Step inside the world's most famous garden and understand the strength of its attraction in this beautiful and fascinating study. Since is was bought and transformed by writer Vita Sackville West and diplomat Harold Nicholson in the 1930s, this garden has captured imaginations with its unique and intricate design. This unforgettable garden of rooms is influential today for its design, its exuberant planting, and its effect on visitors as a complete garden experience. Author Tim Richardson explores its power and its magic, explaining the nuances of its evolution and shows how we can all enjoy it today. Beautiful photographs transport you to the National Trust property, showcasing it in all its brilliance.

Laetitia Maklouf is a garden writer and busy mother of three who has realised that the secret of gardening without becoming overwhelmed is to do something small every day. She's packed this book with little bursts of activity - spruce, chop, nurture, fuss or tackle a larger project - that can all be managed in five-minute forays. Spruce the lawn by raking fallen leaves in October, or fuss with your snail defences in May. Nurture your hardy annual seedlings in December, and chop your hydrangeas in March. Every day, rain or shine, do something for your garden with whatever time you can spare. Before you know it, you will have a daily gardening habit and a beautiful garden you can enjoy all year round.

The ideal gift for food lovers. Big flavours for busy people. It's packed with delicious recipes that can go from page to plate in 30 minutes or so. Over half the recipes are vegetarian or vegan and they keep in mind seasonality and minimising waste for a clean conscience as well as a clean plate. If you want convenience and simplicity without compromising on taste or nutrition, this book is for you. It's packed with delicious recipes that can go from page to plate in 30 minutes or so. There's everything you need for mid-week lunches or suppers, plus some special feasts too. There's soups, salads and mains, including Black Bean & Tomato Chipotle Soup, Noodle salad with Garlic Peanut Dressing, Roast Mushroom Gnocchi with Rocket Pesto, Hot Smoked Salmon Hash, Whole Roasted Aubergines with Sweet Garlic & Tahini Sauce. There are mouthwatering desserts too, including Peanut Butter French Toast, Roasted Vanilla Plums with Oat Crumble, Hotcakes with Cinnamon & Honey Butter. The recipes include one-pots and traybakes for ultimate effort-saving. Over half the recipes are vegetarian or vegan and they keep in mind seasonality and minimising waste for a clean conscience as well as a clean plate.

Delicious recipes to enjoy this Christmas. 80 recipes for home-cooked meals that will make your day. From the National Trust's cafes. Meals that make your day The National Trust's cafes are a British institution, enjoyed by the millions of people who visit its historic houses and sites every year. For some, a stop at the cafe is a bonus; for others, it's the main event. Either way, it promises delicious, hearty food that tastes like the very best home cooking. Over 80 of the recipes are in this book. Starters, mains, salads, desserts - everything you need. Recipes include: wild mushroom & barley soup; chicken, leek & tarragon pie; spring vegetable risotto; sausage & fennel seed pasta with spinach; spiced apple & plum crumble; rhubarb & ginger cheesecake. It's not just the classics and favourites that you might expect, but twists and new takes too - whether it's unusual ingredients (for example lemon & thyme sprouts; pea and mint scotch egg) or vegetarian and vegan options (chili non-carne; vegan pasty; vegan chocolate fudge cake). The recipes highlight seasonality and sustainability throughout - the National Trust's cafes are at the forefront of both areas.

A reissue of the classic reference work on the history of cooking and eating. Sara Paston-Williams has used the great wealth of National Trust houses and records to produce this wonderful book which is a feast for the eye as well as a fascinating guide to all the arts of dining. " ....a brilliant marriage of historical picture research, well-chosen recipes, and historical narrative..." Taste " ...the best single treatment of British food history that we have seen for years - or possibly ever." Anne Willan, Petits Propos Culinaires A reissue of the classic reference work on the history of cooking and eating. Behind the curious ingredients and mysterious language of old cookery books lies a completely different world, where the foods that we take for granted were often not available, their preparation, cooking and preservation were laborious and skilful tasks, and the art of dining reflected social attitudes quite removed from modern culinary practice. The Art of Dining includes historical recipes, together with their modern adaptations and covers Medieval, EarlyTudor, Elizabethan, Stuart, Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods. Sara Paston-Williams has used the great wealth of National Trust houses and records to produce this wonderful book which is a feast for the eye as well as a fascinating guide to all the arts of dining.

Learn how to make and use nourishing compost for your garden with this handy little guidebook from an experienced National Trust head gardener. It's packed with useful tips for successful composting, from deciding what to put in your kitchen compost caddy to how to use the final product in your garden. The author discusses the various composting set-ups you can choose, from simple plastic cone-shaped 'Dalek' bins to ingenious hand-rotated barrels and elaborate solar-powered hot composting systems, and gives full instructions to make a professional-looking three-bay compost heap from old pallets. Also covered are unusual and innovative techniques such as keyhole gardening and lasagne planting, and there's a guide to wormeries and, for the very adventurous, snaileries. He also reveals the many uses to which compost can be put in your garden, and not just to grow plants in - as a top dressing to keep your lawn looking fresh and green, as mulch for your flower beds, or, in liquid form, as a powerfully nutritious plant feed. And there's a handy guide to which bits of kitchen waste you can put into your compost, and which you really shouldn't. Finally, if you've always wanted an exceptionally environmentally friendly composting toilet, instructions are here. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this practical guide contains all the advice you'll ever need to get your compost going and use it to help your garden thrive.

The essential recipe book for people looking for easy ways to include more veg in their diet, Eat More Veg elevates humble vegetables into hearty mains and satisfying side dishes. Annie Rigg, a Leiths-trained chef and well-established food writer with over 20 years of experience, turns her hand to crafting 80 irresistible vegetarian and vegan dishes in her latest offering Eat More Veg. This is a cookbook for people who want to make vegetables a bigger part of their diet to benefit their health and the environment without having to compromise on taste. Annie Rigg's vibrant and healthy dishes offer just that. Her recipes are not about what's missing - they are about maximising the impact and flavour of plant-based ingredients in ways that are fresh and enticing. Divided into six chapters this book covers quick suppers, mains, special feasts, soups and starters, salads, and sides. Dive in to discover 80 delicious dishes that make the most of seasonal produce, often using vegetables grown in National Trust gardens. From puttanesca cherry tomatoes to Indian spiced Romanesco, courgette, pea and basil risotto to spinach, lentil and chickpea kofta, Annie Rigg makes use of diverse seasonal veg in imaginative, appetising ways. Eat More Veg is a glorious collection of comforting and exciting dishes guaranteed to satisfy.

Discover the history, legends and folklore of Britain’s most intriguing landmarks This beautifully illustrated book reveals the secrets and stories of fifty icons of Britain’s landscape. Some are natural wonders, such as Cheddar Gorge, Sherwood Forest and the white cliffs of Dover. Others were made by our distant ancestors: the standing stones of Avebury and Calanais, the Uffington White Horse, the burial mounds of Sutton Hoo. Discover how they came to be, the legends and traditions that surround them, and how they have inspired famous writers and poets. Reconnect with our ancient landscape with this fascinating and surprising guide. .

A fascinating, inspiring gift book that helps you make the most of nature, with something to spot for every day of the year. This book proves that nature isn't something you visit from time to time; it's everywhere - even in the densest concrete jungle. You can find nearly all of the natural wonders in this book within a mile of your front door. There are 365 to look for - one for every day of year, organised by month. From mushrooms to meteors, from moths to mosses, it's incredible what you can find when you look. With witty and lyrical text and beautiful illustrations, this is a gift book that will transform how you see the world and build a greater connection to the natural world for the rest of your life.

The ideal gift for everyone who loves nature and the outdoors. 60 of Britain's unmissable wildlife wonders and where you can see them. This book shows you 60 of Britain's unmissable, world-class wonders of nature and tells you where you can find them. From starling murmurations in Somerset to otters in Shetland, from glowworms in Dorset to golden eagles in the Cairngorms. Along the way you'll also discover natural wonders that are right under your nose in your garden or even in the centre of a town - like hearing the dawn chorus and glimpsing a charm of goldfinches. A sequel to the very successful Great British Bucket List.

A celebration of a beloved and uniquely British garden style. The cottage garden's abundant, informal style is rooted in Victorian dreams of a perfect country life. But it has found new expressions from the Arts & Crafts movement to the present day. This book showcases a selection of National Trust cottage gardens, famous and obscure, including writer Thomas Hardy's cottage in Dorset; the flower-filled cottage garden created at Sissinghurst, Kent, by Vita Sackville-West and harold Nicolson; the Tudor manor Cothele in Cornwall, Beatrix Potter's Cumbrian home, Hill Top, and the picturesque Alfriston Clergy House in East Sussex. Cottage Gardens also features some of the most famous non-National Trust examples from around the country, including Kelmscott Manor, Dove Cottage and Eastgrove Cottage Garden. With practical advice on creating your own cottage garden, including key plants and techniques, this is a wonderful companion for all garden enthusiasts. With climbing roses, bright hollyhocks, pathways edged with honeysuckle, blossom-filled orchards and wildflower meadows, this is the perfect book to capture the idyllic British country garden.

Roasting Pan Suppers is filled to the brim with over 70 delicious meals that you can cook in a single roasting pan or pot. Take a handful of fresh ingredients, spend a few minutes preparing them, pop them in a pan and let the oven do the work. In hardly more time than it takes to cook a ready meal, you can have a home-cooked, nutritious feast. Featuring vibrant meals, from ginger and turmeric chicken with potato and chickpea curry to lamb steaks in mojo verde with roast potatoes and green pepper, Roasting Pan Suppers is perfect for anyone wanting to squeeze nutritious home made meals into a busy lifestyle. The book also contains delicious vegan and vegetarian meals, including mushrooms stuffed with rice, spinach and pine nuts and baked pearl barley, peas, beans and green sauce. Filled with fresh, delicious and hassle-free meals, this book is perfect for anyone who wants to cook up nutritious food and avoid a sink full of washing up.

A must-have cookbook and guide for food lovers who want to be greener A Good Appetite is packed with practical information and recipes for making the way you shop and cook more planet-friendly. There are brilliant bite-sized guides to everything from eating with the seasons, batch cooking and the best ways to use your freezer to foraging and growing some of your own food. And there are more than 50 delicious recipes that are designed to be adapted in hundreds of ways to suit what's in season or your store cupboard. It's the foundation of years of great meals. By avoiding food waste and stretching expensive ingredients, there's a payoff for your pocket too, which is important in these thrifty times. Jenny Chandler has created an invaluable guide that can change the way you cook - for yourself, friends and family - for good.

The perfect stocking filler this Christmas. A gift book celebrating how much happiness can be found in 100 simple, everyday things - from the feel of fresh sheets to the joy of daydreaming. The perfect antidote to the pressurised, disconnected modern world. From feel of fresh sheets to the joy of daydreaming, this book reminds us how much happiness can be found in the smallest things. The writing is tender and uplifting with touches of humour. It's a balm for the soul in our increasingly screen-based, disconnected world. There are beautiful illustrations dotted throughout. The 100 simple pleasures include: Climbing a hill The smell of autumn leaves Fresh sheets The sun on your back People watching Holding hands Planting a seed The first coffee of the day Writing a Letter.

A baker's bible from a multi-award-winning and highly respected food writer

Baking is one of life's great pleasures. In the new edition of this beautiful book, Sybil Kapoor brings together an inspiring collection of baking recipes, both sweet and savory. A baker's bible from a much-loved expert in the field, this book draws on the best of Britain's baking heritage. Readers will delve into Britain's delicious and deservedly famous repertoire of cakes, pastries, savory bakes, and bread and learn how best to use fresh seasonal produce to create perfect bakes.

From blackcurrant meringue pie to Seville orange crunch cake, olive and onion scones and nectarine slice, to apricot creams and chocolate pear cake, this book is a treasury of wonderfully British bakes.

Good For You, Good for the Planet. From journalist and partnerships editor at Positive News, Sarah LaBrecque, National Trust's Positively Green is an informative and captivating guide to sustainable living. Including chapters on Energy, Fashion, Food and more, you'll discover what works, what's worth doing, and what's not. Positively Green provides advice on reducing your environmental impact as well as helping to ease climate anxiety and boost mental well-being. From changing how you clean your home, to the food you put in your body, and the technology you use, this book is the perfect resource for those wanting to limit their effect on the environment and reduce climate-based worries. The chapters include: A Green Home, Food and Drink, Fashion, Technology, Travel and Transport, and Nature. There are useful tips and links for further information too. Positively Green is an encompassing guide to staying positive and helping the planet in an accessible and inspiring book.

Britain's nature year, from the first flower to the last leaf With a mix of evocative writing, beautiful photographs and facts that are too good to keep to yourself, this book explores 50 magical moments that define our seasons. It's an inspiring guide to connecting with the nature around you and seeing how it changes through the year. There's butterflies, blossom and bluebells. There's foxgloves, flying ants and fungi. There's snow, seedheads and shadows. You'll discover how many miles an hour spring moves, how spiders can heal us and how woodpeckers help to protect sensitive technology. The inspiration behind the book is partly the National Trust's hugely successful 'Blossom Watch' campaign, launched in March 2021. Each year we are encouraged to notice and share when we first see tree blossom, emulating the Japanese tradition of 'Hanami'.

Cookery book full of classic British recipes. There are few things better than sharing a heartwarming home-cooked Sunday roast dinner with friends and family, followed by a delicious traditional baked pudding or cold dessert. This book of classic British meals is Just Like Mum Used to Make. This book features many of the nation's favourite recipes like Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, Rack of Lamb with a Herb Crust and Roast Chicken with Tarragon. There is also useful advice on what joints to buy, how to prepare them and how to create delicious meals from the leftovers, like Shepherd's Pie, Coronation Chicken and many others. In addition, there is a mouth-watering collection of Mum's classic puddings and desserts, from Sticky Toffee Sponge and Bread and Butter Pudding to Eton Mess and Lemon Meringue Pie.

Want to feel happier, healthier and more fulfilled? Now s the time for a breath of fresh air.

It s easy to go through life on autopilot. To follow routines and to-do lists, just getting on with what we do without really thinking too much about it. Yet if we slow down a little and consider more carefully how we spend our time, why we re doing something and how to get more from our experiences, it could help us all to feel more fulfilled, happier and healthier.

This book will inspire you to think differently, try new things and fully embrace each season. Think of it as a handbook for health and happiness that you can dip in and out of for inspiration on how to spend your precious free time in a way that will also enhance your wellbeing. Pause and wonder at the bluebells in spring or the stillness of snow in winter.

Paddle a canoe. Reach out and make a friend or stranger smile with a thank you, compliment or kind gesture. From cloud spotting to meditating in a meadow, running on the beach to dozing in a deckchair, you don t need to invest a lot of time or money to improve your wellbeing nor venture far to have an adventure. A breath of fresh air can be enough to change the course of a day.

Versatile, nutritious and easy to cook – soup is the original one-pot wonder Inspired by soups from around the world, this beautifully illustrated book features 80 tried-and-tested recipes bursting with flavour, colour and goodness. From comforting classics to new and inspiring choices, you’ll be guided through the basics of making sensational soups. Find out how to swap ingredients, use up leftovers, and choose the right stocks, garnishes and accompaniments to turn this unsung hero into the star of the show. Whether you’re looking for a hearty meal-in-a-bowl or an elegant starter – or you just want to add a few more vegetarian and vegan recipes to your repertoire – this ultimate book of soups is one you’ll turn to again and again.

What is a roast? Much more than a hunk of meat cooked in a certain way. A roast may conjure up images of vast joints of beef turning on spits in front of huge fires, of venison poached from under the gamekeeper s nose, of medieval boards groaning under the weight of peacocks, swans and sucking pigs, of Christmas geese and turkeys, and of convivial Sunday lunch. In short, a roast is an idea of plenty, of feasting, and of occasion.

Acclaimed cook and food historian Laura Mason presents delicious beef, lamb, pork and chicken roasts, plus traditional recipes for turkey, goose, duck, game birds, rabbit and hare, and venison too. All the best accompaniments and vegetable dishes are included, from essential Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes to sauces and stuffings.

Everything you need to know about sourcing, preparing and roasting quality meat is explained and most importantly, the best part of any roast is often the leftovers, and there are mouth-watering ideas for soups, sandwiches, salads and pics.

What better gift for a rambler than this delightful, clearly written and well researched guide to some of the UK’s best walks with watering holes en route? …. With ‘How to get there’ details and an easy-to-follow map, plus an OS Map reference, this is the ideal companion.� BBC Countryfile Magazine 100 Great Pub Walks includes classic walks and watering holes that span the length and breadth of Britain. Taking in some of the country’s most dramatic scenery, the walks range from gentle riverside footpaths and rolling fields to invigorating coastal trails and breath-taking hilltop hikes. The routes are organised by region and graded according to ease. Most are circular and suitable for all levels of fitness. There are also lots of family- and dog-friendly options. Each walk includes easy-to-follow maps and clear directions plus information on facilities, transport links, local attractions, and of course local beers, ciders and other refreshments. 100 Great Pub Walks is the perfect companion for anyone who appreciates a refreshing ramble followed by a well-earned rest in a welcoming country inn.

Elevate your own green space and become a more confident and creative gardener with lessons from experienced National Trust gardeners in this comprehensive horticultural guide. 'An accessible, informative guide for beginners, but full of ideas and tips for seasoned gardeners.' - Sunday Mirror Elevate your own green space and become a more confident and creative gardener with lessons from experienced National Trust gardeners in this comprehensive horticultural guide. The National Trust looks after hundreds of beautiful gardens of every imaginable shape and size across Britain - from the grandest country estate to the smallest cottage garden. They manage such internationally renowned gardens as Sissinghurst and Hidcote. National Trust garden staff receive countless questions from visitors about plants growing in the gardens and techniques that can be tried at home. This in-depth guide will pass on their wisdom and provide the answers you are looking for. This book is packed with images of National Trust gardens of all types, spanning over 300 years of horticultural heritage, to inspire keen amateur gardeners and aspirational novices to realise their green-fingered ambitions. Written by expert gardener Rebecca Bevan, with the help of National Trust gardeners, the National Trust School of Gardening will make you feel confident about developing your garden rather than overwhelmed with unnecessary technical detail. From herbaceous borders to gardening sustainably, roses and climbers to growing under glass, each chapter provides snippets of horticultural history, examples of best practice from National Trust gardens, unique gems of wisdom from talented NT gardeners, and lots of easy-to-follow practical advice. Featuring a wide range of National Trust gardens both large and small, formal and informal, famous and undiscovered, high maintenance and low key. The topics covered and the insightful practical guides shared are easily applicable to private gardens, enriching even the tiniest urban spaces.

A smaller, cheaper edition of this acclaimed illustrated biography of Beatrix Potter. Respected biographer Sarah Gristwood discovers a life crisscrossed with contradictions and marked by tragedy, yet one that left a remarkable literary - and environmental - legacy. This illustrated biography of the beloved writer has been a strong seller and critical success. It is now available in a smaller, more affordable format. Interest in Beatrix Potter and her characters is undimmed, with the second Peter Rabbit film being released in summer 2021 and an exhibition at the V&A from February 2022, 'Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature'. Few people realise how extraordinary Beatrix Potter's own story is. She was a woman of contradictions. A sheltered Victorian daughter who grew into an astute modern businesswoman. A talented artist who became a scientific expert. A famous author who gave it all up to become a farmer, then a pioneering conservationist. Bestselling biographer Sarah Gristwood follows the twists and turns of Beatrix Potter's life and its key turning points - including her tragically brief first engagement and happy second marriage late in life. She traces the creation of Beatrix's most famous characters - including the naughty Peter Rabbit, confused Jemima Puddleduck and cheeky Squirrel Nutkin - revealing how she drew on her unusual childhood pets and locations in her beloved Lake District. A fitting legacy for a pioneering conservationist who helped save thousands of acres of the Lake District.' - The Mail on Sunday 'Excellent, anecdotal text...' - The Times Literary Supplement 'Beautifully illustrated.' - The Sunday Express