Winning gardeners don’t hedge their bets

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We love these award-winning topiary designs – what do you think?

Garden ladder expert, Henchman has unveiled the winners of its 2024 inaugural Topiary Awards. The competition, honours the centuries-old tradition of shaping living sculptures from plants.

The entries from across Britain were evaluated based on a comprehensive set of criteria designed to assess their creativity, craftsmanship, and overall impact, by an esteemed panel of topiary experts and horticulturalists including; Elizabeth Hilliard, Editor of European Boxwood and Topiary Society (EBTS) magazine TOPIARIUS; Michael Buck, Head of Horticulture at Creepers Nursery; Andy Bourke, professional topiarist better known as The Hedge Barber; and Owen Simpson, Managing Director at Henchman. 

Taking home first prize in the Professional Gardener Category is Harrie Carnochan from West Sussex. Harrie maintains this topiary garden, the immaculate symmetry wowed the judges, with Harrie’s expert attention to detail and skill evident in the high-impact finish. Small topiary balls sit atop perfectly sculpted columns to welcome visitors to the garden, with rounded trees standing proudly around the lawn.

In second place is Suffolk-based Chris Reeve, whose topiary creation brings a touch of magical enchantment to any garden. The design features a carefully crafted frog that seems ready to leap into life. Its intricate details include rounded eyes, a pronounced mouth and gracefully arched limbs, showcasing exceptional skill, creativity and a keen eye for detail.

Recognised for his charming and lifelike depiction of two dogs, the highly commended award goes to Simon Newman from Worcestershire.

The winning entry in the Home Gardener Category goes to David Hawson from Aberdeenshire, whose design features a whimsical scene featuring countryside animals and marine creatures carefully sculpted into a continuous hedge, resulting in a high-impact horizon.

In second place is Petra Hoyer-Millar from Oxfordshire, whose design features a series of perfectly clipped hedges crafted into large, rounded shapes that flow sinuously to create a cloud-like effect, guiding the eye along their length with artistic precision and skill.

The Henchman Choice Award, voted for by the Henchman team, goes to Bedfordshire-based Keith Miles for his impressive life-size tractor sculpture crafted from densely trimmed shrubs.

The winners were announced at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Flower Festival, where they received a trophy, a bundle for Henchman products, an annual membership to the European Boxwood and Topiary Society and a day trip for two to one of the EBTS UK’s day-long garden trips. Well done to all!

For more information about Henchman, visit Henchman | Tripod Ladders & Safe Working Platforms

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We love Jo Malone & Paddington™!

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What do Jo Malone & Paddington Bear have in common…?

The answer is that both these quintessential British brands love orange marmalade! One (the iconic fragrance brand) has used this to create a gorgeous new scent and the other (the little bear with a big heart) enjoys it in his sarnies, of course!

Yes, Jo Malone London has formed a dream collab with a figure widely associated with kindness: Paddington™. The epitome of seeing the best in everyone and giving “just because”, the beloved bear has inspired a series of limited-edition scented gifts from the British fragrance and lifestyle house.

At the heart of this collection is a cologne that celebrates Paddington’s favourite snack, the marmalade sandwiches he hides beneath his famous red hat. A refined take on the most British preserve, Orange Marmalade blends warm woods with orange zest to create a marvellous, golden fragrance.

Global brand president Jo Dancey says: “A childhood favourite and now our latest collaborator, Paddington conjures up cherished memories of fun-filled summer trips by train, exploring the British countryside and coastline – always with a picnic in tow. And when it comes to our Orange Marmalade Cologne, really there was no other choice of partner we’d rather share our scent with – or marmalade sandwich, come to that.”

The limited-edition collection includes Orange Marmalade Cologne 100ml £124 & Orange Marmalade Cologne 30ml £58.

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Guiding stars at London Shakespeare highlight

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On Monday, 8th July, Regents Park Open Air Theatre and the UK Queen of Poetry Allie Esiri will be hosting a star-studded night of Shakespeare poetry readings: Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year – Live!

Former actress, bestselling author and poetry champion Allie Esiri and Regents Park Open Air Theatre present Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year – Live!

On Monday 8th July Allie Esiri will be joined by a star-studded cast of award winning theatre and film actors including Paul Chahidi, Damian Lewis (Homeland), Derek Jacobi CBE, Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso), Stephen Mangan (Green Wing), Tracy Ann Oberman, Tony Robinson (Blackadder), Danny Sapani (Killing Eve, Black Panther), Samantha Spiro (Sex Education), Luke Thompson (Bridgerton), Indira Varma (Game of Thrones), Samuel West (Slow Horses), Olivia Williams (The Crown), and Susan Wokoma (Enola Holmes), for a hugely entertaining evening of Shakespeare based on Allie Esiri’s bestselling poetry anthology: Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year.

To celebrate 400 years of Shakespeare’s First Folio and over 9 years of Shakespeare performances at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Allie Esiri and friends will guide you on a journey through the Shakespeare you love and the best bits you don’t. There will be poetry, speeches and scenes read by actors who have a special connection to Shakespeare’s work and to the theatre itself. It was at Regent’s Park, for example, that homeland actor Damian Lewis spent a season playing Hamlet, that Susan Wokoma starred in the hit production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and where Samantha Spiro performed an acclaimed Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and won an Olivier Award for Hello Dolly!. Join us for a night of great performances, poetry, laughter, wisdom and wit.

One of the UK’s biggest selling poetry books, Shakespeare For Every Day of the Year by poetry champion Allie Esiri is an inspiring collection of 365 poems, speeches and scenes from across all of Shakespeare’s plays each with an illuminating introduction. Allie has published ten hugely popular poetry anthologies including A Poem For Every Day Of The Year and 365 Poems For Life as part of her mission to keep poetry alive and make it accessible for everyone.

Signed copies of Allie Esiri’s poetry anthologies Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year and A Poet for Every Day of the Year will be available on the night.

Tickets are still available, £25pp: visit Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

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Let’s Go Andy, Let’s Go

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Robbie James turns his attention to British hero Andy Murray as he embarks on what will be his last Wimbledon

I’m going to miss Andy Murray the event organiser more than Andy Murray the tennis player, and we can learn so much from the relationship we’ve formed with him over the years.

Summers of sport have an undeniable ability to unify often divided British population, even if just for 90 minutes at a time. Non sports fans become sports fans. Parks become fan zones. Andrew Castle the political commentator becomes Andrew Castle the tennis commentator. Tournament schedules create the occasion, but the personnel involved turn those occasions into real life history. Yes I’m cringing too, but am I wrong?

As we’re learning with the England men’s football team, we channel our emotion and desire in contrasting ways, depending on the sport

When a 25-year-old Andy Murray lost the first Wimbledon final of his career in 2012 to Roger Federer, and proceeded to tear up during his post-match interview with Sue Barker, we weren’t calling for his coach, Ivan Lendl to get sacked. We weren’t telling Twitter how underwhelmed and fed up we were. We just wanted to give the bloke a hug.

We’ve been able to form a deeper bond with Andy than we’ve managed with any team, and that’s largely thanks to the frequency of Wimbledon (compared to the Olympics), and our old friend terrestrial television.

Does he feel like extended family? I think to a lot of people he probably does. His emotion is loud, and it’s there on court for us all to see, so naturally he feels accessible. No doubt it helps that we’ve seen mother Judy, wife Kim, and brother Jamie on our screens almost as much as we’ve seen Andy during his time on Centre Court. I’m going to really miss seeing Judy Murray looking absolutely furious with her wee son.

We feel sincere empathy for his placement within the Dunblane massacre, and then inevitable lifelong trauma he must so often need to fight. We will for him to succeed. Even in these (seemingly) last few months of his career, we’re not willing for him to necessarily even win, we just want one more moment where we can chant “let’s go Andy, let’s go”. We want to hear him scream “nooooo Andyyyyy for f**k sake” and look up to his coaching box like they’ve somehow hacked his body’s computer and decided to smash a forehand into the net just for a laugh. We just want one more theatre performance.

He’s won over the personality police. How it took so many people so long to understand that he’s just a shy man is beyond me, but I’m very pleased that he’s now got the backing of so many of his critics. I think we’ve been very lucky to have had access to such an authentic personality. Alongside his beautifully dry sense of humour, the Scotsman’s managed to use his platform for good, without becoming a propaganda machine. We’ll hear or see him subtly stand up for what he believes in, like the times he’s called out casual sexism in various news conferences. No malice, and no hint of making it about him, something many celebrities are unable to achieve.

Murray’s first Wimbledon title in 2013 will live with me for a long time. The game of cricket I was playing on that Sunday afternoon became completely irrelevant as me and my best mate Will sat around the FM radio. (Tennis wins the award for ‘Best Ambient Sound’ at Robbie’s Silly Sports Awards by the way. Chit-chat. Silence. Applause. Repeat for up to six hours. Glorious).

The winning moment was a split-second moment, just like a goal, a wicket, a nine darter; but this wasn’t a moment of euphoria that made you want to take your top off and throw your warm beer in the air. It was just a moment that made you want to smile. You didn’t want to jump around because you wanted to catch Andy’s reaction, Judy’s reaction, Centre Court’s reaction. You wanted to hear the upcoming interview. You just wanted to smile and absorb the screen, or in my case, the sounds of the radio.

I hope we can all learn to champion more of our wonderful athletes and teams in the way we’ve got behind Andy for the last 15 years. We owe that man so much for the joyous moments he’s given us. Not bad for a man who doesn’t smile.

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Celebrating Down’s syndrome & Sparkles charity

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Life-changing charity Sparkles helps children with Down’s syndrome & urgently needs your donations to keep going. Mum Emily Reay tells us more…

“Down’s syndrome”… What do you think of when you hear these words? Probably some sort of stereotype. Sadly, people with Down’s syndrome (DS) face this all the time and assumptions can become reality, a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Since having Teddy – and knowing other families who have a child with DS – I’ve heard all sorts of negative things… “He may never talk.” “He may never walk, run, jump climb.” “He might not ride a bike, read or write, get a job.” Teddy can do all these things and more; he’s incredible! Yes some things take him a little longer, but he never stops trying and we’ll never stop helping him. However, if a child can’t do these yet, then that’s OK too. But let’s assume that they can, so that maybe they will.

The biggest challenge faced by families and people with DS is the barriers we face, because of expectations or the fact that equality doesn’t exist. Let’s take the UK abortion law. A baby with DS can be aborted up to the point of birth, 40 weeks. But for all other babies there is a 24-week limit. That’s inequality right there.

Lots of healthcare professionals ask “What do you want for your child?” and initially when I used to say, “I just want him to be happy” (which is another stereotype by the way, people with DS are not always happy; come over when he’s tired and hungry!) However, this is a cop-out answer. What I want for Teddy is exactly the same as what I want for his sisters. I want him to thrive and be the best he can be.

“What I want for Teddy is exactly the same as what I want for his sisters. I want him to thrive and be the best he can be.”

If you meet someone with DS, treat them as you would anyone else, because they are. They have a right to be included, fully and equally, respected and accepted. In our house we say “everyone’s different, and different is good”. When I tell people I have a child with DS I’m often greeted with a sad face or “I’m so sorry”. Don’t be! There’s nothing to be sorry about. He’s Teddy first, who’s cheeky, funny, loves school, football and the Rolling Stones. He also happens to have Down’s syndrome.

Teddy has received wonderful support from Sparkles. The team support pre-school children with DS with weekly speech and language therapy, OT and physio. This is an invaluable supplement to the NHS therapy which is not as frequent. The charity is entirely parent-led and relies solely on fundraising. With the cost-of-living crisis and Covid, the charity is struggling so Teddy and his friends have just completed a sponsored litter pick around the local village. Anything you can do will really help Sparkles.

Please visit sparkles.org.uk for donation info. Or if you could sponsor a child’s therapy for a year email [email protected].

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Paul Clerehugh’s Goosebury Crumble

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Crooked Billet’s Paul Clerehugh shares his Gooseberry Crumble recipe with Round & About readers

Watch Paul Clerehurgh talk about the recipe on our podcast, Spotlight: The Diary for the South East OUT NOW on YouTube.

Gooseberry Crumble – serves 6

Ingredients:
• 200g Plain flour
• 125g Unsalted butter
• 75g Caster sugar
• 500g Gooseberries
• 100ml Elderflower cordial

Method:
• Pre-heat your oven to 190 degrees. Put the flour in a mixing bowl & add small cubes of fridge cold butter. With your fingers, rub the flour & butter together until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Tip the caster sugar in and stir through.
• Top & tail each gooseberry & put them into a baking dish, drizzle over the elderflower cordial & roll the gooseberries around in the cordial so that they all have an elderflower coating.
• Evenly sprinkle the crumble mix over the gooseberries
* For best results, don’t flatten & push the mixture down
• Bake for 40 minutes in the pre-heated oven. It is ready when the crumble topping is golden brown & the gooseberries are completely soft & tender.

Crooked Billet. Newlands lane. Stoke Row – Henley-on-Thames RG9 5PU

www.thecrookedbillet.co.uk

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Q&A with Sharron Davies MBE

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Liz Nicholls chats to Sharron Davies MBE as she looks forward to The Olympic Games – her 13th – starting later this month in Paris

Watch & listen to Liz Nicholls catch up with Sharron Davies on our podcast, Spotlight: The Diary for the South East, OUT NOW on YouTube.

Q. Hello Sharron! Who are your Team GB ones to watch?
“Well they’ve got a tall order because Tokyo was the most successful Olympic games for the British swimming team for 100 years. So it’s going to be very tough for them to be as successful but I expect them to be very close to it because they’ve got a very strong team, particularly the men. Adam Peaty seems to be back on track which is good news for the British team because what happens on day one sets the tone. We also have Tom Dean and Duncan Scott. Daniel Wiffen stands a very good chance in the 200m – we like to see the Irish doing well, too, don’t we? The girls are going to have it a little bit tougher. They had good trials and we have a couple of world champions going into this with Laura Stevens and Freya Colbert. But I think the Canadians, Americans and Australians will bring another level.”

Q. Will you be in Paris for the whole games?
“Yes, I’ll be poolside covering the swimming throughout and then I’ve wangled a couple of days at the end to see a bit of track and field with my 17-year-old. This will be my 13th Olympic Games! I entered my first junior international a 11 and my first Olympics at 13.”

Q. You were great as Amazon on Gladiators! Do you watch much TV?
“I do: mostly live sport and Netflix. And, most people don’t know this about me but I’m a big Star Trek fan! I love anything that depicts us living in harmony, all shapes and sizes from all sorts of places. I love the idea we might be able to do this one day.”

Q. Who were your heroes growing up?
“The Mirror used to fly in swimming superstars. I met Johnny Weissmuller & Shane Gould. And I remember watching Mark Spitz with his famous moustache & seven medals. Also David Wilkie, who sadly died recently, was a great inspiration to me and, later, a friend. I have many female heroes. We appear to be living in a much more misogynistic world right now & those pushing back for fair & equal opportunities for our girls I admire on a daily basis. I can’t say I even thought of myself as a feminist until recently, but regressive stereotypes & social media are making life much harder for young females.”

Q. Where do you like to swim?
“Aha, well I don’t swim often these days because swimming has ruined my shoulders! Swimming wears your rotator cuffs out – that’s our injury. If I’m on holiday and I’m on a beach and it’s lovely, I’m in the water but I don’t use swimming to keep fit. I’m cycling or in the gym four times a week.”

Q. What tips would you give anyone who wants to get fit & healthy?
“It’s never too late! You can make a radical difference with tweaks. It’s all about consistency, mobility, your core. We need to put a little stress on our joints as well, particularly as women, to avoid osteoporosis. Silly stuff like climbing stairs instead of escalators or lifts. Just do all of those things automatically. My dad is 88 and I always say to him, whether you’re getting on and off your sofa to do two squats every single time. And when you’re there making your cup of tea, stand on one leg. Obviously hold on to something supportive if you need but balance as we age is really important because once you start to get into your 80s, if you fall over and break a hip, it’s massive. And that’s all down to core stability and balance and we don’t tend to look after that. What’s really interesting is that Japanese people have hardly any of the hip issues we have because they’re constantly getting up and down off the floor so their core stability is so much better than ours.”

Q. What about eating, Sharron? Is there anything you do or don’t eat?
“There’s nothing that’s off the agenda, I just tend not to eat unhealthily regularly and I would say little tips like making sure you eat colourful food works really well. Nearly all beige and bland food isn’t good for us. Processed sugar is the devil and it creeps into everything these days, especially ready meals! I don’t drink very much, never have. I’ve never smoked. I’m a morning person so I go to bed reasonably early and like to be up and get going – I think that’s a knock-on of having to get up at 5am for training from such a young age! Alcohol has hidden calories which are easy to forget about. And try not to eat really late as well. It’s slowing your metabolism down filling your belly and going to bed is not good for your digestive system.”

Q. Do you still love dogs?
“Yes, we’ve got two: Flash the blind Basset Hound is very unflash; my son named him! And Ed the dachshund.”

Q. You’re a grandmother now aren’t you?
“I am – that’s who I’m out with today. I’ve got a granddaughter who’s four and a grandson who’s four months. It’s a cliché but it’s so much easier than being a mum because you can just hand them back. I love it! I often have Ariya on a Friday and it’s my favourite day of the week. We live in a very fast world and we often don’t live in the moment. When I’m with my granddaughter I have to live in the moment. She wants me to draw pictures with her and throw a ball and do all sorts of innocent things. You have to put your mobile down and turn the TV off and give them a bit of time and effort – that’s really all they want.”

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Fitwaffle’s No-Bake Baking for families

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We’re sharing a taste of easy oven-free recipes from the book by Eloise Head AKA Fitwaffle who will star at Big Feastival

Microwave chocolate cake

No one will ever know this cake was made in the microwave! It’s unbelievably soft and moist, topped with a rich chocolate ganache. If you want to make a cake, but don’t want to turn on the oven, this chocolate cake is perfect. Plus it’s so easy to make and you don’t even need any eggs.

Ingredients:
For the cake
• 150g (1¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, heat-treated
• 100g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 60g (8tbsp) cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 90g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted, or 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 380ml (scant 12/3 cups) warm water

For the topping
• 150g (5.25oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 150ml (2/3 cup) double (or heavy) cream

Method:
Cake
1. Grease and line an 18cm (7in) round microwave-safe cake mould with non-stick baking paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder using a balloon whisk until combined.
3. Pour in the melted butter or vegetable oil and warm water and beat until runny and smooth.
4. Pour the batter into your cake mould.
5. Microwave on medium heat for 5-6 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Check the cake about 1 minute before you think it’s cooked. If you overcook it, it can become dry and rubbery.

Topping
6. Put the chocolate and cream into a microwave-safe jug or small mixing bowl and microwave on medium for 1 minute 20 seconds. Leave to stand for 1 minute, then stir gently until smooth and combined.
7. Transfer to a serving plate and pour the ganache over the cooled cake, letting it drip over the edges slightly, and smooth it out.
8. Let the ganache set at room temperature, then cut into 8 slices and serve. Enjoy!
9. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If eating the cake after it’s been in the refrigerator, leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Strawberries and cream cheesecake bars

These cheesecake bars are fresh and fruity and so creamy and delicious. They have a buttery biscuit base, a creamy cheesecake filing packed with strawberries, topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Perfect for a summer barbecue.

Ingredients:
For the base
• 250g (9oz) digestive biscuits (or graham crackers)
• 100g (3.5oz) unsalted or salted butter, melted

For the filling
• 500g (1lb) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 150g (1¼ cups) icing (powdered) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pink food colouring (optional)
• 100g (3.5oz) fresh strawberries, diced

For the topping
• 200ml (scant 1 cup) cold double (or heavy) cream
• 8 fresh strawberries, halved, to decorate

Method:
For the base
1. Line a 20cm (8in) square baking tin with non-stick baking paper.
2. Put the biscuits into a food processor and process until finely crushed. Alternatively, put them into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Tip into a medium mixing bowl, then pour in the melted butter and mix with a spoon until fully combined.
3. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of your prepared tin with the back of a spoon, then pop into the refrigerator while you make the filling.

For the filling
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, icing (powdered) sugar, vanilla extract and pink food colouring, if using, with an electric hand mixer until smooth, then fold through the diced strawberries.
5. Remove the chilled base from the refrigerator, then spoon on the filling, smoothing it out to the edges.
6. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until completely set. Cut into squares.

For the topping
7. Whip the cream with an electric hand mixer to stiff peaks. Pipe the whipped cream in a swirl on top of each square. Place half a strawberry into the whipped cream, as shown in the photo, for decoration. (I find it easiest to do the topping after the cheesecake has been cut into squares).
8. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days.




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The best rose wines for summer

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Discover the best rose wines for summer sipping with Round & About Magazine’s guide to the best rose wines

The outlook is Rosé…

Summer’s here, according to the calendar if not the weather, so it’s time to slap on some sun cream (pull a jumper on) and crack open a bottle of rosé.  

Rosé wines have come a long way in the last ten years. When I joined the wine trade they were about as easy to shift as a tin bath full of rubble. Wine lovers’ opinions of rosé wine were either informed by the likes of Mateus Rosé or white Zinfandels, a bottle of which could be enough to prompt a diabetic coma, or half-hearted efforts that were pretty, but pretty tasteless.

Today, everything in the world of rosé wines is, well, rosy. Great wines can be found all over the world, and even the finest wines remain affordable. So, to celebrate the arrival of summer and in the hope that we’ll see the sun, here are my top rosé wine recommendations.

First up is a South African, the Wild Child Grenache Rosé from Journey’s End (£13.50 Noble Green). This is a juicy style of rosé that’s easy to love. Made from old vine Grenache, the juice gets a relatively short (3 hours) contact with the skins, giving it its lovely delicate pink colour. That’s about the only thing that is delicate about this wine. Big, opulent and mouth-filling, it’s packed with strawberries, red cherries and raspberries with all the sharpness of a blancmange – just the thing for sipping in the garden.

Spain is an excellent source of great value rosé (rosado). Wines like Viña Sol Rosé  (Waitrose £8.99) never fails to please. Recently, however, there’s been a move to creating rosé fine wines of which the Muga Flor De Muga Rosé (Majestic £21.99) is a fantastic example. I’ve shied away from this wine in the past as you can get the excellent Muga Rosado for £11.99. Having tasted it though, I have to say it is worth the extra money. Produced from ancient high-altitude vines, the concentration of red fruits, melon, and peach balanced by loganberries and citrus is impressive. This should be partnered with fine foods such as shellfish or lightly cooked lamb.

Provence has always been famed for its rosé wines. In 1955 a system of Cru Classé (great growths) was established, which recognised 23 exceptional estates. While the prices for some have become as eye-watering as the exclusive perfumes their bottles resemble, others remain affordable. If you want to try a wine that tastes as good as it looks – and let’s face it, it’s stunningly pretty – try the Château Sainte Roseline Prestige Provence Rosé (Ocado £19). From its rose diamond hue to its firm, mineral and raspberry finish, this is a class act. Gentle but with a lovely depth of flavour, this is one of those wines that draws you further in with each sip. It starts out offering watermelons and strawberries, but these morph into firmer tones of raspberries, peaches, and nectarines with an undertow of brambles, cream, and cherries. Lovely on its own, it’s made for seafood or fine white meats.

My next recommendation is a first for me. I honestly can’t ever remember recommending a fine Italian rosé wine. In my experience, Italian rosé (rosato) has been pleasant but hasn’t warranted purple (pink?) prose. The Albia 2023 (Vinum £15.05) from Ricasoli is a big exception to this rule. This Tuscan beauty is full, rich, and satisfying. Deep copper pink, it takes a little air to open it up, but once it’s had some times it’s full of red cherries, dried strawberries, and apricots with intriguing, slightly ‘spiky’ red berry acidity that I associate with Sangiovese. Good on its own, great with food, this is a brilliant rosé for alfresco dining.

The Loire Valley is best known for its white wines such as Saumur and Sancerre. While these are classics, both also produce impressive rosé wines.  Take the Domaine Lauverjat Moulin des Vrilleres Sancerre Rosé (Perfect Cellar £23.70). Made exclusively from Pinot Noir grown on limestone and clay soils, it offers precision with power. The nose balances citrus and black berries, roses and dusty minerals, while the palate manages to harmoniously combine raspberries, leafy blackcurrants and grapefruit and savoury, chalky notes. Try this with full-flavoured white fish such as monkfish or cod or with pork or lamb.

Next up a fizz, the Terra Organica Rosé Prosecco (Ocado £13). Rosé Prosecco was only officially sanctioned in May 2020 but on the evidence of this, it was worth the wait. While I find white Prosecco pleasant enough it all too often becomes cloying after a couple of glasses. This wasn’t the case with the Terra Organica. The addition of Pinot Nero to the Glera has added a savoury, black cherry note to the melon, pear, and white peach flavours. Add to this a fresh acidity and a hint of yeast and you have one of the best value fizzes you can buy.

I’ll finish with an Australian wine – well, I did say great rosé can be found all over the world – the Rogers & Rufus Rosé (Latitude Wines £16.50). Made from that classic rosé grape, Grenache, this is an interesting take on New World rosé. Coral pink, the nose is full of red berries, brambles, green apples and honey. The latter took me aback a little and raised fears that this was going to be off-dry, a style of rosé I’ve never found to work. Happily, it turned out to be a false alarm, and while a heather honey note pervaded the palate – probably from the American oak – it was dry, clean, and refreshing. Without wishing to sound stereotypical, I can see this going brilliantly with barbecued seafood and white or red meats. It’s powerful yet rounded and soft-hearted. Oh, and in case you were wondering it’s made 105km from the sea and surf. More labels should carry useful information like this if you ask me!

Well, I hope you’ll try out some of these amazing rosé wines. Next time out I’ll be dishing up some ideas for barbecue wines. Weather permitting.

Cheers,
Giles

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Scents of summer

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Artist Helen Grimbleby shares her love of nature in her monthly Nature Sketchbook

“Spring flew swiftly by, and summer came; and if the village had been beautiful at first, it was now in the full grow and luxuriance of its richness.” Charles Dickens

Summer is the season when our senses may easily delight in the natural world and the fairer weather means the opportunities to engage directly with nature are greater.

The wind of blustery seaside cliff tops is kinder and more inviting when it is warmer and drier. Its gentler brush on bare arms may even be welcome on hot summer days. Pink sea thrift flowers break up the wild expanses of rocky coastal scenes dominated at other times by blues, greens and greys. Such rocky coastal locations can also be home to puffin colonies who at this time of year are kept busy feeding their single chick broods.

Puffins can be found on the mainland in the very North of Scotland and also at Bempton in Yorkshire. Most are found on small islands such as Skomer (Wales) and the Farne Islands (Northumberland).

Badger cubs are actively playful now and I am so very hopeful to see some this year. I plan a few night-time hikes for this purpose. This brings excitement and a hint of trepidation in equal measure as the familiarity of darkness and shadows was left behind in the long-ago winter months.

After re-reading Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows in late spring, I was longing to see a badger in the wild, something I had never seen before. A short while later, I was slightly lost making my way back to a campsite in Wales after a friend’s birthday party. Having gone off track, driving up a high-hedged narrow single track, steep mountain road in the Black Mountains, I was focused on fretting about meeting a vehicle coming the other way. Then, turning a corner, I found myself face to face with a badger. Only momentarily perturbed by the road blockage cause by my car, it set off making its way through the embankment hedge, its slightly brownish, warm black coloured body perfectly camouflaged, wearing an intelligent expression set on a moon river face. What a joy!

I am assured of the scents of summer on my night-time walks with honeysuckle, wild rose, elderflower and pyramid orchids all in June bloom and my jaunts may be accompanied by an orchestra of grasshopper making their reedy music as I go. Will you walk with me grasshopper?

Helen Grimbleby is a West Berks/North Hants based artist who is inspired by the natural world’s changing seasons. After exploring outside, she enjoys writing, illustrating and painting larger landscapes at her home studio (@helengrimblebyart).

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