Category Archives: Gardens

Culture, Gardens, History, Homes, Magazines, Travel

Country Life Magazine – April 2, 2025 Preview

April 1, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (April 1, 2025): The latest issue features ‘Smaller Country Houses’; The Maldives unpacked; How to grow a magnificent magnolia and The Portmeirion phenomenon and secret pillboxes…

Interiors

The art of conversation can be aided by a carefully configured drawing room, says Emma Burns of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler

All ‘Clough-ed up’

Ben Lerwill marks 100 years of Portmeirion in North Wales, the outlandish architectural creation of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis

Property market

Arabella Youens casts her eye over compact country estates in Dorset, Devon and Hertfordshire

A prince among plantsmen

Charles Quest-Ritson is wowed by the memorable magnolias among the 6,000 plants in the Kent garden of Maurice Foster

Travel

Libby Brodie and Rosie Paterson explore the magnificent Maldives and Pamela Goodman shares not so fond memories of cheese fondue

Zoë Wanamaker’s favourite painting

The actress chooses a vibrant work bursting with the light, colour and energy of spring

A house of many inspirations

Jeremy Musson marvels at the amazing transformation of 300-year-old farm buildings at High Wardington House, Oxfordshire

The legacy

Kate Green pays tribute to Joe Henson, a ‘true gentleman’ who led the way in safeguarding some of our favourite native breeds

From this slumber you shall wake

Numbers have plummeted in the past 20 years, but plans are afoot to revive the fortunes of the hazel dormouse, reveals Jack Watkins

The good stuff

Immortalise your beloved pet in a beautiful piece of bespoke jewellery, suggests Hetty Lintell

London Life

Amie Elizabeth White embarks on the capital’s Big Egg Hunt, Country Life writers present all the titbits you need to know this month and Huon Mallalieu takes a trip down memory lane as he recalls the colourful characters of Booksellers’ Row

Foraging

John Wright lauds elderflower for its ‘scent beyond compare’

Arts & antiques

Carla Passino delves into the beauty, birds and beasts in the kingdom of J. M. W. Turner

Close to your chest

Huon Mallalieu investigates how the chest of drawers has gradually made itself at home in every room of the house

A song of the four seasons

Henrietta Bredin applauds the fusing of poetry and music in the exquisite song cycle ‘Seasons’

Culture, Gardens, History, Homes, Magazines, Reviews, Uncategorized

Country Life Magazine – March 19, 2025 Preview

March 19, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (March 19, 2025): The cover of Country Life’s 19 March 2025 issue, featuring Wollerton Old Hall Garden in Shropshire,

Building on a dream

Nicola Taylor tells Tiffany Daneff how she ‘picked up a spade and carried on’ where her father left off in a Northamptonshire wood

It starts with a seed

Is there anything more satisfying than growing a plant from seed? Find out how with John Hoyland

The ground crew

Christopher Stocks meets the unsung heroes and heroines of horticulture who keep Britain’s best gardens in mint condition

Shocking pinks

Tilly Ware recommends a trip to Cornwall’s Calamazag nursery to pick up the perfect pinks

United colours of Rolls-Royce

Toby Keel finds the British marque making a bold, banana-yellow statement as he gets behind the wheel of the new Series II Ghost

A uniform approach

Never try to appear fashionable or attempt to look young — Dylan Jones shares his golden rules on how to dress in your sixties

Hare’s to you

Murderous, mad and magnificent: the hare is a fascinating figure in art, discovers Michael Prodger

Sir James MacMillan’s favourite painting

The composer chooses a bold and moving religious painting

The architect for me

In the first of two articles, Clive Aslet examines the double act of architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and client Reginald McKenna

Take it with a pinch of salt

Deborah Nicholls-Lee examines the salt-loving plants coming into their own in a changing climate

A night on the tiles

Harry Pearson finds drunken may-hem in the history of dominoes

The good stuff

A vase is a Mother’s Day gift that keeps on giving, says Hetty Lintell

Interiors

Amelia Thorpe applauds the updating of a Wiltshire sitting room, as Arabella Youens asks: are you sitting comfortably?

Sour to the people

Fish and chips wouldn’t be fish and chips without a glug of malt vinegar, argues Rob Crossan

Pho sure

Asian noodle soup tempts Tom Parker Bowles with its thrilling symphony of fragrant flavours

Foraging

Handle with care when picking hogweed and cow parsley for the kitchen, warns John Wright

Arts & antiques

Carlo Passino throws the spotlight on the engaging drawings of literary legend Victor Hugo

Directors take centre stage

Shakespeare and Chekhov are given an imaginative new spin — and Michael Billington approves

And much more

Culture, Gardens, Homes, Magazines, Travel

Country Life Magazine – January 15, 2025 Preview

January 14, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (January 14, 2025): The latest issue features ‘Totally Tropical’ – The gardens of Tresco, where anything grows…

Totally tropical taste

Tiffany Daneff savours the exotic surroundings of Tresco Abbey Garden, where the temperate climate of the Isles of Scilly has created a colourful paradise

Box of tricks

The devastation of box blight is well documented, but what can we do to save our hedges? Charles Quest-Ritson investigates

Now that’s what I call pulling power

The ox may have disappeared from the fields of Britain, but that mighty beast of burden still plays a huge role in agriculture across the globe, finds Laura Parker

‘Make way for Her Majesty’s gloves!’

You’ve got to hand it to Cornelia James, suggests Katy Birchall, as she recounts the incredible rise to prominence of our late Queen’s favourite glove-maker

Amie Atkinson’s favourite painting

The actress selects a heavenly landscape that has fired her imagination since childhood

The legacy

Tiffany Daneff pays tribute to Beth Chatto, whose ‘right plant, right place’ philosophy inspired her Essex dry garden

Top seats

The best chairs and benches for the garden, with Amelia Thorpe

Cool schools

Non Morris taps into the expert knowledge of Troy Scott-Smith, Charles Dowding and Tom Stuart-Smith as she digs into some of Britain’s best garden courses

Town versus Earl

John Goodall charts the history of The Lord Leycester and its outstanding medieval buildings in Warwickshire that have been given a whole new lease of life

See you on the top deck

To celebrate the centenary of London’s covered double-decker bus, Rob Crossan hops aboard for a whistle-stop tour of our capital’s public transport

The good stuff

Hetty Lintell keeps her cool with a sparkling selection of jewellery inspired by ice

Interiors

Arabella Youens admires a sitting room in London and Amelia Thorpe answers the call of the wild with animal accessories

Kitchen garden cook

Earthy leeks take centre stage in winter for Melanie Johnson

Be still, my beating art

An obsession with Emma, Lady Hamilton led painter George Romney to produce his finest pieces, reveals Carla Passino

Gardens, Travel, Videos, Views

Cinematic Japan: Renge-Ji Temple Garden In Kyoto

January 21, 2024 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Yurara Sarara Films (January 20, 2024) – Renge-ji is a small temple in the north-east of Kyoto city. It was founded in 1662 by Imaeda Chikayoshi but other sources state that it was originally near the current location of Kyoto Station, and that Imaeda-san only moved it here and “revived” it long after its total destruction during the Onin war (1467~1477).

The main hall garden is of the “pond” style, formally known as “chisenkai kaiyuushiki garden” (池泉回遊式庭園). The only island stone of the pond represents a ship and is called “funaishi”, which means… ship stone 😉

Gardens, Travel, Videos

Japan Gardens: Jojakko-Ji Temple Kyoto In The Rain

Video January 14, 2024 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Yurara Sarara Films (January 14, 2024) – Jojakkoji Temple 雨の常寂光寺 in the rain. Established at the end of the 16th century, Jojakkoji is a Nichiren temple situated on the side of Mt. Kokura, on Kyoto’s western edge. The temple is famous for its autumn leaves.

Culture, Gardens, Travel, Videos

Sensations: The Sounds Of Japanese Water Gardens

Video December 31, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Yurara Sarara Films (December 31, 2023) – Japanese water gardens, built in the traditional style of a Tsukiyama Garden originating in Japan, often aim to make a smaller garden appear larger than it is.

In Japan, garden making is considered a high art, akin to the arts of calligraphy and ink painting. Traditionally, the art of garden making was passed from sensei to apprentice through oral transmission.

Culture, Gardens, Travel, Videos, Views

Views: The Zen Beauty Of Japanese Gardens In Kyoto

December 16, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Yurara Sarara Films (December 15, 2023) – Collections of the beauty of Japanese gardens in Kyoto. There are many types of Japanese gardens, from the karesansui dry rock gardens that replicate the flow of water with rocks, to the strolling gardens that are built around a pond. Because of the relation these gardens have with Zen and the Japanese concept of wabi and sabi, they are most often found at temples, so this, of course, means there are many Japanese gardens in Kyoto.

Architecture, Gardens, Homes, Tours, Travel, Videos, Views

Italy Villas: Neoclassical Tour On Lake Maggiore

Video October 20, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Lionard Luxury Real Estate (October 20, 2023) – A luxurious villa of very ancient origins, among the most famous by Lake Maggiore, is for sale in the stunning town of Belgirate, on the border with Stresa.

Video timeline: 00:00 History of the Property 01:45 Private Dockyard 02:26 Private Beach 03:10 Lounge Area 04:00 Main Gate 04:15 Golf Cart 04:53 Private Chapel 05:29 Piazzale 06:04 Parking 06:58 Main Foyer 07:16 Music Room 07:54 Living Room 08:30 Study 08:54 Dining Room 09:21 Foyer 09:50 Kitchen 10:37 Smart Home 10:47 Private Elevator 11:12 Bedroom Area 12:28 Master Suite 12:44 Master Bathroom 13:16 Master Bedroom 12:23 Wellness Area 15:04 Attic Suite 15:34 Loggiato 15:50 Swimming Pool Area 16:39 Italian Style Garden 17:22 Dependance 17:56 Entertainment Area 18:25 Vegetable Garden 18:35 Outro

Its exclusive position directly by the lake, its 1,700 sqm of internal surface divided between the main house and the outbuildings, the private beach connected directly by an underground passage and the pier for private use contribute to the uniqueness of this property that belonged to the family of Napoleon III. Dating back to the early 19th century, the villa was built in a late neoclassical style on the walls of a previous religious building for Mathilde Laetitia Wilhelmine Bonaparte, daughter of Jerome, Napoleon’s younger brother.

Subsequently passed into the ownership of the Russian prince Vladimir Andrevic Dolgorukij, the property was remodeled only at the end of the last century, while the big park that surrounds it has remained intact in its original design, conceived by Anatoly Demidov, husband of Mathilde and well-known enthusiast and builder of gardens, especially in Tuscany. Its convenient natural location, in one of the towns of the Piedmontese shore of Lake Maggiore, ensures an always pleasant microclimate, while its strategic exposure, slightly oblique to the coast, has been designed to improve the panoramic view from any internal environment, rooms included.

Gardens, Landmarks, Museums, Tours, Travel, Videos, Views

Miami Views: A Tour Of The Vizcaya Museum & Gardens

Video September 16, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Christopher Putvinski Films (September 16, 2023) – A short tour of the beautiful grounds of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the former villa and estate of businessman James Deering, of the Deering McCormick-International Harvester fortune, on Biscayne Bay in the present-day Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida.

Filmed in September 2023.

Gardens, Historical, Reviews, Tours, Travel, Videos, Views

Historic Tours: Belton House In Lincolnshire, UK

Video August 23, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

National Trust (August 23, 2023) – A behind the scenes at Belton House in Lincolnshire, built between 1685 and 1687 by Sir John Brownlow, which is looked after by the National Trust.

A filming location for Queen Charlotte: a Bridgerton Story, this 17th-century home has been used as a set for many popular TV series and movies. Belton can be seen in the 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth and, most recently, has featured as King George III’s palace in the Bridgerton universe.

Along with a tour of some familiar scenes from the silver screen, you’ll take a closer look at a jewel in the furniture collection – a one-of-a-kind lapis lazuli cabinet. A deep blue gemstone, lapis lazuli has been used as decoration for centuries – perhaps most notably in the funerary mask of Tutankhamun. For a cabinet to be almost entirely covered in the material makes it an extremely rare object.