Dear Reader,

Over the Easter weekend, I had a lot of catering to do. Family and friends basking in glorious sunshine in the New Forest. There was roast lamb for the main event (my favourite thing to cook, Middle Eastern style together with lots of feta, olive and tomato based salads). I topped it off with pavlova for pudding. Once the guests had gone, it was just a few family members for supper, so a quick spaghetti carbonara seemed an easy win – and what's a bowlful of carbs between family? Nine happy punters – or so I thought. The next day, when everyone had returned home, I received an email from one of them with some pointers about how to improve my pasta offering – how long I should have cooked it, what type of pasta would have been better and that way more parmesan and herbs should have been used. I deleted it. I'm sure it came from a place of kindness ('how to improve Lucy's cooking skills'), but, honestly... when you've toiled over the stove for two days, that's the last thing you want to hear, so I've saved my rant for you.

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Lucy Cleland
Editorial Director

Staying In

Grow dahlias at home

Spring has finally sprung here in the UK – and we couldn’t be more thrilled. It’s time to sow some seeds and revive your winter-worn garden. Our bloom of choice? Dahlias. ‘Flowering from mid-summer to early winter, few other flowers can rival dahlias for sheer flower power,’ says Rosebie Morton, founder of The Real Flower Company. ‘They come in a huge range of colours, from the palest muted tones to bright electric pinks and purples, and in many different shapes, including pompom, ball, cactus, waterlily, anemone or even dinnerplate.’ You’ll find dahlias in local garden centres at this time of year, typically in a state of pre-bloom. (‘Don’t be put off by the brown mass of roots, known as tubers, with the dead stems at the top,’ emphasises Rosebie. ‘This unprepossessing lump will quickly burst into life.’) See here for more of her top gardening tips.

Read Into the Wreck by Susannah Dickey

The third novel from Derry-born Tennis Lessons author, Susannah Dickey, Into The Wreck poses the question: how do you mourn someone you never really knew? Centred around the death of the family’s gentle but distant patriarch, this novel is told from five perspectives: that of his children Anna, Gemma and Matthew, his wife Yvonne, and her sister Amy. Reunited with their mother for the first time in a long time, the siblings must balance their everyday concerns against the looming spectre of their father’s recent death. Newly sex-obsessed Gemma needs to work out what she wants from life; Anna has to solve the issue of her not-quite-exclusive boyfriend, and aunt Amy is forced to confront her past – all while Yvonne attempts to pull off the perfect, post-funeral family dinner. Worrying at the knotty complexities of their fraying bonds, this book promises an insightful exploration of family dynamics punctuated with Dickey’s trademark wit and empathy. Out now. 

Going Out

Book HowTheLightGetsIn festival

Fancy sharpening your mind this Spring Bank Holiday? From Friday 22 to Monday 25 May 2026, the world’s largest festival of ideas will return to the idyllic banks of the River Wye. But it’s not just insightful talks that make HowTheLightGetsIn a must-visit: guests can also explore music, comedy and lively debates – plus restorative treatments from wellbeing partner Aurum, the perfect wind-down after a day packed with big ideas. Highlights this year include talks from the likes of Zarah Sultana, Zia Yusuf and Cornel West, comedy from Shappi Khorsandi (Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, QI) and Tom Rosenthal (Plebs, Friday Night Dinner), and music from Damian Lewis, Haçienda legend Graeme Park and festival favourite Camille O’Sullivan. Better still, Country & Town House readers get an exclusive 20 percent off tickets when using the code CTH2026 at checkout. Visit howthelightgetsin.org to secure your spot.

Check out the Queen Elizabeth exhibition

Britain’s longest-reigning monarch was always something of a trendsetter – in every decade of her life – and now, we can see just how big her sartorial impact was on the nation. Buckingham Palace has just opened the doors to its biggest exhibition of the year: Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style. The largest ever exhibition dedicated to the monarch’s enduring wardrobe, visitors can expect to see clothing, shoes, jewellery, hats and bags from throughout her lifetime. ‘Queen Elizabeth II’s lifetime spanned just four years short of a century – a century that witnessed really seismic changes in the British fashion landscape,’ says curator Caroline de Guitaut. ‘The Queen found her own style, creating a look that became instantly recognisable to a global audience.’ And with highlights spanning her wedding gown, off-duty tweeds and wellies, army uniforms and her coronation dress, we’re guaranteed to see the Queen like we never have before. On now until 18 October 2026, tickets available at rct.uk

Dine at new pizza spot Weezie’s

A buzzy new pizza and wine bar has opened its doors in Eccleston Yards, Weezie’s. The brainchild of Abbie Roden and Will Sandback – the duo behind nearby hotspot amie – the restaurant serves signature thin-crust pizzas alongside small plates, orange wine and cocktails. Tuck into loaded crisps topped with aged ham, cornichons and parmesan ahead of pizzas like the Sobrasada, which features a tomato base, fior di latte mozzarella, hot honey drizzle and fresh parsley. It’s a stylish space decked out with vintage furniture, plus tables spilling out onto a courtyard – ideal for long sunny lunches. Top tip: don’t skip the dips – the buttermilk ranch is a nod to Abbie’s Kentucky roots and is perfect for crust-dipping. Eccleston Yards, 14-15 Eccleston Yards, London SW1W 9AZ, weezieslondon.com

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Staying in Forever…

Property Of The Week

Fredrikson Stallard (that’s Patrik Fredrikson and Ian Stallard for the uninitiated) are two of Britain’s most influential contemporary designers and artists. A former Victorian carriage wheel workshop, this industrial space was transformed by the duo into a domestic masterpiece, featuring its very own exhibition centre and a private garden with 200 silver birch trees. 

On the market for £3.95m, sothebysrealty.co.uk

Competition Time

1. Win a stay at Linthwaite House, including a three-course dinner

2. Win hospitality tickets to Newbury Racecourse

3. Win a stay at Buckland Manor in the Cotswolds

Psssst…

Selfridges has unveiled 40 Duke: a brand-new members’ club which combines personal shopping, hospitality and membership. You can read all about what to expect and how to sign up here.