Innholdsfortegnelse for February 19, 2025 i Country Life

Future Publishing Ltd, 121–141 Westbourne Terrace, Paddington, London W2 6JR 0330 390 6591; www.countrylife.co.uk THE clamour for British land is becoming deafening: 1.5 million new houses, food production, energy infrastructure, wildlife and rewilding—where to put it all? For years, there have been calls for an audit of land, including from Simon Jenkins, who observes that there is now some urgency if Britain’s singular charms are not to be swamped by ambitious development goals (page 42). In these isles of infinite topographical variety, one size most definitely does not fit all. ‘The Government will not dictate to anyone how to use their land,’ pledges Defra, describing its proposed Land Use Framework as ‘a national conversation’. The consultation (open until April 25) was launched last month at the Royal Geographical Society, which,…

Liquid gold PATRICK GALBRAITH mentions that ‘there is some evidence’ that human male urine can deter foxes (‘Where foxes are streets ahead’, February 5). I can confirm this is extremely effective at deterring not only foxes, but also rabbits and badgers. On a practical note, a dedicated watering can kept by the back door is handy and discreet for both collection and later dribbling around the fields. It’s amazing how often I’ve seen special things after nipping out for a pee—woodcock visiting the meadow at dusk, barn owls flying above the bank, the International Space Station flying over us. Julian Wormald, Carmarthenshire Life’s ups and downs WHEN Fortnum & Mason asked me to design an artwork to cover an internal hoarding in its flagship store on Piccadilly, the design I…

The Mirror of Kronos by Roberto Matta Charlotte Mullins comments on The Mirror of Kronos THIS painting, The Mirror of Kronos (El Espejo de Cronos in Spanish) was painted when Chilean artist Roberto Matta was 70 years old. He grew up in Chile, but spent his working life abroad, initially as an architect and designer for Le Corbusier in Paris, before moving to London. There, he worked with Walter Gropius, the founder of the Bauhaus, and another exiled creative, László Moholy-Nagy, but he was increasingly drawn to Surrealism—dressing entirely in white—and the Surrealists welcomed him with open arms. With the outbreak of the Second World War, London was no longer safe and many Surrealists, including Matta, emigrated to across the Atlantic to America, where they waited out the hostilities. Matta’s…

THE Revd Gilbert White’s 1789 book about the comings and goings of flora and fauna (and humans) around a Hampshire village, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, has never been out of print, beaten for constancy only by the King James Bible, The Complete Works of Shakespeare and The Pilgrim’s Progress. White’s lyrical writing, keen observations and comforting tone (the book is said to sell best at times of crisis) influenced not only Charles Darwin, but many present-day naturalists, who consider him the original ecologist. White (1720–93) was vicar of Selborne (his home, The Wakes, is now a museum) and a stained-glass window of 1920 in the church shows St Francis preaching to birds mentioned in his writings (above); another, installed in 1993, includes his tortoise Timothy, inherited from…

IT is springtime and roadsides, fields and gardens are spectacularly carpeted in solid yellow drifts of golden daffodils. It is particularly so in Wales, where the bloom is the nation’s emblematic flower. For generations, Welshmen and women all over the world have proudly sported the flower in their lapel to celebrate St David’s Day on March 1. Yet, for all their patriotic pride in the daffodil, most will be unaware that there is, in fact, a separate species of the flower, unique to Wales, which can lay claim to the title of the real Welsh daffodil. The Tenby daffodil (Narcissus obvallaris) is a distinct dwarf, early-flowering member of the narcissus family. It has a medium, smooth-textured and uniformly brilliant-yellow flower. Its beauty has long been recognised—indeed, E. A. Bowles, once…

A MONK I used to know—tall, slender, bearded and bespectacled with a fine line in asceticism—used to refer frequently to what he called ‘the postponement of gratification’. Being a monk it was, I suppose, understandable. He led a life devoted to prayer—the gratification being that offered when he was called to Heaven. As a gardener, I could sympathise. I am, after all, planting things that take time to mature. Patience is needed as seeds grow into towering trees, but with bulbs the postponement of gratification is minimal. Back in October—barely four months ago—I went a bit mad and ordered quite a lot of dwarf iris bulbs. I potted them up into terracotta pans of gritty compost. There were moments—as I was carrying them to a long, aluminium-alloy cold frame erected…

THOMAS GIRTIN (1775–1802) could have changed British art history. Fate decided otherwise: he died at only 27, before he could fully express his talent. The son of a brushmaker, Girtin was born in London’s Southwark in February 1775, a handful of months before Turner. In May 1789, at 14, he became an apprentice to artist Edward Dayes. Legend has it that the master soon had the pupil imprisoned as a refractory apprentice. Although there is no substance to this, ‘it seems that Girtin himself resented the restrictions imposed on apprentices, and the obligations they owed to their master, and it is probable that he did not complete the seven years of his indentures,’ writes art historian Greg Smith in Thomas Girtin: The Art of Watercolour. Girtin had begun working for…

IN 1927, the German historian and cultural scientist Aby Warburg (1866–1929) began work on his legendary Bilderatlas Mnemosyne, a meticulous grouping of photographs pinned to 69 wooden panels that explored the recurrence of ancient symbols throughout history. Few academics took an interest in the obscure and superstitious world of tarot cards, but Warburg devoted a whole panel to it. Rescued from Nazi Germany in 1933, his library and photographic collection now reside at the University of London’s Warburg Institute, a leading repository of tarot history, preserving the story of a much-misunderstood game that is as edifying as it is mysterious. Highlights of the collection, together with international loans, feature in ‘Tarot—Origins & Afterlives’, the latest exhibition at the refurbished Warburg Institute in Bloomsbury, WC1, which reopened its neo-Georgian building in…

Visit Tottering-By-Gently on our website: www.countrylife.co.uk/tottering We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from responsibly managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this magazine was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards. All contents © 2025 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future…

IN the 100th year since the death of the man who saved the daffodil from extinction, the RHS hopes to safeguard the bulb from the perils of a changing climate. In 1916, the perhaps untrumpeted James Kirkham Ramsbottom was enlisted to investigate a disease that had been threatening, not only daffodils, but commercial crops and specialist collections, for decades. ‘If the bulbs are left to themselves, the bulb industry will soon cease to exist,’ he wrote. Luckily for Wales, springtime kitchens across the UK and many a Wordsworth fan, he found that the culprit was a kind of eelworm and that boiling narcissus bulbs in hot water (precisely 43°C) killed the eel-worm, but left the bulb intact—a process still used industrially today. Ramsbottom’s original copper boiler is at RHS Garden…

FARMERS in Britain should be preparing for yet another assault on their livelihood. The pressure on the UK to do a trade deal with the US is mounting, particularly from those who oppose any closer relationship with our nearest neighbours on the Continent. However, there’s no deal available that would protect British agriculture. Every attempt at free trade with the US has always foundered on the Americans’ determination to get their agricultural products accepted by other countries, at the same time as maintaining agricultural protection at home. Donald Trump is even more determined on this than his predecessors. At least they claimed to believe in free trade, even if their farmers are among the most protected and supported in the world. He is an unashamed believer in tariffs and, although…

WAS it the product of a vivid imagination or based on a real incident? The story goes that a group of German explorers in the Amazon, researching its remarkable and varied population of venomous and colourful frogs, put captured specimens in a box. One of the amphibious party transmitted poison to another, which then went off somewhere over the rainbow, hence the expression ‘mad as a box of frogs’. Whether or not this is true, the turn of phrase entered our language during the 20th century. We may prefer March hares, hatters and wet hens, which have solid English provenance—however, hopping mad makes sense. ‘Buddhists saw good fortune in them and Hindus felt they brought night darkness’ Frogs have been around too long to be treated lightly—far longer than us.…

THIS Grade I-listed house overlooking Regent’s Park was previously occupied by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. When the owners bought the property, they asked the interior designer Louise Bradley to return it to its original configuration and restore its elegant interiors. This drawing room occupies the first floor. ‘There were many challenges along the way,’ explains Ms Bradley. ‘As it’s Grade I listed, Historic England had to be consulted on every step.’ An application was made to raise the height of the double doorway that leads into the space. Having worked with the clients on a previous project, the designer already clearly understood their tastes. She is known for leaning towards calm, warm and neutral colour palettes, with a variety of textures to add an extra layer to the spaces…

Jersey, £10.5 million With its leafy terraces and grand Classical façade, Alexander House belongs on the French Riviera, with Zelda Fitzgerald sipping a cocktail in the garden and Picasso doing a spot of indoor graffiti. In actual fact, it sits on the island of Jersey, not far from the beaches of St Brelade’s and Ouaisne Bay, La Moye Golf Club and the charming fishing village of St Aubin, and was launched to the market by super prime developer Catterson Wood in October 2024. Across nearly 15,000sq ft of living space, there are six bedroom suites—the 1,200sq ft master has his-and-hers dressing rooms and a private terrace—plus a pool, gym, sauna, wine cellar, cinema and private guest or staff accommodation. On the market at the shell-and-core stage (with the stamp-duty savings…

The ultimate cottage pie Ingredients 1kg short ribs, bone in 1 onion, diced2 carrots, diced2 celery stalks, diced3 cloves garlic, grated2tbspn tomato purée1tbspn plain flour200ml red wine500ml beef stock2 sprigs thyme2 bay leaves1tbspn Worcestershire sauce For the mushroom layer 250g wild mushrooms, chopped2 cloves garlic, grated3 sprigs thyme50ml double cream For the Parmesan mash 1.5kg potatoes, such as Maris Piper150ml double cream100g unsalted butter75g grated Parmesan1tspn Dijon mustard100g Gruyère cheeseFresh thyme to decorate Method 1 Preheat your oven to 160˚C fan/180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4. 2 Heat a splash of olive oil in a large casserole dish with a lid. Brown the short ribs on all sides and set aside. To the same dish add the diced onion, carrots and celery. Cook until softened, then stir in the garlic and tomato purée…

IN 1735, Thomas Osborne, 4th Duke of Leeds, knew exactly what he wanted from his frame-maker: neither giltwood nor Baroque curlicues, but a simple, broken-pedimented picture frame of warm-hued Scotch fir, his favourite style. The nobleman, afterwards a Lord of the Bedchamber to George II, had recently returned from Venice. Among his souvenirs was an unframed painting by Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto: a view of Venice’s Piazza San Marco with St Mark’s Basilica at its centre. The Duke’s distinguished ‘postcard’ from La Serenissima was among the 18th century’s favourite holiday purchases and particularly coveted by British milordi. Lord John Russell, later 4th Duke of Bedford, commissioned no fewer than 24 Venetian views by Canaletto, for which the artist received the considerable sum of £188, equivalent to five times…

WE all have preferences. Mine, I confess, is for plays on public events, which is why the very title of Howard Brenton’s Churchill in Moscow at the Orange Tree, Richmond, TW9, whetted my appetite. It turns out to be a compelling, beautifully acted play about the historic first encounter between Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin that took place at a pivotal moment of the Second World War in 1942. The meeting is well documented, but, like all good dramatists, Mr Brenton offers his own interpretation of what happened. The playwright respects the basic facts. He reminds us that four meetings took place in August 1942 and that Churchill was determined to impress on Stalin that there would be no invasion across the English Channel that year: instead, Operation Torch would…

The Aldourie estate, Inverness-shire OVER the past decade, a series of architectural projects has transformed the castle and estate of Aldourie on the southern shore of Loch Ness. The work, which includes several new buildings, has been undertaken in an unusual spirit by Ptolemy Dean Architects. Projects of this kind tend to divide between those that strive either for archaeological accuracy or strident modernity. Either approach can be very successful, but it’s refreshing to find something that borrows from both, combining the sympathetic repair of inherited fabric with free, but informed historical borrowing, re-creation and invention. The result is not a pragmatic third way, but something possessed of a playful integrity of its own. In its present form, Aldourie answers the popular ideal of a Scottish castle with a fantastical…

London Design Week This highly inspiring event takes place at the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, from March 10–14, and offers a rare opportunity to see new launches from some of the world’s leading interiors brands, as well as attend events with some of the design world’s biggest names. Visit www.dcch.co.uk for details. COUNTRY LIFE event London Calling At this year’s London Design Week, COUNTRY LIFE’s Executive Editor Giles Kime will be chairing a panel discussion that explores the enduring appeal of London to international buyers—and how both designers and developers can cater for their ever-evolving needs. (Pictured from top) Ben Johnson, a founder of leading interior-design studio Albion Nord, interior designer Emily Todhunter, Sandy Mitchell, founder of RedBook Agency, and Camilla Dell, managing partner of Black Brick Property Solutions, will…

The Cart House, near Boddington, Northamptonshire THE simplicity of this bold Modernist garden is immediately appealing. It feels so right for the former farm building—the house was converted from a cart house and the next-door cowshed—and, indeed, for the surrounding Northamptonshire countryside with its long, open views. Yet the more one looks, the more it becomes apparent how much thought has gone into its plan. The garden, which covers about 1½ acres including the meadow, was created for the owners, who divide their time between Northamptonshire and London, by Oxford-based designer Angus Thompson. The brief was clear: ‘We wanted a pool, a kitchen garden and plenty of space for the dogs; and we wanted to make the most of the view. The garden also needed to be functional and contemporary,…

PARTNERSHIP with an established Brussels dealership had obvious post-Brexit advantages for Agnews, especially since that venerable business abandoned the top-lit galleries and panelling of its former Old Bond Street base and found a new home on St James’s Place, SW1. After a stately courtship, Agnews’s Brussels gallery was launched under the direction of Eric Gillis and Noémie Goldman, dealers with a formidable reputation, who had specialised in 19th- and early-20th-century paintings and drawings and in Old Master and modern prints. I have long admired the taste and wit of Mr Gillis’s exhibits at Maastricht and other fairs, and quality is the hallmark of the latest catalogue produced by the Brussels partnership. It offers 44 superb prints, or sets of prints, ranging from Martin Schongauer (about 1450–91) to Lucian Freud (1922–2011).…

Under a Metal Sky: A Journey Through Rocks Philip Marsden (Granta, £20) THIS glorious book opens with an account of the author’s crowning achievements as a child archaeologist. Aged only eight, Philip Marsden Jnr discovered a huge ammonite, a coil-shaped cephalopod that had once lived in the ancient ocean. His fossil, as thick as his arm and intricately patterned, set a boy’s imagination racing and left him with a lifelong fascination for the world that lies buried beneath our feet. This book is thus underpinned by decades of personal enquiry, but it unfolds as a physical and, in many ways, spiritual odyssey across central Europe, spanning the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and reaching its terminus in the gold-rich mountains of northern Georgia. At the core of the quest…