Notes on…
The politics of bowls clubs
Bowls has a reputation as a sedate pastime, but it can be as fiercely competitive as any other sport. It…
Why Kent is being bulldozed by buffalo
Buffalo are now living in the fens of Kent. Why – have we slipped into the metaverse of Lewis Carroll?…
The romance and rebellion of an Iranian picnic
Iranians adore a picnic. During the country’s most ancient festival, Nowruz, the Persian new year, they brandish baskets of food…
Getting a fringe is always a cry for help
Fringes have in recent years been considered attractive – Bettie Page, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Birkin, Kate Moss – so it…
Thumbs up: why hitchhiking is the best way to travel
When I first saw Vitaly I thought he was drunk. I was standing outside a petrol station near Fulda, in…
Why violets come into their own at Easter
The English Rock Garden, the magnum opus of the great gardening writer, horticulturist and plant collector Reginald Farrer, is an…
My love affair with the Wolseley
I was sitting alone at a small table in the Wolseley, Piccadilly, waiting for my supper and feeling a sense…
Crunch time: how to make the perfect crisp sandwich
A crisp sandwich is a private and personal endeavour. In my experience (and I have considerable experience in this particular…
How Mother’s Day became big business
As ever, the Romans got there first. Their version of Mothering Sunday or Mother’s Day was the feast of Juno…
In defence of slugs: gastropods are seriously misunderstood
Slugs and snails are the bane of every gardener who tries to grow strawberries, leafy and tuberous vegetables, flowering bulbs…
The cult of the convertible
The earliest cars were technically convertibles because the technology to fit a roof did not exist. Now the dedicated retractable…
The prickly truth: hedgehogs face a struggle to survive
No wild animal is closer to the hearts of the British than the hedgehog. In poll after poll, it has…
How sausage dogs were weaponised in the war
Short of leg but big on personality, the eccentrically shaped dachshund is one of Britain’s most beloved pets. Originally known…
The rise and fall of whistling
There was, at least until recently, an old sign round the back of the Savoy banning whistling by staff or…
The controversial side of carp fishing
All anglers are obsessive, but carp fishers are the most single-minded of all. They think nothing of spending weeks on…
The cult of the daffodil
Spring is the season of supermarket daffodils. At a pound a bunch, you can deck out your home like Elton…
The rise and fall of Britain’s fur trade
We in Britain have long been much more squeamish about fur than other Europeans. I still well remember the snide…
The secrets of chicken soup
Catherine Chicken is sickly. She has swollen up like a barrage balloon with an evil face and dinosaur feet. She…
The bittersweet truth about homemade marmalade
The spectrum of ‘bestowing homemade gifts on one’s friends’ ranges from giving to foisting. Pure giving is when you make…
Gold
After taking James Bond hostage, Auric Goldfinger does what all Bond villains do when in a position of power —…
Why do we bother with Christmas trees?
The closest thing we have to a native Christmas tree is the often broccoli-shaped Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). But the…
Why do we kiss under mistletoe?
Give us a snog. Pucker up at the Christmas party. Kiss me quick at the Nativity play. Will you be…
The enduring appeal of Baileys
For many, the first Baileys of the year heralds the start of the festive season; to others, it’s a drink…
The secrets of being a Christmas elf
I was 19 when I became a Hamleys elf. The closest thing I can compare it to is military service.…
The hellish return of the mullet
The mullet is back in fashion, which is proof that true evil never dies. What’s more, the trend is being…
