Home//Landscape Magazine/January - February 2017/In This Issue
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017Dear reader...THE SHORTEST DAY is past and days are slowly starting to get longer. There may still be snow to come of course, turning the countryside into a white wonderland. For many of our wild birds, this is a difficult time. Putting out a variety of food can make all the difference for them. And there is a reward, not only in feeling you have helped, but also in watching them feeding. One year I had a family of long-tailed tit* who would descend on the feeders en masse, twittering to each other. They were a delight to see as they flitted from feeder to feeder. But even the humblest sparrow is entertaining as it pecks away at a seed feast.On other occasions, I have watched with awe as squirrels work…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017FROST-COATED WAVESON A SPARKLING winter’s morning, delicate outlines of seedheads, picked out by frost, are etched against an ethereal mist of grass plumes. A muted but multifaceted palette of gold and fawn tones paints light across the scene. At this time of year, the faded beauty of a prairie garden has a special enchantment. Planted in large, flowing groups, the combination of forms is both intriguing and tranquil.Pensthorpe Millennium Garden is a perfect example of the idea that plants have a beauty that continues even when they die. In the depth of winter, its naturalistic planting style has a singular loveliness, created by soft textures and strong silhouettes. It blends easily with the undulating landscape of the surrounding Pensthorpe nature reserve in north Norfolk.Completed in 1999, this one-acre garden was the…8 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017The garden in... January and February“Someone painted pictures on my Windowpane last night --Willow trees with trailing boughs And flowers, frosty white”Helen Bayley Davis, ‘Jack Frost’OFTEN IN JANUARY I am surprised by a spell of mild weather, that provides a tantalising glimpse of spring to come. Then February arrives and quashes such impertinence.There has to be some gardening downtime, so I’m not wishing the days away too much. I’ll be planning what to augment perennial borders with to take me through summer and into autumn. This involves poring over catalogues and books, making lists of plants, bulbs and seeds as the garden outside fades into winter darkness.Veg plottingsThe veg plot comprises a number of small raised beds, 4ft 7in by 8ft 2in (1.4 x 2.5m). Initially filled with great gobs of yellow clay from building…7 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017In the gardenSCENT AWAKENSFrom the start of the new year, Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ opens pale pink flowers from vivid pink buds, emitting a lily-like fragrance into the winter garden. Blooming into February and beyond, the flowers are followed by round, red fruit. The dark green lance-shaped leaves bear a yellow margin, giving plants interest throughout the year.ROOTING FOR SUCCESSTaking root cuttings of herbaceous plants allows for the easy propagation of many new plants. It is carried out in winter when the parent plant is dormant. A vigorous specimen is chosen, lifted carefully and the roots washed. Young roots, as thick as a pencil, are selected and cut close to the plant’s crown before it is replanted. The thin end and any fibrous side shoots are removed from the selected roots. Pieces 2-4in…3 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017In the kitchenCOMFORTING CAULIFLOWER MASHRegarded as a superfood, the humble cauliflower is full of goodness, containing vitamins C, K and B6. Rich in potassium and sulphur, which can help boost the immune system, it makes an ideal choice for the season of coughs and colds. Cauliflower mash can be a welcome potato alternative to accompany a winter supper, providing comfort in a bowl.To make: sauté 1 sliced onion and 1 crushed garlic clove in a large pan with 1 tbsp olive oil over a low to medium heat until softened. Add 1 cauliflower, finely chopped, and ¼ cup of vegetable stock. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and turn down the heat to a low simmer.Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring halfway through and checking to make sure there is still enough liquid to…3 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017CHEESE TO SAVOURStilton breadServes 10200g Stilton cheese, broken into small pieces500g strong white bread flour7g sachet fast-action yeast25g olive oil, plus extra for greasing30g flat leaf parsley, finely choppedblack pepperIn a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast and olive oil. Stir in 300ml of lukewarm water and mix into a dough. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins. Place in a clean mixing bowl and cover with oiled cling film and a warm, damp tea towel, then place in a warm place to rise for 1 hr. Knead the parsley and a sprinkle of black pepper into the dough. On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into an oval. With a sharp knife, cut twice, making three long strips, from the top to the bottom, then roll…5 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017KEEPING CHILLS AT BAYDRAUGHT EXCLUDERS HAVE been used for decades as a way to keep heat in and the cold out. They can sit in front of any door in the house, whether external or internal. Using robust, closely woven, woollen fabrics helps increase insulation and reduces wear. This excluder is easy to make from two pieces of fabric. With a smart contrast detail, it can be used with either side showing.MATERIALS• Two pieces of woollen fabric, one plain and one check, each measuring the width of the door plus 4in by 18in (10cm x 45cm)• One strip of the plain fabric and one of check, each measuring 2¾in by 10in (7cm x 25cm)• Two reels of thread – one to match each of the different fabric colours• Scissors• Measuring tape• Pins• Needle•…2 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017GIVING A CHAIR NEW LIFEMUCH-LOVED CHAIRS OFTEN fall into disrepair from overuse. Seats may start to sag and material become threadbare. A forlorn-looking chair might have been discovered at a sale or picked up at an antiques fair.Whatever the cause of its decline, an upholstered chair can be given a new lease of life. The time it takes to re-upholster a piece differs, depending on when it was made. In this step-by-step guide, upholsterer Pauline Keenoy shows how an old pin-stuffed chair can be brought back to top condition in a day. Pin-stuffing is the simplest of upholstered seating, being just a stuffing over the foundation with a cover over the top.Prior to starting the upholstery, it is important to check for cracks in the seat frame. These are repaired with glue and sawdust…7 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017WINTER’S SILHOUET TESAN ANCIENT OAK wood sits in a valley on the edge of Dartmoor. Mist drifts down from the moors and hangs in the top of the trees. Their leafless, stark winter silhouettes are the inspiration behind artist Richard Shimell’s evocative prints.“I like their many curving, complex branches,” he says. “I am attracted to trees for both their simplicity and their complexity. The shapes in winter are hugely complex and interesting. You could lose yourself staring at one, but a silhouette doesn’t have to involve tone. That means I can cut something which is simple, in that sense.’Richard spends time walking on the moor and in the surrounding woods. While he walks, he photographs views and trees that catch his eye. Returning home, he checks the images. “I need to have…7 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017THE HISTORY OF FALCONRYThe ancient art of taking wild quarry with a trained bird of prey dates backs to pre-Christian times. It is a matter of debate whether it originated on the steppes of Central Asia, in Mesopotamia or in China. By the 4th century AD falconry had spread into Europe, with late Roman period murals depicting its practice. In late medieval times falconry became the ‘sport of kings’, popular among the nobility of Europe as both recreation and a status symbol.Interest in falconry reached its height in the 16th and 17th centuries. It faded rapidly with the advent of gunpowder and the shotgun, and the decline of the aristocracy. There was a resurgence of interest in the late 19th and early 20th century, thanks to the publication of a number of falconry…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017WALKING AT THE FEET OF GIANTSPALE RAYS FROM the low winter sun glisten through the needle-coated branches of a plantation of towering conifers. In places, huge trunks almost blot out the sky. These giants of the forest stand proudly, a spectacle of height, colour and texture.This is no commercial conifer forest, but the 168-year-old Pinetum at Scone Palace in Perthshire. On a bright, crisp day when the light is crystal clear and the air fresh and cool, the colours are both rich and vivid. The chill winter setting provides the perfect backdrop for the warm russet hues of the giant redwood’s massive trunk, the dark green needles of the grand fir and the bright green feathery foliage of the Western hemlock.The eight-acre Pinetum is home to approximately 230 trees covering 71 different species. Today, it…8 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017SCANDAL AND STRUGGLEIn 1932 the rector of Stiffkey, the Rev Harold Davidson, found himself the victim of a newspaper sting accusing him of consorting with prostitutes in London. Despite protesting his innocence, he was defrocked by the Bishop of Norwich. Subsequently finding work in a circus, he met an untimely demise in the jaws and claws of a lion.There are those today who believe the women who testified against him were bribed. He was well thought of in the village, and up to 3,000 people paid their respects at his funeral.In 1936, the author of Tarka the Otter, Henry Williamson, bought a dilapidated farm in Stiffkey.His account of its renovation, The Story of a Norfolk Farm, gives a flavour of how difficult rural life could be in the 1930s. Flies, thistles, drought,…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017Readers’ LettersNew home for more than bugsMy bug house has turned into a hotel. It’s been made out of all the items that we’ve collected while re-landscaping our garden. We’ve recycled our friend’s old roof tiles, waste pipes and old wood along with fir cones collected on our walks. Seashells decorate the top, and in the back is a very large terracotta plant pot so the hedgehogs we have visiting our garden can hibernate this winter. Much to our surprise, we’ve found that our cat has now adopted it as her new top-floor apartment, ideal for her to use in the sun for shade!Rachel Savine, by emailSaved surplusAfter a bumper crop from our apple trees, at the end of autumn I made time to lay down some of the excess fruit…4 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017GRASSES IN THE GARDENDistinctive foliage and flowers that last well into winter mean that the ornamental grasses of prairie planting are excellent plants for gardens in the colder months. They are remarkably tough and trouble-free, little bothered by pests or diseases. Most do best in a sunny, well-drained spot. They will, however, grow on the majority of sites apart from waterlogged soil or in deep shade. Heavy soil should be improved at planting time by digging in horticultural grit and sand. When planting on light or poor soils, well-rotted manure or compost is added to the planting hole.When to plant: These grasses are broadly grouped into cool- or warm-season. Cool-season grasses come into growth in late winter, thriving in spring and flowering before mid-June. Best planted in autumn, these include species and varieties…2 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017PRUNING BACK INTO SHAPESeed potatoes will be put into the cups of old egg boxes to start chitting on a light windowsill. One source suggests starting off one of my choices, ‘Pink Fir Apple’, in the dark, as it is slower to form the short sprouts.Towards autumn it became obvious how much some trees had grown, casting long shadows over previously sunny borders. A couple of hazels and a big conifer definitely need some larger branches removed.Judicious pruning of two apple trees over the last couple of years has reduced the water shoots, a growth reaction to previously over-severe pruning. They will be gently shaped.Last year I learned not to prune plums during the winter. Playing fast and loose as usual, I had trimmed a young ‘Merryweather’ damson at any time I was…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017THE BEAUTY BENEATHA GRACEFUL TREE STANDS sentinel in the winter garden. Its rich brown bark peels in thin sheets from the slender trunk to reveal a shiny, paler inner layer. A member of the birch family, the tree’s phenomenon of peeling bark is one of its main attractions.Exactly why the bark peels is not fully understood. Trees gain girth from the living layer just below the bark. As the trunk and branches expand, the bark has to grow too. However, this is dead and, in most trees, it simply cracks. In birches, however, it usually peels off in thin sheets. It may be that this allows more air to get to the actively living zone, aiding growth. Whatever the reason, the gleaming bark revealed brings a wonderful dimension to the garden in…7 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017SHARP AND SWEETLemon sticky bunsMakes 93 lemons300ml milk1 egg500g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting50g caster sugarsea salt14g fast-action dried yeast150g lemon curd (from curd recipe on page 44)200g icing sugarHeat the milk in a pan until lukewarm. Crack the egg into the milk and whisk until combined. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt, and make a well in the middle. Place the yeast in the well and pour in the milk mixture. Mix thoroughly, then turn out onto a surface lightly dusted with flour and knead for 10 mins. Transfer to a clean mixing bowl and cover with oiled cling film and a damp, warm tea towel. Leave in a warm place for 1 hr. Zest the lemons and knead two-thirds into…6 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017A PASSION FOR BLUE“To Stilton in the fields, she is a Fen. Yet this high cheese, by choice of fenland men, Like a tall green volcano rose in power.”G K Chesterton, ‘Sonnet to a Stilton Cheese’A LARGE, DRUM-SHAPED CHEESE sits proudly on a table. With its crumble-cream texture, soft, butter-yellow crust and distinctive blue veins, this is Stilton.Today, Stilton enjoys Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. This dictates that it can only be produced in the counties of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, to a legally-binding recipe. Each batch must pass strict quality controls. If one fails, it can only be sold as unnamed ‘blue cheese’. Just six dairies are licensed to create this sumptuous, tangy cheese, while a seventh makes only white Stilton. None of them are in, or even near, the village…4 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017FROM BOBBINS AND THREADOUTSIDE, WINTER IS at its height. The leaves have gone from the trees, the east Devon skies are darkening, the light low. Inside a neat home, tucked away from the bustle of daily life, a piece of exquisite lace is slowly being created.Pat Perryman’s nimble fingers move silently across the curved surface of a blue-clad pillow, weaving bobbins and cotton thread around an array of silver pins. Fraction by fraction, a picture emerges, following the pattern on a card beneath the pins. For hour after patient hour, Pat works towards her finished creation. Eventually, several hundred hours after she started, the work is done, and a new piece of historic Honiton lace is born.For Pat, making this complex but beautiful piece of lace is a therapeutic labour of love. “If…8 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017BARNS FILLED WITH WORDS“Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book.”AnonDOWN A WINDING Warwickshire lane, bordered by high hedges and barley fields, lie a cluster of 19th century red brick barns. Once home to the cows of Soar End Farm, now many thousands of books sit beneath their restored oak beams.Astley Book Farm is nestled between the picturesque village of Astley and the market town of Bedworth, five miles away. Inside 12 interconnected barns are two miles of books lining rows of wooden shelves. Free-standing bookcases form a maze of corridors, creating nooks and crannies for visitors to sit and read.This treasure store for book lovers was created 12 years ago by owners Vivienne Mills and Sarah Exley. The former moved into the…8 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017CREATING A VILLAGE OF WOODBERTIE AND DAVID spent an afternoon creating pictures of imaginary winter scenes and houses. They decide to make an actual village based on the drawings. Using offcuts of wood, leftover paint and a black marker pen, they build a three-dimensional replica of the pictures. They get some help from David’s dad who cuts up the wood into the sizes the boys want.MATERIALS• Scrap timber• Saw• Sandpaper• Leftover emulsion paint• Paintbrushes• Marker pensMAKING THE HOMESStep 1: Various shapes and sizes of wood offcuts and fallen branches are marked and cut into blocks. Old tree stakes were chosen to make a church steeple and towers. Roofs are cut from blocks of wood sawn across the diagonal.Step 2: The blocks are painted in various colours of leftover emulsion. To avoid splinters and rough…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017PRINTING TECHNIQUESLinocut is relief printing, a method of transferring an image onto paper using a plate, or block, with a pattern cut into it. The background is cut away leaving a raised image on the surface which is then inked. The recessed background remains untouched. The plate is then pressed onto paper, in the process transferring the inked pattern onto the surface of the paper.The earliest form of relief printing was woodblock printing. This was carried out for centuries. Then, in the early 1900s, artists realised they could replace the traditional woodblock with a new, softer material called linoleum – lino. This had been invented in 1855. Made out of solidified linseed oil, it was intended as a flooring material. Artists discovered that it was much easier to work than wood,…2 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017THE LANGUAGE OF FALCONRYFalconry has developed an extensive lexicon, and many of its expressions have been adopted into everyday speech. A ‘fed up’ hawk is one that has filled its crop with food and has no interest in flying. A hawk that might want to fly from the glove is restrained by keeping its jesses firmly ‘under the thumb’ and ‘wrapped around the little finger’. It may be prevented from flying from a perch by a leash, putting it at the ‘end of its tether’. The falconer might keep the bird calm by covering its eyes with a hood, ‘hoodwinking’ it. A ‘callow’ is a nestling that is just beginning to grow feathers.A ‘haggard’ is a mature bird, caught in the wild, usually at the end of migration when it may be tired…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017SCONE’S PLANT HUNTEROne of the foremost of the 19th century plant hunters was David Douglas, who was born in the village of Scone. Aged 11, he was apprenticed to the head gardener at the palace, remaining there for seven years.Douglas went on his first plant-hunting expedition to north America in 1823. Over the next 11 years he sent nearly 300 varieties of tree, bush, plant and seed back to the UK. This was a record number for any plant hunter at the time.The plant most associated with him is the Douglas fir. This was first documented by another Scottish naturalist, Archibald Menzies, in 1791. He found it on Vancouver Island. However, it was Douglas who brought the seed back to Britain. He made sure that Menzies was given due credit by giving…2 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017FEARLESS PIONEERSHIGH IN THE top of a tall tree, a long ladder is roped vertically between the leafless branches. One man, wearing a tweed jacket, holds the ladder steady as another climbs the rungs. A heavy camera is balanced on the ladder, which provides it with a steady platform. In front is the nest of a siskin, about to be captured by one of the world’s first nature photographers.It was the last years of the 19th century and the photographer was Cherry Kearton. The scene was recorded on camera by his elder brother, Richard. Between them, the Keartons were establishing new boundaries for capturing nature in pictures.It all started on Sunday, 10 April, 1892, when the two brothers took a constitutional walk across the fields near Enfield, north London. The younger…11 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017Our LandScapeRICH DECAYIn the depths of winter, a wood may look bare and still. But the woodland floor is a hive of almost invisible activity, as the carpet of fallen leaves begins to decay. Spreading through it are white, thread-like strands of fungi called hyphae. The main body of a fungus, hyphae draw nourishment from the leaves as they break them down. Growing and spreading, the hyphae form a mat known as mycelium. It is only at this stage that the hyphae become visible to the naked eye when the leaf litter is disturbed. Invertebrates such as slugs, snails and eventually earthworms also play a part in the breakdown of the leaves, as do bacteria. As the dead plant matter is broken down by all this activity, nutrients are returned to…3 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017THREE PRAIRIE PLANTS FOR MOVEMENTPanicum virgatumDeciduous switch grass is a clump-forming perennial with narrow leaves and upright habit. Height: 3-5ft (1-1.5m)Miscanthus sinensis ‘Flamingo’This deciduous grass has arching leaves ¾in (2cm) wide, with prominent white midribs, and feathery inflorescences. Height: 3-5ft (1-1.5m)Molinia caerulea ‘Poul Petersen’This cultivar of the shorter purple moor grass is clump forming. Its narrow panicles are held well above foliage on slender stalks. Height: 28-35in (70-90cm)…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017WARM AND SCENTEDPhotography: FloraPress; GAP Photos; living4media; Clive Nichols…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017MORE VARIETIESB. albosinensis var. septentrionalis‘Chinese Garden’This has multi-coloured, rich red bark that peels to reveal creamy patches which age to pink, then red.‘Chinese Ruby’Its bronze bark peels with age to reveal pink and red shades.‘Fascination’Bright and distinctive, the bark is a rainbow blend of pastel pinks, creams and browns.‘Hergest’One of the most vigorous cultivars, it has coppery that peels to reveal pale pinks and creams as it ages.B. utilis var. jacquemontii‘Moonbeam’Where space is at a premium, this is a good choice, almost as wide as it is high. There is no compromise in colour, the bark being exceptionally bright white. Height 23ft (7m), spread 13ft (4m) in 20 years.‘Snow Queen’A good choice for small gardens, this is more compact than most, with snow white bark that peels at an early age.…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017BEATING THE COLDCottage pie with parsnip mashServes 6800g beef mince1kg parsnips, chopped into equal-sized pieces2 tbsp butter50g double cream2 tbsp thyme leaves plus extra for garnish1 tbsp rapeseed oil2 garlic cloves, chopped2 onions, chopped2 tbsp tomato purée1tbsp Worcestershire sauce200ml red wine450ml beef or vegetable stock200g carrots, gratedsea salt and black pepperPlace the chopped parsnips in a large saucepan of cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 mins. Drain and season, then mash with half the butter and all the cream. Mix in half the thyme.In a large pan, heat the oil and add the garlic and onions. Sauté for 5 mins, then add the beef mince. Cook, stirring, for 6-8 mins, until browned thoroughly. Mix in the tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce and red wine and simmer for 2 mins.…8 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017MAKING STILTON CHEESEApproximately 16 gallons (72 litres) of milk are needed to make a prime 16lb 8oz (7.5kg) whole cheese. Everything, from the breed of the cow to its health and what it eats, will affect both flavour and texture. To meet the requirements of the Protected Designation of Origin, cattle must be grazed within a certain area.When Leicestershire cheesemaker Frances Pawlett created Stilton in the 18th century, her milk would have been raw, direct from the cow. Modern Stilton uses pasteurised milk. This is cooled in giant vats, before it is introduced to a live starter culture of friendly bacteria, along with penicillium roqueforti. These are the mould spores that will eventually develop the blue veins. Traditionally, Stilton’s clotting agent has been animal rennet, but in recent years a vegetarian alternative…3 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017In the homeDRAWN FROM THE WILDMade of natural cotton woven in Yorkshire, this long-handled tote bag is hand screen printed with an original illustration of a badger by Jacinta Walton. From her studio in the Shropshire hills, she takes inspiration for her work from the natural world. As a child, she spent hours drawing animals from books and exploring the countryside with her grandfather, learning about wildlife along the way. Machine washable, the bag measures 42cm high x 35cm wide, with handles 32cm long.Badger tote bag £15, www.whinberryantler.comREEL OF MEMORIESThis dainty silver cotton reel pendant is made by hand in York by Joanna Wakefield. It was inspired by rummaging through her grandmother’s sewing box and a love of vintage haberdashery items. The reel is hallmarked at the Sheffield Assay Office, with the…3 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017LITERARY LINKSIn 1819, the celebrated Victorian writer George Eliot was born at South Farm, Arbury, four miles from Astley Book Farm. She was christened Mary Ann Evans. Three months after her birth, her family moved to Nuneaton, four miles away.Her father was a land manager for the Arbury Estate. Mary Ann used to go with him on visits to tenants and to the hall. While her father conducted estate business, she would sit and listen to tales from the servants. Many of these stories resurfaced in her writing.When she grew older, Mary Ann was invited to make use of the library at the hall. She took every opportunity to do so, until the death of her mother. Aged 16, she left school to become her father’s housekeeper, a role she filled…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017COSY FINGERS IN THE COLDBOTH ADULT AND child mittens are knitted in simple rib and stocking stitch. The motifs are added once the mittens are complete, using duplicate stitching. This is a method of embroidering a stitch that looks like a knit stitch.MATERIALSThe mittens pictured were knitted in Rowan Baby Merino Silk DK (135m)• 1 x 50g A Teal 677 (adult mittens) Strawberry 687 (child’s mittens)• 1 x 50g B Snowdrop 670• 3.75mm needles• 2 stitch markers• Darning needleAbbreviationsK knitP purlst(s) stitch(es)st st stocking stitch (1 row K, 1 row P)RS right sideWS wrong sideM1 make one stitch by picking up the horizontal loop before next stitch and knitting into the back of itK2tog knit two stitches togethersl1 slip 1 stitchpsso pass slipped stitch overTension24 sts and 36 rows to 10 x 10cm square…4 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017UNTAMED PARTNERSHIPHIGH ON A wintry fell overlooking the sweep of Cumbria’s beautiful Eden Valley, a falcon climbs rapidly. It banks in a smooth turn, then swoops at speed. Its target is a horseshoe-shaped leather lure being swung in tight circles at the end of a line. It comes in for the kill on a fast, flat, coursing flightpath, but at the last moment the lure is expertly pulled from its path. The falcon swooshes by, talons empty. Undeterred, it circles once more, banks, stoops and tears in again. This time it hits the target with a thud, tumbling to the ground, with the lure secured in a vice-like grip. Immediately, the bird, a lanner falcon, is distracted by a morsel of food offered by falconer Richard Cooper. Relaxed, it delicately steps…13 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 20175 KEY SPECIES1. Harris hawkAlthough lacking the speed and endurance of falcons and other hawks, its skill in working closely with the falconer compensates.Weight: 1lb 3oz-3lb 8oz (550g-1.6kg)Wingspan: 3ft 3in-3ft 11in (100-120cm)Length: 1ft 6in-1ft 11½in (46-60cm)2. Peregrine falconFamously the fastest creature on earth, the peregrine can reach 200mph (320kph) in a swift steep dive known as a stoop.Weight: 11oz-3lb 5oz (330g-1.5kg)Wingspan: 2ft 6in-3ft 11in (75-120cm)Length: 1ft 3in-1ft 11in (38-58cm)3. Common buzzardA medium-sized native raptor, the buzzard was once a popular hunting bird, with rabbits the main quarry.Weight: 15oz-2lb 2oz (430g-1.35kg)Wingspan: 3ft 7in-4ft 6in (110-136cm)Length: 1ft 4in-1ft 11in (40-58cm)4. Northern goshawkThis native British species is capable of rapid acceleration. It may execute a binding manoeuvre, inverting itself and seizing the prey from below.Weight: 1lb 2oz-4lb 14oz (500g-2.2kg)Wingspan: 2ft 11in-4ft 2in (89-127cm)Length: 1ft 6in-2ft…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017WILD COASTAL HAVENSCHANGING WITH EACH fast-flowing tide, an intricate network of channels threads through the salt marshes of the north Norfolk coastline. Vast skies stretch over the arresting waterscape found between the town of Wells-next-the-Sea and the village of Cley next the Sea. Its muddy creeks and brackish pools flood and drain twice a day.As winter progresses, it can appear bleak and featureless, a no man’s land between seafaring villages and vast beaches, exposed to high winds and in peril from high tides. But on closer inspection, this unique barrier between land and sea is revealed as a haven for wildlife, especially waders, wildfowl and seals.The dry land it protects has a rich and captivating history, from international trade links to scandal and intrigue. Flint-walled houses face up to biting North Sea…17 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017LIVES WELL-TRAVELLEDThe Keartons worked together in the field until 1908, by which time they had taken more than 30,000 photographs. After that, Richard, the methodical zoologist, settled into a demanding routine. Every spring, he travelled in Britain to collect field study material. Summers were spent writing a book and putting together a new illustrated talk. Autumn saw him back on the road, giving lectures. He became the most sought-after public lecturer of his day, inspiring thousands of audiences with a love of nature. His reference, educational and story books for adults and children ran to many editions. He died at home in Caterham, Surrey, in 1928.Cherry, on the other hand, reinvented himself as an international wildlife film-maker. In 1909, he travelled to East Africa. Here, he met Theodore Roosevelt on his…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017February EventsSpring Flower FortnightBarnsdale Gardens, Oakham, Rutland8-21 FebruaryComplete with fresh foliage and new varieties of plants, the gardens are bursting into life. Anemone blanda , pretty blue chionodoxa, dwarf iris and daffodils, the weirdly beautiful hellebores, bright snowflakes and wonderfully fragrant, spring-flowering daphne will be on show. www.barnsdalegardens.co.ukPastry and Pies at River CottageRiver Cottage, Axminster, Devon10 FebruaryJoin the cookery experts for a workshop on creating pies, pastry and savoury suet pudding dishes. Learn how to make comfort food such as sausage rolls, pork pies, steamed puddings, Scotch eggs, tarts and quiches. Chance to explore a number of different pastry methods. www.rivercottage.net/cookery-courses/bakingMaking Candles from BeeswaxSustainability Centre, East Meon, Petersfield, Hampshire11 FebruaryLearn how to clean beeswax and turn it into candles. At the end of the day take home one moulded candle and…4 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017Country EscapesENGLANDEXMOORLittle Bray HouseDiscover Autumn on Exmoor with the wonderful light, peaceful countryside and Coast. We have scenic walks, cycle rides, fantastic views for artists with many beautiful houses and gardens to see. We offer a bed and breakfast for two and a self-catering cottages that sleeps 5. Special rates are offered to couples out of season. Explore and enjoy our extensive gardens and walks to the river, a hidden haunt. To find out more call or visit,Tel: 01598 710295 www.littlebray.co.ukCORNWALLOld Newham Farm CottagesThree character cottages deep in the Cornish countryside on organic farm tucked away in a secluded valley 3 miles from magnificent North Coast and renown coastal path. Log fire, Dogs welcome. Sleep 2 to 4. Stay a week or short Weekend/Midweek breaks.Tel: 01840 230470 www.old-newham.co.ukCornish Horizons Holiday Cottages,…4 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017Advertise your holiday retreat in our classified section from £75+ VAT per issueOur readers love to holiday in the UK all year round, enjoying the riches of every season. If you have a hidden gem in the UK or abroad why not showcase your retreat in our Country Escape Collection.LandScape readers are three times more likely than the average person to have taken a UK holiday meaning that they are the perfect audience for your getaway. Country Escapes is changing from the next issue, if you want to get in front of our audience we will now be using the classified section to show your property off to its best. We will still be able to help you with any artwork at no extra costCall us on 01733 366394 today to book your space for the March/April 17 issue issue on sale…1 min
Landscape Magazine|January - February 2017In the next issueKEEPING IN TOUCH WITH LandScapeLandScape is now on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For regular updates, why not join us on facebook.com/landscapemag, follow us on twitter.com/_landscapemagor visit instagram.com/landscapemag. Don’t forget, the best way to make sure you never miss an issue of LandScape is to take out a subscription. There are some great offers available on www.greatmagazines.co.uk/landscapeor call +44 (0) 1858 438884 (UK and overseas).Photography: Alamy; Food & Foto; Nicola Stocken; Richard Faulks…1 min
