture, pour in the beaten egg and
stir using a cutlery knife until the
dough comes together. Tip onto a
lightly floured surface, knead briefly
to bring together, then pat out to a
20cm diameter (about 2.5cm thick).
4 Transfer to the prepared baking tray.
With a sharp knife, deeply score
into 8 wedges. Brush the top with
the reserved beaten egg mixture,
then sprinkle with a little sugar.
5 Bake for 20 minutes or until risen
and golden. Leave to cool on the
tray, then transfer to a wire rack.
6 Serve just warm or at room
temperature, cut into wedges and
split in half. Top with jam and
cream, if you like.

SPICED CARROT CAKE
Preparation 35 minutes Cooking 55 minutes Makes 20 squares
Suitable for vegans, this cake is light, moist and made with wholemeal flour.
150g vegan spread, such as pure
sunflower spread, plus extra to grease
250g pitted dates
350ml unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
75g soft light brown sugar
zest and juice of 1 orange
350g wholemeal plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1½ tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
250g peeled coarsely grated carrots
50g desiccated coconut
50g dried cranberries, plus extra
to decorate
25g pumpkin seeds, plus extra,
toasted, to decorate
50g pecans, chopped, plus
extra to decorate
FOR THE ICING
150g vegan spread
75g smooth almond butter
325g icing sugar, sifted
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan
oven) gas mark 4. Grease and line a
30cm x 23cm tray-bake or roasting
tin with baking parchment.
162 MARCH 2019
2 Put the dates and almond milk in a
small pan, bring up to the boil, then
simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer to a
blender or food processor, and whiz
until smooth. Stir in the bicarbonate
of soda and set aside.
3 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat
together the spread and sugar
with electric hand-beaters until
combined. Beat in the date mixture
along with the orange juice and zest.
4 In a separate bowl, mix together
the flour, baking powder and spices.
Fold into the batter, followed by
the carrots, coconut, cranberries,
pumpkin seeds and pecans.
5 Pour into the roasting tin, level and
bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer
inserted in the centre comes out
clean. Cool in the tin on a wire rack.
6 Meanwhile, make the icing. In a
medium bowl, beat the spread and
almond butter with electric hand-
beaters until smooth. Gradually beat
in the icing sugar and chill until needed.
7 Remove the cake from the tin and
spread with the icing. Scatter with
the cranberries, seeds and pecans.
LEMON AND HONEY
BUNDT CAKE
Preparation 35 minutes
Cooking 55 minutes Serves 12
Bundt tins can be found in stores such
as johnlewis.com, divertimenti.co.uk
and lakeland.co.uk.
FOR THE CAKE
300g self-raising flour, plus extra
for dusting
150g butter, melted
100g caster sugar
150g clear honey
2 medium eggs
150ml soured cream
juice and zest of ½ lemon
FOR THE ICING AND DECORATION
1 lemon
100g granulated sugar
200g fondant icing sugar
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C
fan oven) gas mark 4. Grease a 22cm
bundt cake tin and dust it with flour.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY KRIS KIRKHAM; GARETH MORGANS; TOBY SCOTT; KATE WHITAKER
2 Put all the cake ingredients into a
mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
Turn into the bundt tin and bake for
40-50 minutes or until golden and
firm and a skewer inserted comes
out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes
(don’t worry if it sinks a little), then
turn out and cool on a wire rack.
3 Using a potato peeler, pare the
lemon rind and then cut into thin
strips. Put the rind in a small pan
with 100ml water and 50g of the
granulated sugar. Boil for 5 minutes,
then drain and dry the lemon
strips on kitchen paper. Toss in the
remaining sugar, place on a baking
tray and leave to dry in the residual
heat of the oven for an hour.
4 To make the icing, squeeze the
juice from the pared lemon, and
add enough of it to the fondant
icing sugar to make a thick pouring
consistency, Drizzle it over the
cake and decorate with the lemon
strips. The cake keeps for a week
in an airtight container.
 SIGN UP TO OUR
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uk/newsletter

Peace
ofmind
For an all-day sense of
calm, discover the benefits
of mindfulness with
our easy-to-follow guide
WORDS BY LISA BUCKINGHAM
F
ROM REDUCED ANXIETY
to a more focused mind, the
benefits of daily mindfulness
practice are backed by a growing
body of research. But with everything
from colouring books to apps on offer
to help you achieve a mindful state, it
can be confusing for a beginner to know
where to start. Follow our guide to reap
the rewards of a quietened mind…
W H AT I S M I N D F U L N E S S ?
There are many forms of meditation,
and mindfulness is a secular take on the
centuries-old tradition of contemplation
found in religious practices such as
countryliving.com/uk
Buddhism. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a US
meditation teacher, is a pioneer of
mindfulness and defines it as an
“awareness that arises through paying
attention, on purpose, to the present
moment, non-judgmentally. It’s about
knowing what is on your mind”.
The benefits also reach way beyond
simply feeling calmer. “It teaches you to
understand your own mind and deal with
difficulties,” explains mindfulness expert
Rohan Gunatillake, author of Modern
Mindfulness: How to be More Relaxed,
Focused and Kind While Living in a Fast,
Digital, Always-On World (Bluebird,
£8.99). “Whether it’s an overly busy mind,
H E A LT H & B E AU T Y
a harsh inner critic or a struggle with
anxiety, mindfulness can help you tackle
these difficulties because, while we can’t
always change what life throws at us, we
can change how we relate to it.”
You don’t need to set aside hours each
day. “The power of meditating for five to
ten minutes shouldn’t be underestimated,”
Rohan says, “but the longer you can sit for,
the quieter your mind becomes. It’s like
shaking up a bottle of muddy water – it
takes time for the mud to settle and the
water to become clear. Personally, my mind
becomes quieter after 15 to 20 minutes.”
Meditating at the same time each day
helps it become a habit. You can fit it in
MARCH 2019 165
H E A LT H & B E AU T Y

Beginners
might find
a guided
meditation
helpful

whenever suits you, but people tend to

be more alert in the mornings. If you’re
new to mindfulness, joining a class can
be useful, as meditations are led by
a teacher, which can help you stay
focused. “Meditation is traditionally
a social activity, so include a social
element if you can,” Rohan says.
It’s also fine to meditate alone. Again,
beginners might find a guided meditation
helpful – try one of the apps available,
such as Headspace, which has a series
of meditations created by former Buddhist
monk Andy Puddicombe. You can also try
the following meditations on your own…

F O C U S O N T H E B R E AT H
Set a timer so you don’t need to keep
checking the clock – ten minutes is
a good starting point.
• Sit upright on a chair, with your feet
on the floor and hands in your lap or on
your stomach. Start to take slow, deep
breaths, feeling your belly rise on the
inhale and deflate on the exhale.
• Keeping your eyes open or closed
(whichever feels right for you), bring
your mind to focus on the breath and
how it feels as it enters and exits the body.
• If a thought comes along and distracts
you, note it without judgment, let
go of it and then bring your mind back
to the breath. It’s completely normal
for thoughts to come to you and the
mind to wander – the important thing
is to repeatedly bring your focus
back to the breath.

166 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

H E A LT H & B E AU T Y

B O DY S C A N N I N G
Sit comfortably and close your eyes. You’re
going to scan each part of your body with
your mind, noting any sensations, such
as pressure, pain, tension or just a neutral
feeling. When your thoughts wander,
bring your mind back to the part of the
body you were focusing on.
• Start with the toes of your right foot.
Feel how they touch the floor and each
other. Then shift your focus to the rest of
the foot, then the lower leg, knee and thigh.
As you focus on each part of your body,
take deep breaths and imagine the breath
reaching that area. Feel any tension melting
away with the out breath. Do the same with
the left foot and leg, then slowly move up
through each area of the body – groin, hips,
abdomen, lower back, chest, upper back,
arms, hands, shoulders, neck and face.
• You can take as long as you want to do
this. It can be something you do briefly
when you’re feeling tense, taking less than
a minute, or it can be a longer meditation.
MEDITATION BENEFITS
O N T H E M OV E
You don’t have to sit still to meditate – a CHANGES BRAIN STRUCTURE by 24 per cent when intense heat was
quiet walk in the countryside is the perfect Scientists in the US scanned the brains applied to the skin using a thermal
opportunity for mindfulness practice. Try of people who did an eight-week probe. Another US study discovered
PHOTOGRAPHS BY CAMERA PRESS; GETTY IMAGES

clasping your hands together and placing
your attention on the sensations in your
fingers and hands – do they feel warm?
Cold? Can you feel the wind on them?
Keep your mind there as much as you can.
Another technique involves bringing
your attention to the feeling of your feet
striking the ground. You can do this with
shoes on, or might even want to try it
barefoot for even greater sensation.
Refocus your thoughts on the feeling every
time you notice you’ve been distracted.
mindfulness course and found grey
matter density had increased in the
hippocampus (the area associated
with memory). It had also decreased
in the amygdala – the fight or flight
part of the brain – which correlated
to a reduction in stress levels.
EASES CHRONIC PAIN
A 2016 US study found that meditation
reduced pain ratings in participants
that meditation improved symptoms
by more than 60 per cent in those
with chronic lower back pain.
HELPS WITH DEPRESSION
AND ANXIETY
Group mindfulness treatment reduces
depression and anxiety symptoms as
effectively as cognitive behavioural
therapy, according to a 2014 study by
Lund University in Sweden.

168 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk

 NEW ISSUE
ON SALE 12 FEB

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 Let’s dance
Whether it’s ballroom, jive or even Zumba,
joining a dance class is a (quick) step in
the right direction for your health. As well
as an aerobic workout to get your heart
WORDS BY KATE LANGRISH PHOTOGRAPHS BY GETTY IMAGES; PHOTOSHOT
pumping, studies show that high-impact
exercise helps strengthen muscles,
joints and maintain bone density –
particularly important for women after the
menopause. Dancing provides a mental
boost, too. One study found that
while all exercise
helped to slow
age-related decline
to the brain, dancing had the most
profound effect, which scientists
attributed to the process of
learning new steps and routines.
Research also found that people
who took part in a group exercise
class at least once a week lowered
stress levels by 26 per cent. Time
to get your dancing shoes on…
health
notes NEW
FAVOURITE
Nettles, weeping willow and
wild achillea – the new
Wild Flowers & Weeds
fragrance collection from
Jo Malone London
(£49 each, jomalone.co.uk)
celebrates the unexpected
beauty of plants that break
through cracks in
garden paving and spring
up on countryside tracks.
countryliving.com/uk
BEAUTY BUZZ
E Y E T R E AT M E N T S
The delicate skin around the eyes is often the first to show
signs of tiredness, dehydration and, of course, ageing,
so choose a product that tackles your specific need.
Fine lines Stick Vichy LiftActiv Micro Hyalu Patches
(£20, vichy.co.uk) under your eyes and the tiny self-
dissolving micro-needles on them will deliver hyaluronic
acid to help smooth lines and soften wrinkles overnight.
Tired eyes The cooling feel of Elemis Peptide4 Eye
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boost after a late night or long day at work.
Sagging Korres Golden Krocus Ageless Saffron Eye
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Dark circles MGC Derma CBD Anti-Puffiness & Dark
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silk extract to help lighten dark circles.
Boost your wellbeing the
NATURE’S
MEDICINE
CABINET
Purple sprouting
broccoli At this time of year,
there’s often not much more
natural way with our than a few brassicas growing
round-up from the world in the veg patch. The good
news is that purple-sprouting
of health and beauty broccoli, along with its
cruciferous cousins cabbage,
STRUGGLING TO FEEL AWAKE ON THESE kale and mustard, comes
super-charged with powerful
DARK MORNINGS? Try Myvitamins Wakey
Wakey (£11.99, myvitamins.com), a blend of iron, plant chemicals. Studies have
B vitamins, zinc and other vitamins designed to found that regularly eating
help give you that much-needed energy boost. broccoli lowers the risk of heart
IT’S NOT JUST CHILDREN WHO LOVE disease. It is also a good source
LISTENING TO STORIES. Increasingly, experts of vitamin K, which can help
are discovering this ancient practice has mental and improve bone health. Its bitter
emotional benefits for any age. The Enchanted taste comes from the compound
Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud sulforaphane, and scientists are
in the Age of Distraction (£13.99, Piatkis) offers investigating how this may
practical tips and reading recommendations. slow or delay the formation
IF YOU’RE PARTIAL TO A PACKET OF CRISPS, of certain cancer cells.
try swapping them for Shøre Seaweed Puffs (£1.19, To get the most of
ocado.com). Each puff is made with sustainably- its nutrients, eat
harvested and nutrient-rich seaweed from Scotland, broccoli raw
rice and maize, and is gluten-free and suitable for vegans. or very lightly
For more tips and products, visit netdoctor.co.uk. steamed.
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the last day of each month until 30 April 2019
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where to buy
Stockists in this issue
A ABBOTT AND ELLWOOD
abbottandellwood.com
B BURGON & BALL burgonandball.com
C CAROLINE ATKINS carolineatkins.com
D THE DARTMOOR SOAP COMPANY
thedartmoorsoapco.co.uk DE LE CUONA
delecuona.com DESIGNERS GUILD
designersguild.com DEVOL 01509 261000;
devolkitchens.co.uk DYKE & DEAN
dykeanddean.com
E ESTHER SMITH esthersmith.co.uk
F FOLKSGLOVE folksglove.com THE FUTURE
KEPT thefuturekept.com
H HABITAT habitat.co.uk
countryliving.com/uk
CLARICE CLIFF,
ART DECO &
DESIGN AUCTION
20TH MARCH 2019
J JANE MEANS 01522 522544; janemeans.com
JENNIFER COLLIER jennifercollier.co.uk
K KATIE HIPWELL katiehipwell.co.uk
L LOAF 0845 459 9937; loaf.com LUSH
DESIGNS lushlampshades.co.uk
M MIMI PICKARD mimipickard.com
P PAPERCHASE paperchase.com PIPII 01342
823921; pipii.co.uk PULTENEY BRIDGE
FLOWERS pulteneybridgeflowers.co.uk
R RE 01434 634567; re-foundobjects.com
S SARAH HARDAKER sarahhardaker.co.uk
SEASALT seasaltcornwall.co.uk STRIPED
PEBBLE stripedpebble.com
T TURTLE MAT 0345 600 3478; turtlemat.co.uk
Four Clarice Cliff sugar sifters
Estimates from £150*
FORTHCOMING AUCTIONS
19th June – Arts and Crafts
(closing for entries 26th April)
ENQUIRIES
Michael Jeffery
+44 (0)1722 424505
mj@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
w ww.w oo lleyandw allis.co.u k
51-61 Castle Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 3SU
* All lots are subject to Buyer’s Premium at 25% + VAT.
 next month in

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Stylish living
For your dream home

POOKY
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 advertisement feature
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 SPRING COLLECTION
SHOEDOLLY
ShoeDolly espadrilles are supremely
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BRUME
Brume window film replicates the look
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POTTER AND MOOCH
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178 MARCH 2019
STOCKWELL CERAMICS
Ever popular ranges of ceramic buttons,
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CHINASEARCH
Whether you’re looking to replace a broken
cup or extend your existing dinner set,
Chinasearch specialises in discontinued
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Search online or call 01926 512402.
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SUZY HAMILTON
We specialise in dresses and complete outfits
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of the highest quality including silks, linens,
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BUTTON DOLLS
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 IDYLLIC ESCAPES
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Over 500 luxury self-catering holiday properties
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DISCOVER REAL SPAIN
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REFRESHING COASTAL BREAKS
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COAST & COUNTRY COTTAGES
Choose from around 400 holiday properties
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TINTERN ABBEY COTTAGE
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WILDERNESS COTTAGES
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MARCH 2019 179
 COUNTRY DIRECTORY
House & Garden

ALBION REQUEST YOUR BROCHURE

+44 (0) 1255 831605
SALE NOW ON
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albionbathco.com
BAT H C OM PAN Y

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Elgar 2 seater sofa

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Tele 01685 844944

For details of classified advertising call 020 3728 6260

Keep your home beautiful

with our stylish range of
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Huge choice of designs and patterns
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01606 833886

180 MARCH 2019 FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK
 GREAT BRITISH SOFAS SALE NOW ON

RATED EXCELLENT
BY TRUSTPILOT

OVER 2250 REVIEWS

Albany 3 seater washable sofa was £669 - now only £499

For a free 2019 brochure call 01495 244226 or visit www.sofasofa.co.uk

hey good lookin’

Makers of Fine Leather Furniture
what you got cookin’
Since 1981

VINTAGE CHESTERFIELD 3 SEATER SOFA WAS £1959

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For a free colour brochure For a delicious slice of country life

call 01443 771222
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or visit www.thomaslloyd.com oldcreameryfurniture.com

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 01509 234000- www.floorsofstone.com
enquiries@floorsofstone.com

W LE
ON
NO SA

TRADITIONAL BRITISH
UPHOLSTERY SINCE 1987

The wood burning stove

perfected

CLEARVIEW SHOWROOMS
Ludlow, Stow-on-the-Wold and Whitchurch
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182 MARCH 2019 FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK
 S “Extraordinary
CUMB LE
name.
GOOSIE
Extraordinary furniture.”

Double Bow Fronted www.theheadboardworkshop.co.uk

or call us on 01291 628216
chest handmade in
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w w w. p a s s m o r e s . c o . u k • i n f o @ p a s s m o r e s . c o . u k hearstmagazines.co.uk
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 Björk Haraldsdóttir
Contemporary Handbuilt Ceramics
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Unique, organic, ceramic sculptures

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184 MARCH 2019 FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK
 General Interest

Clairvoyancy

Introductions to genuinely
available men and women
looking for long-term
commitment. A safe &
confidential, offline way
to meet new people. All
members interviewed and ID
checked.
Fashion

A Traditional Matchmaking
Agency Specialising in Personal
One-to-One Matchmaking.

Contact Heather Heber-Percy on 0208 994 3500

£69 (free p&p) enquiries@thecountyregister.com

Reversible Cotton Jacket
various designs
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FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK MARCH 2019 185
L OV E O F T H E L A N D

KATE HUMBLE
The TV presenter
talks about lambing,
loneliness and
the cathartic act
of taking a stroll
We’ve got to a place in society where we’re becoming
increasingly isolated. Many of our interactions are through
a screen. It seems ludicrous that we should need a minister
for loneliness when we’ve never been such a populated
planet. One of the things I love about walking is that, whether
you’re nine or 90, it provides a way to connect with nature
and neighbours, and makes you feel a part of the world. The
simple rhythm and unconscious action allows your brain
to relax, which gives you the chance to gain perspective.
I think sometimes we try to fill holes in our lives
with ‘stuff’. I’m not advocating that we all lead incredibly
spartan lives, but maybe question what makes us want
something. The older I’ve become, the more I realise it’s
about simplicity, not extraneous things that I don’t need.
It’s what you can’t buy that makes you happy.
I have a theory that if you were born or grew up in the
countryside, there will come a time when you’ll need
to go back to your roots. I’d lived in London for 20 years
and began to feel restless. When my husband, Ludo, was
offered a job in Cardiff, we decided to buy a Welsh farmhouse
on a hill in the Wye Valley. It was the strangest thing, but as
soon as we crossed the Severn Bridge, my heart lifted. Now,
for the first time in my life, I feel homesick when I leave.
When we moved, I got a bit overenthusiastic and
ended up with chickens, geese and pigs – we became
a rescue centre for all sorts of dysfunctional animals.
There wasn’t really anywhere to go for advice on starting a
smallholding, which is why we set up Humble by Nature.
It offers courses on everything from drystone walling to
bread making. I quickly discovered that there’s nothing

INTERVIEW BY LAURAN ELSDEN. PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALAMY; TOM PILSTON/EYEVINE

“Whether you’re
bucolic about starting a rural business. It’s terrifying and
exhausting but utterly wonderful and rewarding, too.
There’s an amazing amount of talent, creativity and

nine or 90, entrepreneurship in rural communities. There’s no

reason why people can’t run great businesses that generate
employment and make the countryside a great place to live,

walking provides
not just go on holiday. But we really need decent internet
connections and competitive business rates to keep rural
towns and villages vibrant.

a way to connect
I began to really love sheep while filming BBC Two’s
Lambing Live. The arrival of new life is integral to this
time of year. I helped deliver lambs on a family farm in
Monmouthshire – watching the youngsters stagger around,

wıth nature trying to find their feet, was the most amazing feeling. It’s
magical to be part of such a seasonal event.

and neighbours” Thinking on my Feet: the Small Joy of Putting One

Foot in Front of Another by Kate Humble (Octopus, £20).

186 MARCH 2019 countryliving.com/uk