An officer and a gentleman
Smooth fox terriers are ‘mischief on four legs’ and boast character in abundance, as Flora Watkins discovers from devoted owners of these smart and charming dogs
Knock on wood
Woodpeckers have been busy hammering out the beat of our broad-leaved woodland for millennia. Vicky Liddell takes a closer look at these striking birds
What goes up, must come down
John Lewis-Stempel laments the ups and downs of Lake District fell walking in February as he goes from scampering mountain goat to plodding dobbin
There’s gold in them thar schools
Churchill’s art, Shackleton’s boat and Turing’s reports — Madeleine Silver unearths the treasures belonging to Britain’s schools
Survival of the exceptional
How can independent schools prevent VAT on fees being the ‘straw that breaks the camel’s back’, asks Lucy Higginson
Sir Stephen Hough’s favourite painting
The classical pianist and composer chooses a virtuoso work from the mid 15th century
A glimpse of the sublime
John Goodall gains an insight into the era of Grand Tourism in the restored drawing room at Russborough in Co Wicklow
The legacy
Octavia Pollock applauds Ralph Allen, Bath’s ‘benevolent man’
You belong with me
Revd Colin Heber-Percy reflects on getting lost — and found — in Wiltshire’s Savernake For-est
Luxury
Hetty Lintell has all the ingredients for a wonderful wedding day, plus India Knight’s favourite things
Interiors
Author Ros Byam Shaw tells Arabella Youens how small and beautiful can go hand in hand
A brush with snowdrops
John Morley is calling it a day after growing and drawing Galanthus for 40 years, reports Tilly Ware
Foraging
Harness the raw power of bitter-cress to pep up the humble salad, suggests John Wright
Arts & antiques
Stuart Lochhead is revealed as a man behind the masks — Carla Passino talks to the art dealer about his passion for disguise
As good as gold
Glittering 14th-century works by Sienese artists influenced art far beyond the bounds of the Italian city, reveals Mary Miers
Book your place
The Country Life guide to open days at 50 schools across Britain
And much more
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The birds of urban paradise: How to get twitching without leaving the cityYou don't need to leave the concrete jungle to spot some rare and interesting birds. Here's a handy guide to birdspotting in Britain's towns and cities.
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The 'breathtakingly magnificent' English country gardens laid out on the Amalfi Coast, and the story of how they got thereKirsty Fergusson follows the Grand Tour to Campania in Italy, where the English combined their knowledge and love of plants with the rugged landscape to create gardens of extraordinary beauty.
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The poisonous tree lighting up your garden, and name that Farrow & Ball colour: Country Life Quiz of the Day, April 4, 2025Plus classic children's literature and one of Europe's most beautiful cities in Friday's quiz.
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From tropical paradise to Tony Benn: Country Life Quiz of the Day, April 3, 2025Batman's butler makes a cameo appearance in Thursday's quiz.
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The Hollywood legend with an even more famous daughter: Country Life Quiz of the Day, April 2, 2025From buns to bubbly in Wednesday's Quiz of the Day.
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Who wrote The Tenant of Wildfell Hall? Country Life Quiz of the Day, March 31, 2025There's angora, aluminium and the biggest English star of the silent movie era in Monday's Quiz of the Day.
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How many puppies in the average litter? Country Life Quiz of the Day, March 27, 2025Plus a 1960s house, Hollywood's most famous cavewoman and more in Friday's quiz.
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New York v Tokyo v Rome: Country Life Quiz of the Day, March 27, 2025Use your wits, knowledge and blind guesswork to navigate the path of cute pigs, somnambulists and iconic world cities in Thursday's quiz.
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Sitting on the dock of Morecambe Bay: Country Life Quiz of the Day, March 26, 2025The English coast, a classic proverb and the red admiral butterfly all star in Wednesday's quiz.
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Name that hat! Country Life Quiz of the Day, March 25, 2025Tuesday's quiz has a wartime property for sale, plus popes, linoleum and more.
