Nature

Honeysuckle: The woodbine with a scent so powerful it would inspire erotic dreams

Much has been written about the honeysuckle, of which little is true. What is it about the fragrant Lonicera that inspires such absurd conjecture, wonders Ian Morton.

10 ways to save the planet, according to Country Life

There are many practical ways in which we–individuals, groups and Government–can make a difference to our planet, both locally and nationally. As the General Election looms, we present 10 areas where improvement is badly needed.

The wildlife safaris you can take without even leaving Britain, from puffins and golden eagles to dolphins and deer

The word ‘safari’ may evoke lions and Land Cruisers, but you’ll never run out of wildlife-based thrills on these shores. From seabird skyscrapers to ostentatious otters and rutting red deer, Ben Lerwill discovers the best British Nature trips on offer.

Curious Questions: Were Mallory and Irvine the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest?

It’s now 100 years since George Mallory and Andrew ‘Sandy’ Irvine disappeared high on Everest; speculation about their achievements has been rife ever since. Robin Ashcroft takes a broad perspective

How to eat nettles without being stung, by expert forager John Wright

The nettle is probably the first plant most of us can remember, thanks to its harsh sting, but it's also delicious deep fried and useful as a natural medicine.

Packing a pinch: Everything you could ever want to know about the UK's crabs

Some are delicious to eat, some live thousands of feet underwater, some are the size of a fingernail. Step into the world of these curious crustaceans.

Sir Peter Scott: the Olympic sailor, national glider-flying champion and Second World War veteran who became the father of wildfowl conservation

As well as helping found the WWF and designing its panda logo, he also took part in a hunt to find the Loch Ness Monster.

Tarquin Millington-Drake's tale of 500 hours, 45,000 photos, and the endless subtlety of the wild grey partridge

Photographer and author Tarquin Millington-Drake's dedication to capturing wild grey partridge is extraordinary. Paula Lester went to meet him.

Britain's creepiest crawlie? The 250-million-year-old Scorpion Fly

A living prehistoric relic, the scorpion fly is a permanent guest at the ugly-bug ball, says Ian Morton.

The terrible truth about the cuckoo, and the 'monstrous outrages' it perpetrates on its foster parents and siblings

The cuckoo is a bird whose behaviour is so horrendous — when judged by human standards, at any rate — that it wasn't until the advent of wildlife film that ornithologists finally acknowledged and accepted the depths that it plunges. Jack Watkins explains.

Isabella Tree on how rewilding took the Knepp Estate from a ruin in the red to a miracle of Nature

Isabella Tree tells the incredible tale of Britain's first rewilding project.

From the 'gatekeeper' to the 'Scotch argus', where did butterflies and moths get their strange names?

Members of the Society of Aurelians were artists, designers, silk traders and men-of-letters. So what inspired them to coin the many names of butterflies and moths we use today? The answer, reveals Peter Marren is beauty.

Michael Prodger: How Britain’s landscapes have inspired painters across the centuries

Constable thought of his beloved Stour valley as his mistress, Samuel Palmer saw the Darent valley as a soft, pillowy realm where corn is always ripe. Michael Prodger reveals how Britain’s landscapes have inspired painters across the centuries.

'The most important spring landscape flower in Britain' that 'engulfs everything in its path' — The unstoppable exuberance of the frothing cow parsley

A vital source of food in early spring for insects, cow parsley has taken control of the nation's roadside verges, fuelled by increasing nitrogen levels.

The mystery of the hedge: How an exhibition on these living walls seeks to explain our fascination with their place in the landscape

Gareth Gardner wondered if he was the only photographer interested in hedges. Now he has the answer.

18 of the best places across Britain to go and see bluebells this spring

We round up the best gardens to visit to see carpets of bluebells this spring and explain how to tell the difference between the native flowers and foreign interlopers

'Seagull Boy' aged nine from Derby copies seagull, wins European Championship

Having once been nipped by a seagull while eating a tuna sandwich, Cooper Wallace gained the power to perfectly mimic a seagull. He travelled to De Panne in Belgium to put his skills to the test.

The neglected weed with 100 different names that 'deserves more than a passing thought'

Shepherd's purse is a common sight in our hedgerows, but there is much more to this plant than what meets the eye.

The Legacy: Philip Wayre, the man who saved the otter

The heartwarming tale of how this film-maker and naturalist restored the otter to English rivers.

19,000 miles of exquisite beauty: Britain's incomparable coastline

Our beautiful, infinitely varied coast has become central to our national concept of what makes Britain so special, says Peter Waine.