Masterpiece: Jack Watkins deciphers the language of Doctor Dolittle, the man who talked to animals.
Golden retrievers: Beloved for their gentleness, admired for their picking-up skills, golden retrievers are real all-rounders, says Katy Birchall
Satan of the riverbank: The bizarre cormorant has a long-held evil reputation, but there’s plenty to admire in this tough bird
Tradition and modernity: Old and new are perfectly blended at Willards Farm in Surrey, finds Jeremy Musson
Where the wildflowers grow: Our flower-bedecked meadows may be all but lost, but there is hope in many unlikely corners, discovers Sarah Langford
Books: David Profumo admires two magnificent fishing tomes
Tessa Hadley’s favourite painting: The author chooses a sensuous, mysterious whirl of time
The moonlight hunt: Jamie Blackett follows a terrier escapee across the sands
Kitchen garden cook: Melanie Johnson welcomes the first English asparagus spears
The good stuff: Hetty Lintell on serpentine love
Interiors: Get colourful with fresh paints, tempered with old techniques
A perfect finish: Two remarkable new gardens have grown from the renovation of an old barn in the Cotswolds, discovers Tiffany Daneff
Travel: Luxury at Lucknam, da Vinci in Milan and a new series on literary giants’ favourite hotels
Heroes and villains: Michael Billington salutes the ever-brilliant Ralph Fiennes in David Hare’s superb new play.
And much more