Lifestyle

Customs and traditions are often things we accept without question. Why do we put candles on a birthday cake? Why is it called a honeymoon? What exactly is mistletoe?

Through October and November, the gardens cared for by the National Trust dazzle with the last hurrah of colourful dahlias, asters and anemone, followed by a blaze of fiery foliage in the parks and woodlands.

Growing your own seeds is an affordable and rewarding method to replenish your garden and enjoy beloved blooms year after year. Julian Palphram, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres describes seed harvesting as “like investing in your garden's future. Not only does it save you money…but it ensures you have healthier and more resilient plants.”

Houseplants can add life, greenery, and health benefits to our homes but they also sometimes attract unwanted guests – tiny pests that can wreak havoc on your beloved flora.  We were lucky enough to get advice from Tom Cook who is the Houseplant Buyer for British Garden Centres.

If you live in Oxfordshire and are interested in wine, I’ll bet you can name one or two of the local vineyards; or possibly even three or four. But did you know there are now 15 commercial vineyards/wineries in Oxfordshire producing wine?

Yotam Ottolenghi’s branch in Bicester Village opened earlier this summer, bringing the famous chef’s delectable Mediterranean-slash-Middle Eastern dishes to the hordes of shoppers thronging the main drag at the famous shopping destination.

Explore a captivating collection of artworks and creations inspired by literature, music, and words. This collection, which includes a variety of one-of-a-kind, limited-edition prints, handcrafted journals, and book-inspired sculptures, celebrates the power of narrative to inspire artistic creativity.

The sixty-acre Batsford Arboretum is home to a unique and varied collection of some of the world’s most beautiful and rare trees, shrubs and bamboo with over 2,850 labelled specimens including about 1,300 different trees, shrubs and bamboo.