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10 REFRESHING READS
Our pick of this season’s best books for country-lovers
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emporium
Our hand-picked selection of favourite pieces from individual makers, the high street and small businesses
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THIS MONTH Growing chillies and peppers
There’s never been a better time to go self-sufficient. In our ongoing series, Sally Coulthard shares tried-and-tested tips from her Yorkshire smallholding
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6 questions …with a chilli expert
Amrit Madhoo is the founder of South Devon Chilli Farm and farm shop, where he grows 150 varieties
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THE SURPRISING SIDE of SWEET CAROLINE
She is arguably one of the friendliest and funniest actors of her generation, but Caroline Quentin is also an introverted loner who prefers the greenhouse to the green room. Laura Silverman meets a woman of many parts
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MAKE MERRY IN MAY
Crafts, bakes and buys for a tea party inspired by the frothy and fragrant blooms of lilac and wild garlic
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10 QUESTIONS WITH… JOHNNY FLYNN
The A-list actor and musician on singing outdoors, spotting birds and walking with a celebrated nature-lover
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THE NEW RED WHITE AND BLUE
Suspend all thoughts of the Union Jack and patriotic bunting. For sumptuous yet lively interiors, look to fresh sky blue and rich, claret red peppered with palette-cleansing hints of white or cream. It’s a bold combination – not for the faint hearted – but uplifting and invigorating when done well. For a gentler way to incorporate vivid reds, consider striped or patterned textiles rather than solid blocks of colour.
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SPRING AT Broadspear
In the final part of our series, TV chef Clodagh McKenna serves up an alfresco spring feast, fresh from her abundant garden
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MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
On the organic farm where Rabbie Burns wrote some of his most famous lines, Bryce Cunningham has created a sustainable dairy producing welfare-friendly milk that will soon reach doorsteps all over Scotland
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SURROUND SOUND
As the BBC marks 100 years of its first outdoor recording – a duet with a nightingale – we release our own spring playlist of tracks from the natural world
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CARVING A NICHE
Jo Anne Butler and Gearoid Muldowney – aka Superfolk – craft deceptively simple homeware inspired by the wild Irish coast
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WHY ISN’T GREEN ELECTION GOLD?
Being leader of the Green Party almost tipped Baroness Natalie Bennett over the edge. As we face into an election year, we ask her: why isn’t it cool to be green in the corridors of power and how can we push the environment up the political agenda?
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MOVING TO… The South Downs
Hankering after a life in the countryside? Don’t leave home without our expert guide for house-hunters
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FURTHER AFIELD
If you step out into the surrounding countryside, here are just some of the highlights you’ll discover
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For when your heart is in the country
Subscribe to the digital edition of Country Living magazine and escape into an appealing world of rural beauty and tranquillity. You’ll find a wealth of ideas for your home and garden, learn about traditional crafts, discover inspiring rural businesses and enjoy delicious recipes using seasonal produce.
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GEORGIAN GLOW-UP
Interiors writer Lisa Dawson has given a restrained period property a playful twist with her colourful, eclectic style
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“I HAD TO MAKE THE GARDEN FEEL LIKE MINE”
When Marysa Norris moved to Suffolk, her challenge was how to put her own stamp on a garden that was already well established – and well known
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RAISING A REIMAGINED BARN
In the Sussex Weald, this eco-friendly new-build is a contemporary take on a traditional barn, furnished with artisanal gems
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POTS OF joy
Sarah Raven has perfected the art of combining plants in pots. It’s all about the bride, the bridesmaid and the gatecrasher…
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“WE MADE THE SPACE FIT THE THINGS WE LOVED”
A single-storey shack has been dramatically reimagined to blend with its surroundings and accommodate a treasure trove of vintage finds
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SCENTS AND SENSIBILITY
For actor Caroline Quentin, the garden is a horticultural time capsule where fragrant plants unlock a multitude of memories
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MY NATURE FIX
Introducing a new series on the healing powers of green spaces
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PUTTING THE ZING INTO SPRING
Chef and writer Anna Jones uses a handful of hero ingredients, from lemons and olive oil to tomatoes and garlic, to create quick and easy meals with a hit of flavour
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I’LL BRING DESSERT
Being the designated “dessert person” can be daunting but panic not: Benjamina Ebuehi has a crowd-pleasing pudding for every occasion
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See the best of SWITZERLAND by FIRST-CLASS RAIL
Travel independently on this luxurious holiday, staying in five-star hotels and board the Glacier Express and Bernina Express
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Seek Norway’s NORTHERN LIGHTS with expedition photographer DOUG ALLAN
Voyage into the Arctic Circle on a round trip from Bergen and witness nature’s magical light show
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Explore the ANCIENT and MODERN in fascinating JAPAN
See stunning shrines and futuristic cityscapes with visits to Kyoto, Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nara
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where to buy
Stockists in the magazine this month
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A month in the life of… A FOLKLORE ARCHIVIST
A trip to Padstow May Day in the 1960s kickstarted Doc Rowe’s mission to document Britain’s best-loved (if slightly eccentric) folk traditions