Country Life's editor Mark Hedges reveals his favourite things from the past year.
Hand-crafted kitchen table
Jake is a craftsman. When I asked for an unusual kitchen table made out of Scottish Elm, he began by scouring the country for interesting planks of wood. The finished table is full of character and little quirks that make it individual and special.
Kitchen table, price on request, Cutting Edge Joinery
07733 075371; www.cuttingedgejoinery.co.uk
Montes & Clark lamps
Kate Clarke and Emily Pinsent work out of Tisbury in Wiltshire, collaborating with women’s co-operatives from Mexico to Morocco. Their lamp bases stood out and we have several pairs in the house.
Ceramic table-lamp base, from £145, Montes & Clark
07754 072897; www.montesandclark.com
Alitex greenhouse
A wildly extravagant purchase, but it’s become almost a second home for me.
The Mottisfont greenhouse, £25,689, Alitex
01730 826900; www.alitex.co.uk
Simon Carter shirts
I have at least a dozen of these extraordinary patterned shirts. No day can be dull if you’re wearing one.
Made with Liberty fabric sunshine meadow shirt, £145, Simon Carter
020–8683 4475; www.simoncarter.net
Rosewood knives
I do much of the cooking at home and the most important utensil is a good knife. I started buying them as presents for my son, but jealousy got the better of me and I bought my own set.
Rosewood knives starter set, £224, David Mellor
020–8050 4259; www.davidmellordesign.co.uk
Rosa mutabilis
This is an extraordinary rose given to us by my wife Rachel’s cousin. It flowers all summer, producing single, scented flowers that range from yellow to ochre before turning magenta.
Four-litre potted Rosa x odorata ‘Mutabilis’ China rose, £29.99, RHS Plants
01344 578822; www.rhsplants.co.uk
Everhot cooker
British made, gorgeous and fiercely clever, this is the best cooker I have ever used.
The Everhot 110i series cooker, from £11,500, Everhot
01453 890018; www.everhot.co.uk
Kings Seeds gardening catalogue
A treasure trove of ideas, dreams and colour. Nothing in the garden is as wonderful as growing things from seed. I do order too many, but can’t resist adding okra to my bulging list.
Gardening catalogue, Kings Seeds
01376 570000; www.kingsseeds.com
