Landscape Nov

LandScape - Life at nature’s pace Garden with late scent | Parrotia persica | Bulb border | Chops | Mincemeat & Christmas cake | Knitted Advent | Whitstable | Antlers | Moulded clay orbs | Lichen November 2018
COUNTRY ▯ HERITAGE ▯ GARDENS ▯ COOKERY ▯ TRAVEL ▯ CRAFT
Life at nature’s pace November 2018
www.landscapemagazine.co.uk
1
Seaside town with an age-old harvest
Radiant orbs shaped from the earth
Vibrant borders filled with perfume
LAYERS OF
GOLD
15
warming
seasonal
recipes

LandScape - Life at nature’s pace Garden with late scent | Parrotia persica | Bulb border | Chops | Mincemeat & Christmas cake | Knitted Advent | Whitstable | Antlers | Moulded clay orbs | Lichen November 2018
COUNTRY ▯ HERITAGE ▯ GARDENS ▯ COOKERY ▯ TRAVEL ▯ CRAFT
Life at nature’s pace November 2018
www.landscapemagazine.co.uk
1
Seaside town with an age-old harvest
Radiant orbs shaped from the earth
Vibrant borders filled with perfume
LAYERS OF
GOLD
15
warming
seasonal
recipes

Contents
November 2018
50
72 110
In the garden
In the kitchen
Craft
10 Borders of late colour and perfume
20 Planting rising waves of bulbs
26 The ironwood tree’s fiery show
32 The Garden in November
48 Spice cake laced with pears and syrup
50 Juicy chops for hearty suppers
58 Regional & Seasonal:
The King’s Arms in Rutland
60 Maturing flavour in traditional treats
36 Soft and silky seedhead displays
42 Matchbox houses with edible lawns
66 Tiny knits for Advent treats
92 Earthy orbs with a gleaming core
119 Painting an autumnal tree
4

10
20
Country matters
History and heritage
36 92
Regulars
100 The Countryside in November
102 Crowned leaders of the herd
110 Nature’s living patchwork
72 Characterful seaside town built on
rich harvest from the sea
84 Treasure trove evokes memories of
the High Street in days gone by
6 Readers’ letters
8 Our LandScape
24 In the garden
44 Subscription offer
46 In the kitchen
70 In the home
122 UK events
5

Our LandScape
The best of the season to inspire and admire
SHAPED BY
NATURE
From their workshop in Sussex,
Josh Kennard and Oliver Milne craft
bespoke furniture and homeware.
From the offcuts of various types of
wood, they make these unique
trees, each one hand-turned on a
lathe. They can be bought singly, in
a woodland of five or a forest of
ten. The various colours of the
woods and stylised shapes of the
trees are offset to their best effect
when grouped together as a tiny
copse in the home.
Single tree £12,
http://forgecreative.co
SPECTACLE OF LIGHT
SUBTLE CHANGE
As autumn begins to draw to a close, there is still time to
appreciate the delights of the season in a woodland walk. A visit
to the woods can be best enjoyed when the rays of the sun filter
through the early mist, lending a luminosity to the last of the
leaves. As their colours turn paler, the silhouettes of the trees
become more apparent, creating a starker beauty which signals
the changes ahead. Paths are still thick with crisp fallen leaves
waiting to be kicked through, adding to the golden layers of the
autumnal scene.
The night skies above Truro will be filled with magnificent figures
for the annual City of Lights. One of Cornwall’s largest and most
popular events, the festival takes place on 21 November and
celebrates the start of the county’s festive celebrations. The
highlight is the extraordinary, huge illuminated sculptures made
by local artists, following a different theme each year. In the
past, these have included the kings and queens of England and
local historical figures. Schoolchildren carry willow, or withy,
lanterns in a procession, and there is music from community
bands, including Cornish traditional melodies.
8

BIRD IN A BROOCH
This charming brooch in autumnal tones is set on copper and
features a silver wren surveying her garden. Hand cut and
stamped by Helen Shere in her Nottinghamshire home studio,
the brooch measures approximately 2in by 1½in (5 x 4cm). A
strong steel pin on the reverse makes it suitable for attaching
to a heavy fabric, such as a winter coat or shawl. Helen gains
inspiration for her jewellery from her garden, old brick walls
and even weeds in the cracks of paving stones. Each piece
may vary slightly, as all are individually made.
Wren brooch £132, http://www.sheredesign.co.uk/
EARTHLY
BEAUTY
The subtle glow of morning light on the
frosted fields of a November landscape
brings out the simple beauty of
medieval ridge and furrow patterns.
Created by a ploughing system
employed in the middle ages, the
raised ridges, or riggs, aided drainage.
The parallel mounds and troughs are
the result of ploughing with
non-reversible equipment on the same
strip of land each year. Fields which
have been left undisturbed for centuries
reveal their striking symmetry.
Photography: Alamy; Richard Faulks; Nature Picture Library; FLPA
WOODLAND PLUMAGE
The turkey tail fungus, Trametes versicolor, is named for its distinctive circular
caps resembling the feathers of the farmyard bird. These year-round, colourful
bracket fungi form tiers on dead hardwood, such as beech and oak, and are
at their best in the autumn. The caps are thin and tough, with clear, velvety
rings of colour in mixes of brown, yellow, grey, purple, green and black. All are
edged in cream or white. Once popular as a table decoration, they have even
been used in the past to decorate hats.
9

BORDERS CLOAKED IN
SHADES OF AUTUMN
An inspiring walk through Harlow Carr gardens
in North Yorkshire reveals the beauty to be
found in the colder months of the year
10

The striking white bark of the West Himalayan birch,
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii, stands out in a border
on the Harlow Carr Winter Walk among the flaming
stems of Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’, Cornus
sericea and Salix alba var. vitellina ‘Britzensis’.

The smooth husk of
a poppy seedhead
hangs in sharp
contrast to the
effusive umbrellashaped
stems of old
man’s beard dangling
alongside.
Lichen-covered twigs
take on the form of a
tree when placed in
a small glass bottle.
Sitting in a rustic
tin, a swirling mist
of old man’s beard
creates a ghostly
undergrowth.
Branches of Clematis vitalba
are intertwined with mellow
autumn leaves. Strung from
the ceiling, they make a
delicate informal decoration
like a cloud floating above.

“To one that knows not Lad’s-Love, or Old Man,
The hoar-green feathery herb, almost a tree,
Growing with rosemary and lavender”
Edward Thomas, ‘Old Man’
39

48

SPICED FRUIT TREAT
This tempting bake with its syrupy sauce is full of warming autumn flavours
Sticky treacle cake with poached pears
Serves 12
300g black treacle
3 medium Williams pears,
peeled, cored and halved
zest and juice of 1 large orange
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise
1 vanilla pod, split in half
200g caster sugar
500ml water
125g unsalted butter,
at room temperature,
plus extra for greasing
325g plain flour
100g soft light brown sugar
1 tsp ground mixed spice
2 large eggs
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda,
mixed with 1 tbsp water
1 tbsp choppedstem ginger, in syrup
In a heavy-based saucepan, combine the orange zest and juice, cinnamon
stick, star anise, vanilla pod, caster sugar and water. Cook over a medium heat,
stirring gently from time to time until the sugar has dissolved. Add the pears to
the syrup and poach over a slightly reduced heat until tender to the tip of a
knife, approximately 15 mins. Remove the pan from the heat and preheat the
oven to 170°C/gas mark 3.
While the pears cool in the syrup, prepare the batter. Grease and line the
base and sides of a 900g loaf tin with greaseproof paper. In a large mixing
bowl, beat together the butter, flour, brown sugar, mixed spice, eggs and treacle
until pale and smooth. Blend in the bicarbonate of soda mixture until
thoroughly incorporated, then stir in the ginger pieces. Spoon the batter into
the prepared tin, then arrange the pears, pressing them down into the batter
but leaving their tops slightly exposed. Reserve the poaching syrup. Bake for
approximately 1¼ hrs until the cake is risen and dry to the touch on top: a cake
tester should come out clean when inserted into the centre. Transfer from the
oven to a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely in its tin before turning out,
slicing and serving with the reserved syrup.
A VERSATILE VARIETY
• Recipe and Photography: Stockfood
The Williams pear is thought to date back to between 1765 and 1770.
It was grown by an English schoolmaster named John Stair, who lived
in the village of Aldermaston in Berkshire. It was later acquired by a
nursery owner named Williams, and the variety took his name. Today,
it is one of the most widely grown pears in the world.
Williams is an incredibly versatile variety. It is excellent in salads
and pairs particularly well with cheese. It is also ideal for baking,
poaching and cooking.
When buying pears, it is best to choose those that are slightly
under-ripe and finish ripening them at home, as the delicate, soft
flesh is easily bruised once fully ripe.
49

PREPARING
FOR
CHRISTMAS
RICH FRUITS
OF THE LARDER
Timely preparation of Christmas staples ensures they are
steeped in juicy flavour when the celebrations arrive
• Recipes: Liz O'Keefe • Photography: House of Food
VALUABLE HOURS ARE saved in
the kitchen by preparing early for
Christmas. Mincemeat can be made
ready for festive bakes or to give in a
pretty jar as a gift, as it will keep in a sealed
container for many months, preserved by the
fruit acids and sugar.
The earlier a traditional Christmas cake is
baked before the big day, the better. Two
months in advance is ideal, but a good quality
cake will still result if made a month before.
Allowing this time gives the flavours of all
the dried fruits, baked together with the spices,
eggs, flour and butter, time to mature. Ideally,
the cake should be fed at regular intervals with
a little brandy or rum, which produces a moist
texture and deep, rich flavour. All that remains
to be done as the celebrations approach is the
icing and any finishing touches, allowing the
festivities to be enjoyed to the full.
VARIATIONS
• For a cherry alternative, replace half of
the sultanas and raisins with dried
cherries and 50g of the suet with finely
chopped marzipan.
• For cranberry and orange, substitute
the sultanas and raisins with dried
cranberries and use the zest of 4 oranges
instead of 2 oranges and 2 lemons.
• For apricot mincemeat, replace half of
the sultanas and raisins with finely
chopped, dried apricots.
Jars of mincemeat
Makes approximately 1.7kg
450g Bramley apples, cored
2 tbsp mixed spice
1 cinnamon stick
¼ nutmeg, grated
250g shredded suet
200g cut mixed peel
700g sultanas and raisins
50g flaked almonds
230g dark brown soft sugar
zest of 2 oranges
zest of 2 lemons
4 tbsp brandy
pinch of sea salt
Grate the Bramley apples into a large saucepan. Add the mixed
spice, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, suet, peel, salt, sultanas and
raisins, almonds and sugar, stirring after each addition. Add the
orange and lemon zest, and stir thoroughly. Simmer on a low
heat, mixing occasionally, then pressing down to flatten, for
10-15 mins until thick and glossy, and the liquid covers the
mixture. Mix in the brandy.
Sterilise five clean 340g jars by filling them halfway with
just-boiled water. Leave them to stand for 5 mins. To sterilise the
lids, immerse them in a bowl of just-boiled water for 5 mins.
Carefully pour the water away, using oven gloves to hold the hot
containers. Allow jars and lids to air dry thoroughly.
Fill the sterilised jars with the mincemeat and fix the lids on
straightaway. Leave to cool, then store in a cool, dark place for
6 weeks or until needed.
60

72
COASTAL GEM’S
AGE-OLD HARVEST

In the seaside town of
Whitstable, fishing boats
jostle in the harbour, where
they bring in their hauls
of oysters as well as sole,
skate and bass.
Renowned for its oysters, characterful
Whitstable has thrived from industries
linked to the North Kent shoreline

Vintage hats, lingerie, corsetry and
hosiery make up part of the collection
in the haberdashery store.
“Old fashions please me best; I am not so nice
To change true rules for odd inventions”
William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew
selection of John Deeres and Massey
Fergusons. For many years, this remained
a private hobby for Keith. “Then one day, a
friend suggested letting the public see the
tractors,” he says. “We had a farm shop, so
people were regularly walking past the
barn. I thought: ‘Why not?’ and was
amazed at how interested people were in
what my family thought were a lot of old
tractors. They seemed to evoke fond
memories.”
None of Keith’s three daughters
wanted to take on the future running of
the farm, so he stopped farming in 2006,
instead leasing out much of his land. It
was then, 12 years ago, that the public’s
interest in his agricultural memorabilia
sparked the idea to create a museum of
vintage artefacts, which would transport
visitors back to a more gentle age.
To widen the appeal, he knew he
needed to exhibit not just farming
machinery, but everyday items too. “A
friend heard about a private collection of
retail items available nearby,” he says. “The
owner no longer wanted it, but didn’t want
the collection split up and sold at auction,
so I offered to buy it in its entirety. Seventy
per cent of what you see here today came
from that job lot.”
Informal display
Following that purchase in 2006, it took
two years to unpack and rehouse the
collection with the help of both Keith’s
family and his former farmhands. As the
boxes were unpacked one by one, the
contents were revealed for the first time,
bringing back memories of the past. “It
was exciting. None of the boxes had been
labelled, so each one was like a lucky dip,”
he recalls. “And there were seemingly
thousands of them. Amazingly, nothing
arrived broken. We photographed every
item to create a sort of log, but it was very
informal. I sketched plans of where to
display everything on scraps of paper.”
Somehow, the haphazard nature of his
planning worked. In 2008, Oakham
Treasures opened its doors, with the
collection housed in four former barns.
Since then, the collection has
continued to grow. At first, Keith sourced
additional items from car boot sales,
antiques markets and auctions. Now he is
more selective. “There’d be parcels arriving
almost every day,” he says. “I don’t buy as
much as I used to because we’re limited by
space.” He admits the collection has grown
so big that he has no idea how many pieces
of memorabilia there are. “I couldn’t even
hazard a guess. But there’s a lot.”
Two years ago, a fifth shed was
converted for use in the museum. Like the
others, it was fitted with air conditioning
and artificial lighting. “We find it helps to
preserve the collection, but it also
somehow keeps the dust down,” he says.
Use of space
The farm shop, too, has had a change of
purpose, and it now houses a bustling café
which serves hot food and cakes. Even
here, none of the space is wasted. “Those ›
A FARMING HISTORY
The 60 tractors in Keith Sherrell’s collection are lined up like prized cars. The oldest, dating from the
early 1900s, sit, like champions, on wooden blocks. There is a 1948 John Deere, shiny green with yellow
wheels; a bright red 1946 Case; and an impressive 1917 gunmetal grey Titan. “Each tractor was driven
into position, so we know they all work,” says Keith.
Other items include a 500-strong collection of cast iron tractor seats with the UK’s oldest example
taking pride of place. Tools are displayed like artworks on wooden boards. In addition to the tractors,
there is a range of agricultural machinery and accessories. These include a hand-powered sheep
shearing device and a potato harvester. “I’m always surprised by how much the women love this part of
the collection,” he says. “But then, during the war, they were the ones in charge of the land.”
88

Above: The museum was originally based around farming, and those exhibits can still be
seen on display, including Keith’s enormous collection of cast iron tractor seats.
Below: Many of the vintage tractors at the museum are still in working order.
Above: The general hardware store includes
household items such as pots and pans, balls of
twine, paints, varnishes and light bulbs.
89

92
›

FIRE OF THE EARTH
Ceramicist Siobhan Newton captures the raw beauty of a
rugged landscape in her gilded spheres
93

IT IS AUTUMN, and the trees in a country park are
rapidly dropping their leaves. Those clinging to the
branches are shades of red and amber; their fallen
neighbours blanketing the ground below. In a clearing,
two magnificent stags approach one another warily;
more so, the challenging male, who is here to wrestle
supremacy from the incumbent. As they advance,
each utters a loud, deep roar. This is the height of the
annual red deer rut, and the event is in full swing.
Often the challenger will simply back off, having sized
up his chances and realised he will not be victorious.
But when the two animals are evenly matched, the
physical battle begins. Time and again, the rivals clash
together, locking their huge antlers momentarily before
pulling apart and starting again. Meanwhile, the other
males, and more importantly the females, who will mate
with the eventual winner, stand on the sidelines, simply
watching and waiting for the conflict to be resolved.
Antlers are only found in the deer family, Cervidae.
There are almost 100 living species, only one of which,
the Chinese water deer, does not have antlers at all,
preferring to rely on its sharp tusks. In almost all cases,
antlers are confined to males, though female reindeer do
have small antlers, which they use to clear away snow
when searching for food.
Show of strength
Antlers vary hugely in size from species to species,
the largest being those of the fallow deer and reindeer.
They also vary considerably in shape and complexity, ›
In Britain, the fallow deer, Dama dama, is distinguished by its palmate
antlers. It is most commonly seen in England and Wales.
The majestic red deer stag, Cervus
elaphus, with its branch-like antler
headdress, pauses in a forest clearing
during an autumn rut to determine
dominance in the mating ritual.

CROWN OF SUPREMACY
During the annual autumn rut, the stag uses his magnificent antlers to
establish dominance over a harem of potential mates

5.
Step 5: Using the size 8 brush,
add touches of the dark green mix
for background foliage, applying
the paint with the tip and letting
it soften in. The paint will largely
do the work itself, but if it starts to
run out of control, wait a moment
for the background to dry a little
before trying again.
8.
Step 6: Pick up some pure
lemon yellow, either straight
from the tube or from the
palette well. With the tip of
the size 2 brush, touch in
some highlights at the top
edge of the dark green area.
Step 8: Once the picture has dried, use a brush that is relatively dry,
but still holding paint, to cover the main branches of the tree, using the
orange, then the purple mix. This will create masses of leaves quickly,
without having to paint each leaf individually. Add some sunlit leaves in
the same way, using the lemon yellow. Once dry, use a clean finger to
remove the masking fluid.
6.
Step 7: Change to the size 10
round brush and make long
sweeping strokes to paint the
grasses in the foreground, using
the bright green mix. Paint
beyond the edges of the picture,
to ensure it is filled evenly. Add
some aureolin highlights, as in
step 4, then change to the size
6 brush and create shadows in
the dark green mix, again making
approximately horizontal strokes.
9.
Step 9: Using the size 6 brush, wet the whole tree with clean water.
Build up a variegated wash by adding the bright green mix, very diluted.
While wet, add touches of the purple and the orange mix here and there.
7.
10.
Step 10: In order to make the tree trunk look cylindrical, add stronger,
darker tones on one side as shadows. Use the size 4 brush to add the dark
green mix, while the tree is still wet. Do not aim for a clean effect or the
tree will look unnatural, like a pipe. Adding a little texture makes it appear
weathered and naturalistic. Add some very light-toned colour, such as the
lemon yellow, on the opposite side, as a highlight.
Step 11: Change to the size 2 brush and the dark green mix to paint in the finer
branches, working outwards from the trunk and lifting the brush away to create a
tapering, fine effect. To finish the painting, work over the surface in a mix of neat lemon
yellow and burnt sienna, using the size 4 round brush and the dry brush technique to
create the impression of leaves in front of the trunk. Add a few small dashes of the same
mix to create a few individual leaves in the foreground with the size 2 brush. Anchor the
tree to the ground by using the same mixes as the trunk to soften it into the dry grass
area. Finally, use the dark mix to create a shadow on the left-hand side.
11.
121

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