The Lifestyle Sep - Oct 2021

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WEEDS The beauty and use of 50 vagabond plants - by Gareth Richards Weeds are nature’s first responders, healing the wounds that man inflicts upon the earth. They valiantly bring life back into even the most polluted land, pushing green shoots of raw ecological power through tarmac and concrete on abandoned sites. The cheerful daisy in the pavement crack - or even, dare it be said, the buddleia that turns derelict buildings into butterfly havens. Countless plants that we dismiss as weeds have amazing powers. Every weed has some redeeming qualities. When the chips are down, weeds come to the rescue. You cut yourself miles from home on a country walk, there are several weeds you can reach for to help stop the bleeding - and they even have antibacterial properties too. We might have lost much of our countryside but a select band of plants paint the grey concrete green again. They are a defiant echo of the wild. In an age of extinctions, weeds offer hope: their very existence is continual proof of nature’s resilience. Yet we are so often blind to their beauty. “The notion that a plant is a weed is the most effective barrier for stopping us looking at it closely” wrote acclaimed naturalist Richard Mabey first published almost 50 years ago. Does being native matter? Our perceptions are very much a question of time: many of our most-loved wildflowers such as field poppies and cornflowers are technically just as ‘non-native’ as Japanese knotweed, yet because they’ve been here for many hundreds of years we’ve grown to appreciate and even love them. Pinning down the native ranges of weeds is a tricky business. Often they’ve been around mankind for so long that their precise origins are unknown. Furthermore, the ever-accelerating rate of climate change means that in Britain our definition of native and nonnative (one that seeks to freeze our flora into what it was like many thousands of years ago) is looking more irrelevant by the day. Only humans make weeds. Nature abhors a vacuum. Bare soil exists rarely in nature, yet we strive to create it by ploughing, digging our gardens and constructing buildings and roads. If we hadn’t created these ecological vacuums, these empty spaces, there wouldn’t be nearly so many weeds. They are simply trying to heal our scars on Mother Nature’s green skin. About the Author: Gareth Richards is Digital Features Editor at RHS and delivers the RHS podcast. Gareth has provided horticulture expertise for a leading nursery, the BBC, ITV and Bauer Media. The Royal Horticultural Society is Britain’s premier gardening charity, promoting horticulture and helping gardeners by providing inspiration through its shows, gardens and expertise. RHS Weeds - The Beauty and use of 50 vagabond plants is published by Welbeck Your local holiday cottage Your local holiday Your cottage local holiday specialist Your local in holiday the New cottage Forest... specialist in the New specialist Forest... in the Ne specialist in the New Forest... New Forest Cottages has over 150 holiday New cottages Forest throughout Cottages the has New over New Forest 150 Forest holiday area. Cottages We are has over 15 cottages New Forest throughout Cottages the has New over Forest cottages 150 area. holiday always looking for good quality properties throughout We to meet are the New For always cottages looking throughout for good the New quality always Forest properties area. looking We to for meet are the demand. If you are considering holiday letting good quality p the always demand. looking If you for are good considering quality the properties demand. holiday If to please contact our experienced property team letting you meet for are considerin please the demand. advice contact If you and more our information. experienced are considering please property holiday contact team letting our for experienced p advice please and contact more our information. experienced advice property and more team information. advice and more information. 01590 679655 01590 679655 01590 679655 www.newforestcottages.co.uk www.newforestcottages.co.uk 01590 679655 www.newforestcottages.co www.newforestcottages.co.uk 10 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk
ADVERTISING FEATURE INTERVIEW: NOVa fine arts... We had a chat to Oliver Deeley, co-founder of Nova Fine Art about art in general – and their exciting new gallery in Marlborough. You have existing galleries in Royal Leamington Spa and Marlow, so what brings you to Marlborough? We adore the area and of course, the exciting new additions to Marlborough high street - just like us fearlessly independent. Art is such a personal thing; some people may be nervous about how to choose a work of art to live with – what advice would you give to a first-time buyer? Don’t be told what to buy just because it’s in fashion… just like when you buy fine fragrance, buy emotivity and from the heart. You know all of your artists; this must give you a unique prospective on their work and inspiration… Absolutely! And finally, what are you most looking forward to in your new venture? Continuing to disrupt the art market, it’s time for the little guys to have their time. Find out more at novafineart.com Nova Fine Art is fast becoming the latest gallery network to rival the large corporations on the high street. We combine experience of buying, selling and creating artwork so our approach is a holistic one and we are committed to integrity, fairness & professionalism in all our dealings with our clients, creators & colleagues alike. Very much a family run and passion lead business, Marlborough is the third addition to our bricks and mortar offering, along with our superb website. Just as our name suggests, we are continually looking at ways to keep our gallery walls fresh, cutting edge and exciting. Join the team at any of our locations, Royal Leamington Spa, Marlow & Marlborough to discover it for yourself or get in touch contact@novafinart.com Please contact us for more information: 110 Warwick Street, Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 4QP • 01926 298 110 79 Hight Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1AB • 01628 563 801 137 High Street Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 1HN • 01672 555810 Instagram @novafineartofficial • www.novafineart.com www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 11
Page 1 and 2: THE LIFESTYLE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 202
Page 3 and 4: The Home Hit List, page 28 EDITOR
Page 5 and 6: BOTANICALS COLLECTION N O W O N L I
Page 7 and 8: Whittlebury Park, a four-star count
Page 9: georgina franklin jewellery Individ
Page 13 and 14: EDUCATION Advice from the Girls’
Page 15 and 16: An enriching life like no other Whi
Page 18 and 19: The Family Law Partners office is i
Page 20 and 21: Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB Top 3
Page 22: GARDEN JOBS Here are some of the to
Page 25 and 26: THE SOLUTION WE HAVE ALL BEEN LOOKI
Page 27 and 28: the hunger from last year is still
Page 29 and 30: CONSCIOUSLY CURATED HOME- WARES AND
Page 31 and 32: F O O D & DRINK We speak to baking
Page 33 and 34: HOW ARE YOU ON THIS GLORIOUS DAY? M
Page 35 and 36: CHOCOLATE, ORANGE & PISTACHIO LOAF
Page 37 and 38: 2 cloves garlic Small piece fresh r
Page 39 and 40: TRAVEL A walk in one of the country
Page 41 and 42: AUTUMN'S finest Awesome Autumn colo
Page 43 and 44: t’s difficult to write about the
Page 45 and 46: eef swimming, paragliding, and opti
Page 47 and 48: FOOD AT THE ISLANDER’S GRILL shap
Page 50: RETIREMENT PLANNING: A GUIDE Katie

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