Pauline Cox’s Roquefort, rocket and pink grapefruit salad

McCarthy Holden Salad for summer

By Katie Wright, PA:

“As colourful in nutrients as it is in appearance, this easy-to-construct salad is a powerhouse of goodness!” says functional nutritionist Pauline Cox.

Roquefort, rocket and pink grapefruit salad

Ingredients:

(Makes one salad)

90g rocket

100g Roquefort (ideally raw), cut into chunks

1 ripe avocado, peeled, stoned and sliced

2 pink grapefruits, segmented

A drizzle of raspberry blush vinaigrette

A handful of chopped fresh coriander

A handful of pecans, chopped

A handful of sunflower seeds

For the vinaigrette:

100g raspberries (10-12 juicy raspberries)

60ml extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lime

20ml balsamic vinegar

20ml beet kvass (optional, but ideal)

1tsp salt (ideally beetroot salt)

Method:

1. To make the vinaigrette, add all of the ingredients to a blender and combine. Transfer to a clean glass jar with a lid, keep in the fridge and use within three days.

2. Lay the rocket leaves onto two plates, adding chunks of Roquefort, slices of avocado and pink grapefruit segments, and drizzle over the raspberry blush vinaigrette.

3. Sprinkle over the chopped coriander, pecans and sunflower seeds.

Hungry Woman by Pauline Cox is published by Ebury Press, priced £27. Photography by Luke Albert. Available Now.

McCarthy Holden Salad for summer
roquefort, rocket and pink grapefruit salad

Pretty garden plants you didn’t know you could eat

McCarthy Holden garden plants

By Hannah Stephenson:

Garden designer, grower and social media star Lucy Hutchings, of She Grows Veg fame, has been showing followers the prettiest vegetables to add colour and form to ornamental borders.

“The best way to approach edibles within a planting scheme is to stop thinking of them as edibles and approach them as you would any other plants in your border. Look at height, colour and texture and vary that through the border,” says the designer, who has 171k followers on Instagram.

“You might want some frilly things, spiky things, architectural things, broad-leaved things – and you can achieve all of these textures and looks through edible plants as well.”

McCarthy Holden garden plants
sunflowers in a border

At the recent Gardeners’ World Live event, Hutchings launched She Grows Veg, a fully female design company. In The Secret Homestead show garden, she demonstrated how easy it is to integrate flowers and edibles and still make everything look beautiful.

With a background in fashion design, Hutchings explains: “Grow your own is almost always portrayed in a homespun, traditional, quite humble and slightly apologetic way. My interest lies firmly in edible plants and I never understood why there was this divide in approach.”

a border of ornamental kale

She aims to show people who love flowers and beautiful borders how to embrace the idea that veg can also be gorgeous.

Her show garden was filled with popular ornamental plants mixed with food crops which people might not realise are edible, including hostas, roses, cannas, dahlias, Oxalis triangularis and colocasia – which are traditional food crops in other parts of the world.

Here she suggests a selection of edible plants which will provide colour and texture to any ornamental border.

McCarthy Holden garden plants
Oxalis triangularis

Striped japonica corn

Ornamental varieties of vegetable which blend in beautifully with a flower border include striped japonica corn (which can be used for popcorn), with candy cane striped foliage. “Popcorn is such an easy snack and you can get a lot off a plant,” says Hutchings.

Hostas

“These are very popular in East Asia, where people eat new shoots as they emerge. Take them from an established crown and give the plant a chance to bounce back. They taste similar to asparagus and you don’t get the woodiness.”

Japanese flowering kale

“Japanese flowering kale is sometimes referred to as ornamental kale, but you can eat it. It looks like a big purple flower, with white/green around the outside, fading to pink and bright vivid neon purple.

“All kales are really hardy and you can harvest it year round, sowing it twice a year, once in late summer to grow through winter and again in early spring to grow through summer.” Serve it as you would other green veg.

“I have kales spaced through the border, almost treating it like a great big flower as opposed to a foliage plant.”

Red orach

“This featured in quite a lot of the gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show,” Hutchings observes. “It’s commonly seen in borders and is sometimes referred to as French (or mountain) spinach. You eat it in exactly the same way as spinach despite the fact that it has really vivid purple leaves.

“Add colour through foliage and stem colour as well as flowers. Your greens don’t actually have to be green. Red and purple vegetables tend to be better for you because the red and purple colour is from an antioxidant called anthocyanin which is the same antioxidant that makes blueberries a superfood.”

Colocasia (elephant’s ears)

“A lot of people grow Colocasia as houseplants, but very few realise that it is actually taro, a starchy root you often get in Chinese restaurants – in Asia, it is very commonly eaten.”

Oxalis triangularis (purple shamrock)

“Again, this is a popular houseplant, but the leaves are really delicious, with a sour apple flavour. It’s a beautiful plant which is easy to grow and the leaves can be added to salads for a fruity taste. I’ve also seen it as a garnish on desserts.”

Dahlias

“These are a root crop, originally imported from Europe as a starchy food crop. If you lift them at the end of the season, use some of the tubers for eating. Cook them as you would a new potato – they have a slightly lemony taste. Flower petals of dahlias are also edible.”

Sunflowers

“These give you a lot of bang for your buck. Not many people realise how many ways you can eat a sunflower. They think that you just have to roast the seeds and they’re fiddly. But you can also eat the unopened flowerbuds as you would an artichoke head.

“If you harvest a sunflower head when the seeds have swelled but before the seed coating hardens too much, you can roast and eat the heads like you would corn on the cob.”

WARNING – This article was supplied by the Press Association. Check the facts / information and make sure a plant is edible, please consult an expert.

McCarthy Holden garden plants
ornamental kale
McCarthy Holden garden plants
variety of edible plants
McCarthy Holden garden plants
red orach

All the top tipples to toast the King’s coronation

Claire Spreadbury rounds up special edition beers, wines and spirits to celebrate in style.

The King’s coronation will see many of us throwing street parties, getting together and enjoying the additional bank holiday.

If you’re not sure what to drink, you needn’t worry. There are oodles of royal-themed new releases hitting the shelves in time for the big day.

Here are some of our favourites…

English bubbles

Popping corks of celebratory fizz is most definitely in order to toast the King, and there’s a huge variety to choose from. Starting from the top end, you can’t go wrong with the Ridgeview Royal Coronation Trio, £117, after all – it comes with a royal seal of approval. A brand served at Charles’ first state banquet at Buckingham Palace in November, this coronation gift set contains the Ridgeview Bloomsbury NV (the official wine served for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee), Ridgeview Cavendish NV and Ridgeview Fitzrovia Rosé NV (served to Barack Obama at the Buckingham Palace State Banquet in 2011) plus a limited edition coronation stopper. All completely delicious if you can afford to splash out.

Another bubbling British treat is Hattingley Valley‘s Kings Cuvée 2015, £85 (perfect with canapes) and Kings Cuvée Rosé 2015, £95 (serve with a scrumptious Eton Mess) – both available with a limited edition King’s coronation engraved oak case, £30, to mark the occasion.

Renowned English wine producer Chapel Down has released the Coronation Edition, £65, from their exceptional 2016 vintage, which features special edition packaging. Described by head winemaker Josh Donaghay-Spire as having aromas of ripe apple, fresh red berries and toasted brioche, he says this rich and complex sparkling wine is “perfect” for grand celebrations. Available directly from Chapel Down, this top drop will also be served by the glass at the two Michelin star The Hand And Flowers, and the Oxo Tower Restaurant. All profits from the sale of the wine will be donated to the Royal British Legion.

What could be more magnificent than celebrating the coronation with a magnum? The 1.5-litre Moët & Chandon Coronation Cuvée 2023 is dressed to impress with a specially-designed souvenir bottle, featuring the official emblem of the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort – available exclusively at Clos19 from May 1.

Royal Warrant holder Camel Valley has been producing award-winning English wines since 1989 and its English Sparkling Blanc de Blancs 2016, exclusive to Fortnum & Mason, contains 100% sparkling chardonnay, £42.50.

At the more affordable end of the spectrum, Aldi has done it again, releasing a Specially Selected English Sparking Rosé, £16.99. With a patriotic label and notes of raspberry and brioche, you really can’t go wrong.

Marks & Spencer‘s Balfour Coronation Cuvée, £23, is a limited edition bottle of balanced English bubbly, with some lively lemony acidity, crisp apple and even a touch of white pepper.

Sainsbury’s has also released an English Sparkling Wine, £22, made from grapes grown in prime vineyard sites across southern England and made using the same method as champagne. Enjoy crisp green apple aromas, toasty brioche notes and delicate citrus flavours.

And finally on the fizz front, if you want everything in one place, Cartwright & Butler‘s Coronation Celebration Hamper, £160, comes with a bottle of Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial, special edition coronation biscuits, tea, chutney, marmalade and coffee, plus fudge, more biscuits and a delicious fruit cake. What more could you need?

Wine

Understandably, it is all about the English sparkles when it comes to coronation wines, but for those who prefer something a little richer, we couldn’t resist mentioning Long Live The King – a cabernet sauvignon with the perfect Aussie ripeness, punchy cassis and an excellent name. £12.99, Laithwaites.

Gin

Who doesn’t love an afternoon G&T on a bank holiday Monday? Adnams have released a limited run of 1,000 Coronation Gins, £50, making this one a bit of a collector’s item. Taking inspiration from the King’s love of the natural world, John McCarthy – Adnams head distiller – picked out botanicals evocative of an afternoon tea in an English herb garden. Simply serve with Indian tonic water, ice, a fresh bay leaf and a sliver of cucumber.

Another top gin distiller, Silent Pool, has created a limited edition Coronation Gin, £45, that’s exclusive to Waitrose. Containing floral layers of lavender and chamomile, notes of citrus and lime leaves, and grounded with the subtle sweetness of local Surrey honey, it’s utterly delicious.

If you’re looking for a bit more bang for your buck, family gin maker Hayman’s has collaborated with up-and-coming artist Rose England to launch the limited edition London-inspired wrap for its bestselling London Dry Gin. £26 and exclusive to Waitrose, the design features iconic London landmarks, such as Big Ben, the black taxi and a red phone box.

For something a little lighter and fruitier, Sainsbury’s has also launched their Taste the Difference Orange Gin Liqueur with a hint of lemon, £8 (was £10) – wonderfully refreshing poured over ice with a dash of sparkling tonic water.

Beer

If you love a beer, you won’t feel left out amid the royal celebrations. Aldi has brought out a whole host of Coronation Craft Beers, £1.79 each. Choose from a Session IPA, Session Pale Ale, British Ale and British Lager, all in glorious limited edition prints.

Sainsbury’s has got in on the action too, with its Taste the Difference Coronation Ale, £2.50. An English ale brewed in the heart of Dorset, it’s made using crystal and chocolate malts for a toasted biscuit taste.

And Marks & Spencer is also releasing a delightful Coronation Ale, £3. Brewed with 100% English Sovereign hops from Herefordshire and pale ale malt grown organically in the UK’s finest barley-growing area of north Norfolk, it slips down like a dream.

How inheritance is playing a part in getting people on the property ladder

Some people are banking on inheritance to buy a home, or pay off their mortgage, according to Zoopla. By Vicky Shaw.

Coming into some inheritance can make all the difference when it comes to being able to achieve financial milestones, such as getting on the property ladder.

For Kirsty Hamilton, 27, inheritance left by her uncle helped her put down a 50% deposit on a flat.

The operations manager, from Paisley in Scotland, says: “Knowing I had the inheritance meant I didn’t have to worry about saving for my first home. It also allowed me to purchase a property in a nice area.

“We have recently refurbished the bathroom and it’s been nice to do this from a stable position.”

Kirsty also highlights how discussing family inheritance can be worthwhile.

“It is useful to know a ballpark figure of any inheritance you may gain,” she says. “This will help you to manage your life and plan for the future.”

High house prices and jumps in mortgage rates make getting on the property ladder an even tougher feat for some first-time buyers.

Comparing her situation to that of her parents, Kirsty says: “It is 100% harder now than it was for my mum and dad.

“They’ve spoken about how much less they had to make before being able to purchase a property, compared with young people today.”

Recent research from property website Zoopla, among 2,000 people whose parents own a property, found more than two-fifths (43%) are relying on inheritance. Despite this, only three in 10 (30%) people surveyed have asked their parents how much they are likely to inherit.

While some people told researchers they find it too awkward to discuss inheritance, others said they have checked how much their parents’ property is worth.

Zoopla has a calculator on its website, which can provide an indication of what your property inheritance might be worth.

Some of those surveyed said they had fallen out with family over discussions about inheritance, while others are concerned such talks could spark rifts in the future.

Picking the right moment may help, as could seeking financial advice.

Some people are already making plans for the expected inheritance they are yet to receive, the survey revealed.

Nearly six in 10 (58%) expect to be able to move house, upgrade their home, pay off some of their mortgage, or become mortgage-free.

Some people surveyed were renting until they inherit, while others had purchased their home on the basis that an inheritance would one day help them to pay off their mortgage.

Of course, not everyone is fortunate enough to have money passed onto them by older generations, either as wealth transferred after parents have died or while they are still alive.

Recent analysis from think-tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) indicated that the children of university-educated home-owning parents receive around six times more in wealth transfers during their 20s and early 30s than the children of renters.

These wealth transfers between generations often happen when people are buying their first home or getting married, the IFS said.

For those trying to get on the property ladder who do not have the benefit of money being passed down to them to help, Daniel Copley, a consumer expert at Zoopla (zoopla.co.uk), suggests exploring what government schemes are available.

These may vary, depending on where in the UK you live.

He says: “There are several government-backed schemes – some of them not very well known – that can give first-time buyers a helping hand onto the property ladder.”

It may also be worth being open-minded on location and looking for “up-and-coming” places to buy a home.

Copley suggests: “Look for areas that have similar attributes or are adjacent to your preferred area – you might be surprised how much house prices change across relatively short distances.”

Lifetime ISAs can also give people saving for their first home a boost, adding a 25% government bonus onto savings, subject to certain terms and conditions.

People must be at least 18 and under 40 years old to open a Lifetime ISA.

Joe Wicks on how to make moving your body a non-negotiable

Prudence Wade chats to the Body Coach about the mental benefits of exercise – why this is more important than ever right now.

Fitness might be Joe Wicks’ job, but even he’s not always ready and raring to work-out.

“I definitely have days where I feel flat and I feel stressed, or I can’t be bothered today,” admits the father-of-three. However, the difference for Wicks, 37, is that moving his body has become a non-negotiable.

“If I don’t wake up and exercise, I hold that tension and that stress in my body,” he explains. “So I always see exercise as like a stress relief valve, like a pressure cooker. So when I move my body, I know I’m going to feel so much better at the end of it.

“It’s habit and discipline, as opposed to being genuinely lit up with motivation every day. I know how much my life improves – my relationships, my friendships, my kids and everyone around me benefit when I’m keeping active.

“It’s non-negotiable. It’s a priority for me.”

If you’re at the start of your fitness journey or out of the swing of things, making exercise a priority can seem like an uphill battle. Here’s how Wicks suggests going about it…

Don’t do too much, too soon

If your New Year’s resolution is to adopt the training plan of a professional athlete, you could be setting yourself up for failure.

“Ultimately, the first and most important thing is you don’t do too much at once,” Wicks advises. “Don’t try and go to the gym five days a week from zero, or put pressure on yourself to build a certain diet, or a low-calorie restrictive diet.

“I know this is so cliché and it’s easier said than done – it’s just doing things you can actually sustain, that isn’t overwhelming, that isn’t stressful, that is enjoyable.”

Remove the friction

Does life constantly seem to be getting in the way of your exercise goals? You might want to rethink how you’re doing things.

“I’m a big fan of home workouts,” says Wicks. “Remove the friction of getting childcare, or getting to the gym and finding that hour where you commute. Imagine if your living room was your gym, and you had a pair of dumbbells and a kettlebell – you can have a great workout in 25 minutes, and actually get it done.

“You’ve got to make your life easy – set yourself up for success,” Wicks adds.

Focus on the mental benefits

Wicks knows exercise is a game-changer for his mental health – and if you start experiencing the same benefits, you might find yourself even more committed to moving your body.

“The Body Coach was originally about HIIT training, about body image and losing weight. Over the years, I’ve really shifted my belief and narrative around it, because I realised that people often start to lose weight – but what keeps them coming back really is the mental health benefits of exercise and how their life improves, their relationships improve.”

And with the cost-of-living crisis making things seem pretty bleak this January, Wicks believes movement is more important than ever.

“Last year, people were thinking about [exercise] a bit – it was optional. This year it’s essential, because life’s overwhelming, life feels really stressful,” he reflects.

“And if you don’t take care of yourself physically and you don’t lift your mood mentally, you’re going to be overwhelmed and things can really get on top of you. So see exercise as an essential part of your happiness and make it a priority.”

Prioritise sleep

Wicks is currently finding this one tricky – his youngest child, Leni, is four months old, and her tired dad says: “She’s doing this sleep regression thing, where she’s awake for like half an hour, every night, all through the night.

“Your eyes are stinging, you wake up really thirsty, you’ve got a headache – it really makes you realise how sleep is everything, it’s the foundation,” he adds. “I’m making not great food choices, I’m not really exercising – so it definitely affects me.”

When Leni isn’t waking him up throughout the night, Wicks calls sleep “the number one priority for me, over anything”. He continues: “Certain things knock you back, and I realised just how important sleep is – if there’s one message I’d like to share with people it’s this year, really prioritise sleep.

“When you’re well slept, everything else can fall into place a lot easier. I really think we’re under slept, we sleep-deprive ourselves. We sit up on our phones, we watch Netflix until 3am – we’re doing it to ourselves. So try to focus on sleep, and eating and exercise will come a lot easier.”

Find your tribe

If you have the time and resources, training with a group of like-minded people might be the extra boost of motivation you need.

“I started as a personal trainer and I used to do boot camps, and I always got much more of a buzz from group fitness,” explains Wicks. “Training with people and as a group, it’s more of an energy and you push a bit harder. You feel like you’re not on your own when you’re struggling and people are cheering you on – it feels nice to be part of a little community.”

That’s why Wicks has set up The Body Coach Studios – a pop-up space for a few days in January where Wicks and trainers from his app will teach in-person classes.

“Rather than it being about a ‘before and after’ transformation on Instagram, imagine meeting someone who’s come back from depression, or who’s come back from an injury… and now they’re this really fit, motivating human being. I think that rubs off on people.”

The Body Coach Studios’ is the first ever fitness studio from Joe Wicks’ The Body Coach app. To find out more and book tickets for January 20-22, head to thebodycoach.com/studios

December Magazine With Market Insight

Magazine photo image McCarthy Holden

What an extraordinary year, defined on a global level with Mr Putin’s destruction and misery when he decided to invade Ukraine in February, introducing unimaginable suffering to the Ukrainian people and also introducing a backdrop of uncertainty across economic activities from stock markets to property markets around the world.

In the first few months the prospect of a stock market and property market downturn had to be considered, but this didn’t happen in the UK and………. You can read the 2022 review by clicking the image below which will take you through to our online digital Magazine In The Country & Town.

Browsing through our property and lifestyle magazine you will be able to see some of the finest property in the area, available to buy or rent as well as read some engaging editorial content.

Some articles are shown below and a click will take you through.

We wish all of our clients / customers / suppliers and magazine readers a very happy Christmas and an uplifting 2023

Rahul Mandal: Save money and bake these 5 festive gifts instead

Bake Off fan favourite Rahul Mandal shares his Christmas baking ideas.

For a lot of people Christmas will be a stretch, so why not take a leaf out of Dr Rahul Mandal’s book and bake gifts for your loved ones?

The first time the 2018 Great British Bake Off winner baked anything was actually in the lead up to Christmas, when he was a student on a tight budget.

“I was at Loughborough Univerity, on a scholarship, so it wasn’t like I had a lot of money to actually give people lots of Christmas presents,” he says.

“I started to make friends in the Garden Society and I wanted to bring some presents – I think that was the first time I baked in that way. It wasn’t baking from scratch – I literally bought some shortcrust pastry from the shop and put some [readymade] mincemeat and cranberries in it to make mince pies. I also made some stained glass cookies to give to people – that’s where it all started.”

Here are Mandal’s ideas for baked festive gifts…

1. A lighter Christmas cake

“If you’re going to a Christmas gathering, rather than buying a cake, make the cake yourself,” says Mandal.

“There is lighter version of a fruit cake recipe in my book [Showstopper Cakes] – a lot of people don’t like the heavy-fruited Christmas cake.” Growing up in India, the only cake his family had was on Christmas day – but it was very different to the boozy, fruit-heavy cake eaten in the UK.

“It was more like a dense sponge cake with a handful of dried mixed fruit dispensed evenly in the crumb. I will be honest, I liked this cake a lot more than the British version.”

For Christmas presents, he says: “You can make your own marzipan and coat the cake with it, then decorate it as you like.”

2. Spiced brownie bars

The best thing to add to a brownie bar to make it Christmassy is “definitely spiced caramel”, says Mandal.

To make ginger caramel, “You basically make the caramel and add a teaspoon or one-and-a-half teaspoons of ground ginger in it. Then if you want to put a pinch of Christmas spices in it as well – that’s absolutely amazing! I think it complements the dark, rich brownie flavour quite well.”

3. Mince pies

“If you’re going to someone’s house for Christmas, instead of buying some mince pies, just make a batch of them yourself – that’s an amazing gift.

“If you want to make your own pastry, it’s a simple shortcrust pastry: three parts flour to two parts butter, and a couple of tablespoons of caster sugar. Rub it together and then put three to four tablespoons of water (depending on how much flour you’re using). Put everything in a food processor until it starts coming together as a clump. Then you chill it, take it out and roll it, and cut it into shapes and line the cupcake tin to make mince pies.

“Or you can just buy the pastry – perfectly fine! [Use] all butter shortcrust pastry and they are amazing. Same with mincemeat, you can just buy readymade mincemeat or you can make your own. Or as a kind of hybrid version, buy readymade mincemeat, but add fruits you like in it. You can maybe put some dried cranberries in, or some brandy-soaked cherries in – which are not usually in mince pies a lot of the time.”

4. Jam

“When I have time, I make jams,” says Mandal, whose book includes recipes for several, including pineapple, ginger and chilli jam.

“You can make jams and you can give them as good presents. If you’re making it home you can pretty much add no preservatives – because jam is a mix of sugar and fruit, so you know what’s in it. That’s a very, very useful [gift].”

5. Christmas tree decorations

“Edible Christmas decorations are great – like stained glass cookies, or any kind of decorated cookies – that you can just hang on your Christmas tree,” says Mandal.

When it comes to the dough, you have options. “Obviously Christmas is gingerbread, so making gingerbread cookies is a big tradition for me. But if you are in doubt you could just use a normal shortbread and instead of normal caster sugar, replace it with muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar.

“Then if you’re making it with, say, 200 grams of flour, put 10 grams of ginger in – so it’s about 1/20, and that will make it gingery enough. And you can put other spices in like a teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of cayenne, nutmeg and a pinch of clove will make it very, very Christmassy.

“You can make a little hole in the rolled gingerbread [with a] cookie cutter, and take a bit out of the cookie. Then put some boiled sweets in it and then bake it for seven to eight minutes. By the time the biscuits are baked, your boiled sweets will melt and create the stained glass effect,” he says.

“You don’t even need to decorate those with royal icing if you don’t want to, because they look so pretty as it is – they will be a beautiful decoration for a tree, and they taste delicious.”

Showstopping Cakes by Rahul Mandal is published by Kyle Books, priced £26. Photography by Maja Smend. Available now.

Festive garden events to get you into the Christmas spirit

Whether it’s visiting Santa, a winter trail or a light festival, our gardens have it all.

If you want to add sparkle to your life in the run-up to Christmas, open gardens, garden centres and historic houses are all holding events to get you in a festive mood.

The RHS gardens in Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Essex, Surrey and Devon are already a beacon of light with their fantastic Glow festivals (rhs.org.uk), which run untill December 30, where visitors can follow twinkling trails, illuminated sculptural trails and see winter blooms in a new light as dusk falls.

Garden centres are pulling out all the stops with Santa’s grotto experiences, while gardens up and down the country will be hosting winter trails, wreath-making workshops and container demonstrations in the run-up to the big day.

Booking is essential for most of the events. Here are just a few of the garden-themed festive happenings to inspire and delight:

Christmas at Kew (christmasatkew.seetickets.com)

This much-loved highlight of London’s festive calendar returns for its 10th sparkling year, featuring a host of seasonal favourites alongside pioneering new light installations, illuminating Kew Gardens’ UNESCO World Heritage landscape with vibrant bursts of colour and more than a million twinkling lights.

Its sister site at Wakehurst, a wild, botanic garden in the heart of Sussex, will be exploring a new route on its enchanting winter lantern trail, while Glow Wild (kew.org/wakehurst) celebrates the spectrum of colours in nature.

Christmas wreath-making workshops

If you fancy having a go at making your own Christmas wreath with natural materials, there are plenty of these events happening at open gardens and garden centres, but for some special magic visit Barnsdale Gardens (barnsdalegardens.co.uk) in Rutland, former Gardeners’ World gardens created by TV presenter Geoff Hamilton.

At its Christmas Wreath Making Workshop (Dec 6), visitors will use freshly gathered foliage, seed heads and other floral treasures from the gardens at Barnsdale to embellish their wreath.

Meanwhile, in Scotland, Gordon Castle (gordoncastle.co.uk) is holding a wreath-making workshop at the walled garden on Dec 10 and 11.

Winter lights

The gardens of the majestic Anglesey Abbey, Cambridge (nationaltrust.org.uk) create a perfect stage for its ‘Nature by Night, Nature by Light’ celebration of the natural world (from Dec 9-21). This sensory after-dark journey brings the gardens of Anglesey Abbey to life in all their wonder.

Poems and music and illustrations will thread throughout the experience, while visitors will see projections of nature illustrations along the route.

Sculpture exhibition

More than 120 captivating sculptures by 32 artists are on display at RHS Garden Rosemoor in Devon (rhs.org.uk) in its largest ever winter sculpture exhibition, featuring the work of sculptors from across the UK.

Each piece complements the sculptural and textural delights of the garden in winter, bringing structural elements to the fore under the soft rays of the low winter sun, with misty and frosty mornings adding an ethereal air.

Most pieces are for sale, with prices starting from £20, and many of the sculptors will also take commissions.

Highlights include works by internationally renowned sculptor Anne Curry, whose large stone pieces are inspired by the natural forms of seeds and bulbs.

With a wide variety of materials, techniques and inspirations, the trail features everything from fluid and hypnotic installations to thought-provoking, large-scale pieces that invite the viewer to consider their connection to nature.

Other festive events at Rosemoor include a Magic of Christmas Craft and Food Fair (Dec 1-3), Ultimate Bublé at Christmas (Dec 10) when tribute act Mark Daniels will perform Michael Bublé’s festive hits; and a panto of Dick Whittington (Dec 17).

Santa’s grotto for families and pets

For families looking to celebrate Christmas with their dogs, Santa Paws is back at 50 Dobbies garden centres (dobbies.com) across the country from Nov 24. Dog lovers are invited to bring their pup along to see Santa, get a special doggie gift and get that all important photo opportunity.

This year, kids are invited along to enjoy an immersive visit to the grotto where elves take visitors through a magical woodland, spotting reindeer, rabbits and forest creatures along the way. Children will become Santa’s little helpers, participating in various activities revealed during their visit. After lending a helping hand, children will then get to meet Santa himself and receive a special gift.

Dobbies’ Quiet Grotto experience returns this year on Dec 9 to support children with special needs. Sound and visual elements are adapted to reduce anxiety and ensure every child has an opportunity to meet Santa and his elves.

Christmas artisan markets and crafts

There are plenty of opportunities to buy gifts, cards and crafts at markets up and down the country, including many in National Trust properties, including Castle Ward, County Down (nationaltrust.org) on December 2-4.

There, visitors in the theatre space and stable yard will find a handpicked selection of local designer/makers and food vendors showcasing their work and local products. The stable yard will be dressed in Georgian style with Christmas lights, accompanied by living history actors telling you the stories of those who called Castle Ward home during the 18th century. During the late-night opening enjoy a night-time experience of Castle Ward lit up by the twinkling lights.

Stock up on seasonal treats for family and friends at the Bath House Gallery in RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Yorkshire (rhs.org.uk), choosing from a selection of works by local artists, crafters and designers who will be showcasing their Christmas designs.

For further inspiration it’s worth visiting the garden’s flora and thread exhibition, a plant-themed display featuring artwork on loan from the Captain Cook Memorial Museum in Whitby and created by the Whitby Stitchers.

Glasshouse Christmas display

For some festive inspiration, check out the enchanted forest scene in the Glasshouse at the RHS flagship garden at Wisley (rhs.org.uk). This imaginative white Christmas-themed display includes Christmas trees made from white poinsettias and a twinkling stream that flows from the waterfall.

Impossipuzzles

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Here is the answers to the Impossipuzzle in the November issue of In The Country and Town magazine

1 “Was that your new maths teacher you were talking to?” Greg asked. “She looked a bit young, is she in her twenties?”

Betty smiled. “That’s right, Dad, and she’s lots of fun. Today she told us her age is one less than four times the product of its digits. That’s our homework.”

How old?

ANSWER: Teacher aged 23 years old.

2 When Pam was a year older than Susie was when Pam was half as old as Susie was when Pam was as old as Susie is, Susie was a third as old as Pam was when Susie was ten years younger than Pam is now.

At least one of them is in her ’teens, and of course we have taken ages in completed years.

So how old is Susie?

ANSWER: Susie 12 years old (Pam 14).

3 “The twins? They are the youngest of my sister Jane’s children,” said Joe.

“What about her other three kids?” asked Andy.

“Well, they’re spaced one year apart, the youngest one a year older than the twins,” Joe replied. “It’s odd that the total of all the kids’ ages is exactly the square of the age of the twins.”

How old were the twins?

ANSWER: The twins were 6 years old.

4 Sam seemed to be digging up his square tiled patio when I dropped in on him yesterday. “No, only making it smaller,” he told me. “I’m removing the outer tile all the way round. That’s taking away one tile less than the total that will remain.”

The tiles were square and all the same size, so how many would he be removing?

ANSWER: 24 tiles to be removed.

5 “Homework?” Fred asked.

“Sort of, Dad,” he replied. “I’ve been figuring out a number that’s the square of its first pair of digits added to twice the square of the other pair.”

Fred jotted down some figures on a scrap of paper. “You mean like 2832, twice the square of 32 plus the square of 28?”

“Yes, but I found a different number.”

What was it?

ANSWER: Doug’s number was 7232.

6 “You can have all my change if you tell me how much is in my left pocket,” said Uncle Joe. “I’ve got twice as much in there as I have in my right pocket,”

“Let’s have a clue,” said Cathy.

“Okay,” her uncle replied. “It’s just one and a half times as much as I’d have in my right pocket if I transferred 37 p’s to it from my left pocket.”

Well?

ANSWER: £2.22 in Joe’s left pocket.

 

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Sabrina Ghayour’s tahini cinnamon swirls recipe

Cinnamon Swirls post McCarthy Holden estate agents

“I love cinnamon in pastry and desserts. There really is no sweet treat that doesn’t work with a little cinnamon in it, and these swirls have always been a favourite of mine,” says Sabrina Ghayour.

“The tahini really enriches them, giving them a lovely nutty flavour that is something quite different and pleasing. They are great with coffee or served with vanilla ice cream. You can also freeze a whole roll of prepared pastry for later use, then cut and bake from frozen for an extra couple of minutes.”

Cinnamon Swirls post McCarthy Holden estate agents

Tahini cinnamon swirls recipe

Ingredients:

(Makes 12)

1 x 320g ready-rolled puff pastry sheet

4–5tbsp tahini (make sure it’s not too thin, and avoid using excess oil)

3tbsp golden granulated sugar

2tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), gas mark 6. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

2. Lay the pastry sheet on your work surface.

3. Mix the tahini with the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spread the mixture evenly all over the pastry sheet, leaving a two centimetre clear border along one long edge. Starting from the opposite long edge, roll up the pastry tightly.

4. Cut the roll into four, then cut each section into three equal slices. Lay the slices with the swirl facing up on the lined tray, spaced slightly apart, and flatten each one gently. Bake for 20–22 minutes until nicely browned on top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray before serving.

Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour is published by Aster, priced £26. Photography by Kris Kirkham. Available now.

Article By Prudence Wade, PA

 

Footnote – If your looking for a fabulous kitchen to cook in why not try this property

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