The five most beautiful Advent Calendars of Christmas
The best Advent calendars of 2024, as chosen by Flora Watkins.
-
-
Give the dog a throne: the ridiculous homes we make for our four-legged friends
Devoted dog owners, past and present, have created a veritable 'Barkitectural Digest'. Flora Watkins pays tribute to some of the most palatial pet houses in the land
-
One lump or two? The homes where horses come inside the house
No tea party is complete without a four-hoofed friend in attendance, says Flora Watkins. Just be mindful of where you put the sugar lumps.
-
Victoria sponge: The ultimate test of every baker and a favourite of the nation
Thanks to the Women's Institute and wartime rationing, this sweet spongecake is now the bedrock of tea-time treats.
-
'The king and queen of rewilding's new head gardener : 'It could be quite challenging — everybody loves a lawn'
-
10 of the best second-hand shops in Britain
Britain boasts a cornucopia of second-hand shops. Flora Watkins rounds up 10 of the best
-
What it's like to live in the world's most famous crooked house
A few months ago this irresistibly pretty house in Lavenham, Suffolk, featured on the cover of Country Life. We caught up with Alex and Oli Khalil-Martin, the couple who own and live there, to find out what it's like living in one of the country's — and indeed the world's — most photographed homes.
-
Basset hounds: Incorrigible and exasperating, vocal and entertaining... and seemingly almost human
The basset hound is a force of nature, says devotee Flora Watkins.
-
Recipe: How to make The Ivy's Shepherd's pie, perhaps the ultimate comfort food
The nights are drawing in, the weather is dreich and it's time for comfort food. That means that it's the ideal time for shepherd’s pie, which has long been one of the most-requested items on the menu at The Ivy. Here's how they do it.
-
Anne Glenconner: How rehabilitating Princess Margaret made her a literary phenomenon on the cusp of her tenth decade
Anne Glenconner, the former lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret who has become a publishing phenomenon, speaks to Flora Watkins about finding fame late in life. Main photograph by Hal Shinnie.
-
The English villages that are hotbeds of murder, intrigue and endless summer days — at least in the minds of novelists
Comforting yet complex, intriguing and alluring, the village setting is territory to which writers — and readers — will return again and again. Flora Watkins looks at how the customs, characters and communities of the English village have long sparked literary inspiration, from Jane Austen to Midsomer Murders.
-
Curious Questions: Why are we suckers for comfort food?
Shepherd’s pie, steak-and-kidney pudding, treacle sponge... these staples on the national menu are like old friends, lifting spirits in times of need. Flora Watkins dives into the best of British comfort food.
-
22 of the best village shops in Britain, from the West Country to the Western Isles
A good village shop is the heart and soul of the community — does your local make our list?
-
The joy of the fruit fool, where school dinners meet sophistication — and an unbeatable recipe for raspberry fool
One of the greatest British desserts, the fruit fool, is also one of the simplest: just mix fresh cream and sugar with whatever fruit is fresh from the garden. Flora Watkins explains more.
-
Country Life's guide to what makes a British pub great
More than 70 years after George Orwell penned the famous essay on his favourite pub, The Moon Under Water, its key attributes still hold true, finds Flora Watkins. Photographs by Mark Williamson.
-
The strange case of the Negroni revolution
Sharp and complex, the bitter-sweet Italian digestif Amaro is enjoying a new-found popularity on British shores, says Flora Watkins.
-
Judith Kerr: 'I walk about and look at people, out with their children, and I think do they realise how fragile it all is?'
Children's author Judith Kerr, who passed away this week at the age of 95, spoke to Country Life about her life and career.
-
Life at the Royal Hospital Chelsea: From pensioners pumping iron to ‘Chelsea Chests’
-
Your child's first pony: A survival guide for parents
The request for a pony is dreaded by many parents, but, with the right help and the right animal, the process of your child’s learning to ride need not be painful.
-
10 of the best British pies, from the Scotch to the Stargazy
Pies are a great British culinary tradition – but what they consist of varies enormously depending on where you are. Flora Watkins picks out 10 of the best.
