Country Life 08-Sep-2021

THE circus is back in town. Extinction Rebellion, which won sympathy when it started in 2018, is becoming tiresome. Most people have got the message about the climate: something untoward is happening and it behoves us to take what measures we can against it. But a campaign with a goal to crash the economy for the sake of environmental purity risks having the opposite effect from that intended. If the measures we need to take against a potential calamity are themselves calamitous, we may as well take our chances and enjoy the years that remain. Obviously, that is not a desirable outcome. There is a belief that noisy, economically destructive protest trumps rational discussion—we see it particularly with animal rights. It is promoted by those who hold that political change only…

A NEWLY recognised National Plant Collection at Ventnor Botanic Garden on the Isle of Wight hopes to increase understanding about how climate change is affecting plants and trees, and how to garden in the future. Palm trees (Arecaceae) were first planted in glasshouses here in the 1860s—some of the first in the UK—and soon perished, but longevity improved dramatically in the 1970s. Since 2000, these trees have shown a 20-fold increase in survival on previous predictions. ‘Our National Plant Collections, or “living plant libraries”, showcase the amazing diversity of the UK’s cultivated plants,’ explains Vicki Cooke, Plant Heritage conservation manager. ‘Vent-nor’s palm trees live in the rare micro-climate of the “undercliff” on the Isle of Wight, so they’re protected from cold northerly winds by the chalk downs, only receive small amounts…

OFFERING something a little different to the overpopulated craft-gin market, Edinburgh’s Holyrood Distillery has taken inspiration from whisky and the ways its few ingredients create myriad flavours, producing a gin that is ‘stripped back to its core, juniper alone’. Its name, Height of Arrows, is a translation of the Gaelic name for Arthur’s Seat, Àrd-Na-Said (right), which can be seen from the distillery—so called because its height, 823ft, is said to be the furthest distance an archer could reach with an arrow. Piercing notes on the palate include orange zest, black pepper and cardamom, with fresh pine and resin aromas. ‘In whisky-making, we work with simplicity,’ explains Holyrood Distillery MD Nick Ravenhall. ‘We’ve taken this mindset to Height of Arrows and created a complex gin born from juniper alone.’ Height of…

IT’S early days yet, but collectors may want to mark on their calendar the date of the upcoming sale of the contents of Weston Hall, in Weston, Northamptonshire. The historic seat of the Sitwell family, whose scions include eccentric early-20th-century poet Edith Sitwell, her equally literary siblings Osbert and Sacheverell and, today, food critic and MasterChef judge William Sitwell, the house was a treasure trove of artwork, ancient books, jewellery and unusual finds that, in the words of Mr Sitwell, are ‘part of the fabric of English history’. All eyes will be on a drawing of Punchinello by Tiepolo, estimated at £150,000–£200,000, with other highlights including literary masterpieces from the 18th-century library, antique furniture and photographs by Cecil Beaton. Some of the most intriguing items are linked to the family’s own history,…

Paying respects Experts with cameras, scanners and GPS trackers have begun the mammoth task of visiting 19,000 Church of England cemeteries to create a ‘Google maps for graves' Justice for pets Pet abduction is set to become a criminal offence, as recommended in a new report that recognises how theft affects pets' welfare, not only their property status Spider crabs Thousands of long-legged crustaceans have appeared for their annual late-summer gathering off Cornwall, particularly near Falmouth, which conservationists hope means the species is thriving Unusual sights at sea A humpback whale had a ‘massive feeding frenzy, like something you would see in the Bay of Biscay' off the Isles of Scilly last week, with dolphins and seabirds, drawn by warmer seas and shoals of sardines Bournemouth bouncing back The Dorset coastal town once dubbed ‘God's waiting room' now hosts…

Oyster lovers August's Whitstable Oyster Festival was forced to cancel its food fair amid poisoning concerns over untreated sewage in seawater Working mothers A study names the 10 best European countries for working mothers -based on maternity pay, leadership and gender pay gap-and the UK does not make the cut. At least we're not among the 10 worst A snake is for life Two 10ft pythons were spotted in the Cambridgeshire village of Conington; the RSPCA is concerned that they are abandoned pets and more could follow…