Country Living UK June 2022

Welcome to our very special midsummer issue, the timing of which coincides with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. In true Country Living style, we’re in celebratory mood and have a stellar cast of people and stories lined up to entertain you. We were delighted to persuade the legendary Dame Joanna Lumley (below right) – who has recently published a book about the Queen – to share a few entertaining tales of her royal encounters (page 34). And, as a further Jubilee tribute, we couldn’t resist dedicating the fourth “chapter” of our ongoing dog-breed series to Her Majesty’s favourite: the corgi. I’ve never considered owning a small(ish) dog but, after reading about these gregarious little chaps, I have to say I’m smitten and have even warned Bernie, my loyal Labrador, that he…

Wild City by Florence Wilkinson (Orion, £16.99) From London’s peregrine falcons to Glasgow’s water voles, certain species of wildlife are surprisingly at home in our cities. This book reveals the animals that have ingeniously adapted to human-engineered environments. The Garden Apothecary by Becky Cole (Hardie Grant, £15) Forager, herbalist, gardener and goat keeper – Becky Cole is a woman of many parts. In this book centred around 20 common plants, she shares her favourite recipes for foraged food, wild beauty products and cleansing teas. Through A Vet’s Eyes by Dr Sean Wensley (Octopus, £20) Dr Sean Wensley is an award-winning vet and a lifelong animal welfare campaigner. In this, his first book, he reveals how we can all help animals – from farmed chickens to pet dogs – live better lives. In Search of One Last…

“I have only to break into the tightness of a strawberry, and I see summer”The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison TAKE YOUR TIME… ON A BUTTERFLY WALK June is peak viewing time for many of the UK’s most beautiful butterflies, so why not take a stroll along their known flight paths? At Bookham Common in Surrey, you might even spot the rare purple emperor (left), or silver-washed fritillary (the ‘happiness butterfly’, above) in Devon’s Ashclyst Forest. Wear red or orange and they may land on you. nationaltrust.org.uk SENSE OF THE SEASON… First-cut hay The smell of hay hangs sweetly in the mid-June air, the earliest time of year for the first cut – and an almanac sign that dry conditions are here to stay. Mature grass stalks reaching to the sunshine are felled to…

On the shores of Lough Erne, Crom Castle watches over the ruins of its sibling, Old Crom, which predates it by two centuries. One of Northern Ireland’s key conservation areas, this 2,000-acre estate is home to pine martens, red squirrels, butterflies, bats and rare lichens. It’s best enjoyed via boat trips, birdwatching and meanders through meadows (nationaltrust.org.uk/crom). WEEKENDERS BERKSHIRE Tucked into a curve of the River Thames, Windsor is small but perfectly formed. Home to the oldest inhabited castle in the world – now permanent residence to Britain’s longest-serving monarch – nowhere will celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with quite as much aplomb… WHAT TO SEE AND DO To explore Windsor Castle*, start in the Moat Room for a helpful timeline of monarchs and castle history before marvelling at the gilded grandeur of the…

Editor’s choice “As each of these platters is individually hand-turned, there’s beautiful variation in the wood’s grain and tone, making each one unique.” Follow @CLArtisans on Instagram to see more unique products from talented makers FOR STOCKISTS see Where to Buy COMPILED BY CARA LASKARIS. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS…

THIS MONTH Hen keeping Author and seasoned smallholder Sally shares her Yorkshire plot with sheep, horses, hens, ducks, an orchard, vegetable garden and pond The hens are laying by the bucketload at this time of year. Nothing compares to the taste or colour of eggs from our usually free-foraging, happy chickens*. It’s mesmerising to watch them scratching around, looking for insects and bits of spilled grain. There are also few tasks more pleasing than checking the coop for eggs first thing in the morning. I’ve been keeping hens for 15 years and am yet to tire of their company or their comedic personalities. Each is unique – I’ve got a real rag-tag crew of mixed breeds and heritage varieties. The modern hybrids such as Rhode Island crosses – the archetypal red-brown hens –…