Country Life 14-Apr-2021

WE thought this day would never come; we hoped, with an unrealistic, childish hope, that it never would. It’s hard to grasp that a life lived so vigorously, so generously and so publicly, that has constantly cheered us up and that has set the standard for living well, has ended. The Duke of Edinburgh’s 100th birthday, on June 10, would have been the nation’s chance to show its appreciation and affection, although he probably wouldn’t have wanted the fuss. The Duke has been one of life’s reassuring constants: his marriage to Princess Elizabeth in 1947, a romantic day of light in the bleak postwar years, will be one of the earliest memories of many people now in their eighth decade. The shock of the death of George VI at only 56…

Return of the natives? A PERFECT storm of Brexit, a pandemic and climate change, combined with a growing focus on local food, sustainable farming and enthusiasm for rewilding, is helping to raise the profile of Britain’s native livestock breeds. The animals’ hardiness and ability to flourish on lower inputs make them more environmentally friendly, as well as genetically important in the face of disease. However, as the latest annual Watchlist from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) shows, there is still work to be done. Released last week, the 2021 Watchlist of breeds most at risk of disappearing—together with their precious genes—from the countryside places more emphasis on genetic diversity. Previously, breeds were categorised according to the numbers of breeding females registered; now, the list compares population sizes with rates of inbreeding…

Dogs with sea legs The National Trust has ‘hired' Sweep, a seafaring Border collie, to look after rare-breed sheep at Orford Ness, a shingle spit off the Suffolk coast. The sheepdog commutes by boat A birdwatching nation More than a million people took part in the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch, counting 17 million-plus birds Whisky connoisseurs A collection of more than 50 bottles from top Sutherland distillery Brora, which closed in 1983, goes under the hammer this week at Whisky Auctioneer Mr Jeremy Fisher A moor frog has turned blue in what was perhaps Britain's first colour change in 700 years, after two teenagers in Staffordshire played it the sound of mating rivals…

Raptors eating fast food A red kite has been spotted flying over Suffolk with a McDonald's cup in its talons, triggering concerns about the effect littering is having on wildlife Up a creek without a paddle A man who broke lock-down rules to go kayaking in Scotland was stranded on a Loch Lomond island after he lost his paddle Dolphins As people increasingly head towards the beach, the charity Whale & Dolphin Conservation has warned that pursuits such as jet-skiing or paddle-boarding may frighten or even injure dolphins Sporting guns After Defra announced a two-year consultation on banning lead ammunition (COUNTRY LIFE, March 31), the National Game Dealers Association declared that it will stop accepting lead-shot game from July 2022…

ONE of the pleasures of buying a new house is waiting to see what comes up in the garden and there have already been plenty of surprises, to go with the obvious roses and tree peonies. However, the main herbaceous border seems to be dominated by the dreaded ground elder and I am not sure how to deal with it or whether I will simply need to dig all the bed out and start again. There is a small mercy in that it is good to eat and we ran a recipe in Country Life for eating the weed last year in a type of quiche (‘Real men eat ground-elder quiche’, July 15, 2020). Further investigation suggests that it can be widely used as a food and that it makes a…

WITH the easing of lockdown restrictions, Easter offered us the first opportunity in many months to see friends and family again outdoors. As a consequence, we enjoyed a very sociable holiday and spent long periods of time in many layers of clothing trying to ignore the weather as it vacillated unpredictably—and improbably—between extremes of temperature. Not even biting cold wind and flurries of snow, however, could diminish the sheer pleasure of company. Throughout, we sat doggedly out of doors, chatting away in hope of the next burst of sunshine. For the children, rich pickings of chocolate and cake were an added incentive to brave the elements. Although the family has been driven outside, the cold weather has unexpectedly served to bring the garden indoors. This year, my wife has spent long…