May madness arrived last week. The filming for the BBC series on COUNTRY LIFE has begun in earnest, which has boosted the profits of the local hairdressers as the team fluff themselves up. I wonder what Edward Hudson, who founded the magazine, would think of it all.
We also had the judging for the Gentleman of the Year awards at The Goring, which provided a jolly mix of gossip, gasps and admiration as the candidates were put through their paces. Not all passed with flying colours.
My silk top hat doesn't get too many outings, but it joined me at Buckingham Palace for the garden party, where Mrs H and I sampled the iced coffee and cucumber sandwiches (the secret ingredient is tiny mint leaves), while admiring the 40-acre garden and feeling that all was rather good in the world.
And, of course, it was Chelsea Flower Show, too, where all the talk was of the brilliant young garden designers who have broken through this year. COUNTRY LIFE had a stand and it was a great pleasure to meet so many readers. Then, it was off to Cardiff to entertain some clients at the Heineken Cup final. Oh, and this week's issue was edited, designed, proofed and printed, but, for that, my thanks go to my beautifully coiffured team-a week is a long time in the life of a magazine.
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A well-connected rural playground with 23 acres on the edge of the South Downs National ParkOld House Farm is an impressive family home with a wealth of amenities that would inspire any rural passion.
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The UK gets its first ‘European stork village’ — and it's in West SussexAlthough the mortality rate among white storks can be up to 90%, the future looks rosy for breeding pairs in southern England.
