An hour’s drive north, past the painted storefronts of Norfolk’s boutique towns, lie the undulating wheat fields of Lincolnshire. The county, butted by the North Sea, has long been overshadowed by its cooler neighbour. While it may not have as much allure as Wells-next-the-Sea or the regal attraction of Holkham, this quiet corner of England … Read more
Scorching summer is upon us here on the French Riviera. It has grown too hot to venture into the greenhouse after eight in the morning. Our land chores are achieved before breakfast, which we sup in the shade of our Magnolia grandiflora. This massive tree is flowering now and exuding one of the headiest perfumes … Read more
Vroom, vroom! Motor racing has witnessed some breath-taking comebacks, none more extraordinary than when the late, great Niki Lauda roared off the grid at the Italian Grand Prix just six weeks after he’d been given the last rites following a catastrophic crash at the Nurburgring. This time, I can disclose, it’s the turn of the … Read more
Blue swoon! Delphiniums radiate a glorious shade that so rarely pops up in nature – and they’re at their best now, says MONTY DON Blue is the rarest colour in nature and if you look closely a ‘true’ blue is very rare Most so-called ‘blue’ flowers have a lot of red in, so they’re shades … Read more
The Chelsea Flower Show may not be going ahead this year, but we’ve hand-picked some attractive properties for sale with outdoor space that could easily be described as best in show. The five-day Royal Horticultural Society show has been cancelled for the first time since the Second World War and will instead be held as … Read more
Every weekend and holiday, Cameron Newham is out from dawn to dusk, in rain, sun, hail and biting winds, fulfilling his quest to photograph all 12,000 of England’s rural parish churches. Always working alone — ‘other people tend to get rather bored’ — he takes pictures of, well, pretty much everything. A nice view from … Read more
Irish eyes are smiling on its culture capital: Why glorious Galway is the perfect getaway Ireland’s most westerly city has been crowned the Capital of Culture for 2020 Galway is famous for its lively pubs, music and bohemian atmosphere Need somewhere to stay? 7 Cross Street has trendily deigned rooms from £61 By Simon Heptinstall For Mail … Read more
The world’s finest spring gardens are right here in Britain. No, really — that’s not an idle boast. The mild, damp climate helps, along with a rich legacy of plants and centuries-old gardening traditions. So here’s a varied selection of Britain’s most inspiring spring gardens. Opening times can vary from month to month, so be … Read more
BOOK OF THE WEEK A WORLD OF MY OWN by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (Adlard Coles £10.99, 256 pp) We live in a world of maximum connectivity, where you can sit in Abu Dhabi and do keyhole surgery on someone in Aberdeen; where a Twitter frenzy in Kenilworth can be picked up in seconds in Kyoto; … Read more