The high life
Those with a head for heights and near-unlimited funds — not to mention a penchant for living in deserts with economies driven by oil and ultra-luxury — might be keen to hear that the penthouse apartment of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is up for sale at £40 million.
Those who don’t have the aforementioned head for heights etc. might still be curious to take a look at these pics of the 21,000sq ft apartment which comes with a private lift, epic views and 12 parking spaces to make sure that you can throw intimate soirees without wondering where your guests will leave their Rolls-Royces.
Worth noting is that the pics here, delightful as they are, are CGI mock-ups: the apartment is currently a shell, and around £4 million will need to be spent to kit it out. At least you'll get exactly what you want — but if that kids' room doesn't become a reality, it'll be a travesty.
Also worth noting that it’s billed by agents IDRE as ‘the world’s highest residential property’ by the vendors — though that very much depends on how you measure this sort of thing. No doubt there are goat herder’s huts in the Himalayas that are way higher than even the top of what is, at 828 metres, the world’s tallest building.
The Country Life Quiz of the Day...
...is changing (as is the rest of the website, as you've probably noticed). Head back here at 5pm to enjoy the new all-singing, all-dancing version.
Country Life's gardening superstars heading to RHS Malvern
The RHS Malvern Spring Festival (May 8-11) has proven increasingly popular this year — and if you’ve pondering whether you should make the trip in 2025, the list of guests has just been released, and might well convince you. Country Life writers Alan Titchmarsh and Mark Diacono are both showing up, as is another good friend of ours in Raymond Blanc.
We're fairly sure you know what Alan looks like. Here he is anyway.
There is also a chance to see BBC Gardener’s World trio Rachel de Thame, Adam Frost and Frances Tophill on stage — and for those really looking to push the boat out, for £134 you can book a spot at a VIP cream tea with Rachel on the Friday, or Adam on the Saturday. More details at rhsmalvern.co.uk.
Are you growing a plant at risk of extinction?
Search your gardens, greenhouses and allotments this February, says Plant Heritage, which is calling on the public’s help for its annual Threatened Plant of the Year competition.
Anyone can enter if they believe they have a named cultivar that currently cannot be bought from any nursery, garden centre or similar, but that had been grown or sold in the UK or Ireland before 2015.
Aubrieta Shangarry is a former winner of the Threatened Plant of the Year competition
‘Many plants — including some considered common — could be at risk of disappearing from our gardens if they aren’t cared for,’ explains Gwen Hines, Plant Heritage’s CEO.
‘We hope to uncover more rare plants this year and I’d urge everyone to scour their gardens and other green spaces for potential entrants.’
The deadline for entries is April 30 — all those shortlisted will be displayed with Plant Heritage at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival from July 1–6, with the winner being announced on the first day of the festival. You can enter at plantheritage.org.uk.
That's it for today — we're back tomorrow, and every weekday, with our round-up of things you need to know
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Brockfield Hall, the great Yorkshire house that's gone from Regency mansion to modern family homeBrockfield Hall in North Yorkshire is the family home of Charlie Wood and Hatta Byng, editor of House & Garden, who have transformed it since they came here in 2020, winning multiple awards in the process. John Martin Robinson reports on the restoration project that revived this compact Regency house as a modern family home. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
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