How to
Traditional outdoor skills, country crafts and delicious seasonal recipes
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Hay fever: symptoms, causes and how to beat it
Tackle seasonal hay fever with these simple tips
Nettle guide: where to find it, how to pick safely and recipe ideas
Your beginner's guide to foraging for nutritious nettles, with tips on how to pick to avoid the sting, plus some delicious recipes you'll want to try today.
April foraging: Best plants to find and how to use them
Spring is finally here – and with it comes longer days, warmer temperatures and blooming flowers. It's a great month to be outside, not only for spotting wild things but for gathering them, too. Find out what to forage in the UK this month how to do it responsibly.
Hot cross buns: A brief history of our favourite Easter bake – and the perfect recipe
Easter wouldn’t be the same without hot cross buns. Their history can be traced back to the Hertfordshire countryside, where an old mill still bakes buns to an ancient recipe. Learn all about the origins of the hot cross bun, why they are eaten at Easter and the best recipe to make your own.
What's new?
When do the clocks change?
Find out when the clocks change – and why we change them. Plus, learn all about the history of daylight saving in the UK.
Wild garlic guide: where to find, how to use and recipe ideas
Spring is the perfect time to go foraging for this versatile and pungent plant, which can be whipped up into a delicious soup or pesto. BBC Countryfile Magazine's expert guide explains where to find it, how to forage it responsibly and how to cook it, before revealing some of our favourite wild garlic recipe ideas.
"There are 180,000 miles of drystone walls in the UK; let's show them a little love," says Adam Henson
Drystone walls are an essential part of Britain’s countryside, offering protection for our landscape and wildlife. Farmer Adam Henson explains why we need to keep the skills of drystone walling alive.
How to identify spring blossom
As light flows slowly into our woodlands and hedgerows, once-bare branches begin to bloom. The brief blossoming of blackthorn, rowan, wild cherry and hawthorn is a magical spectacle, wreathed in ancient folklore. Learn how to identify spring blossom found in the UK and best places to spot blossom with our ID guide.
Snowdrops guide: best walks, how to grow and when they bloom
After the darkness of winter, snowdrops are a welcome sign that spring will soon be here. Our snowdrop guide looks at the best snowdrop walks in the UK, when to plant snowdrops, when they bloom and how to care for them.
Crafts
How to paint flowers
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to capture the transient beauty
of wildflowers? Watercolour artist Cath Hodsman gives
a step-by-step tutorial on how to paint flowers
How to sketch landscapes with charcoal
Sketching with charcoal can be a delightful way to appreciate your favourite country views. Artist Abigail Edgar shares her passion for drawing outdoors and offers some advice on how to get the best results...
How to make potpourri
Fallen pine cones, bark and dry leaves form the perfect base for a colourful and fragrant potpourri. Here's how to make it yourself at home.
Food and Recipes
Christmas recipes: Festive vegetables
Delectable dishes of carrots, parsnips and sprouts add colour, flavour and texture to make your Christmas feast sparkle. Claire Thomson presents six seasonal recipes
Best foraging courses in the UK
Interested in learning how to forage for plants, mushrooms and berries in the British countryside? Here is our pick of the best foraging courses from across Britain to help you learn the skills you need to get started safely.
Halloween in Britain: history and easy pumpkin recipes
Our spooky guide looks at the history of Halloween traditions in the UK and tasty pumpkin recipe ideas
Foraging
The best foraging gifts for 2024
To help you buy for the forager in your life, we've rounded up the best foraging gifts on the market to enhance the art of identifying, gathering and bringing wild food home, from the hedgerow to the kitchen table.
Elderberry guide: where to find, health benefits and recipe ideas
Late summer and early autumn are the perfect seasons for heading into the British countryside in search of elderberries. Learn how to identify, where to find, the health benefits and how to cook elderberries with our expert guide.
August foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas
In August, the British countryside is filled with edible berries, mushrooms, flowers and leaves – learn how to identify and cook them with our guide to foraging in August.
Foraging in Britain
Monthly foraging guide
Our beginner's guide to foraging in Britain explains what you can gather in hedgerows, woodlands, along the coast and in the countryside. Learn how to forage responsibly and safely, what's in season each month and where to find it, plus recipe ideasJuly foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas
Come July, the countryside is alive with edible wild plants. Here’s our expert guide on what to look out for when foraging in July, along with recipe suggestions.
The first signs of autumn
Autumn is a vibrant season of colour, woodland stomps and hot chocolates. But when does autumn start? And what are the first signs to look for?
Blackberry guide: where to find, how to cook and recipe ideas
Come late summer and early autumn and you'll find blackberries in abundance across the countryside. Our expert guide on when and where to pick blackberries, how to cook them, storing ideas and the best blackberry recipes
Green Living
Best sustainable dishwasher tablets: 8 eco-conscious options for 2024
Keep your dishes and your conscience clean with our pick of the best eco-friendly dishwasher tablets
Best sustainable compost to buy in 2024: 10 peat free options
From mushroom compost to wool, give your plants a healthy peat-free start with our pick of the best sustainable compost for your garden.
How to save water in your garden
As our summers become warmer and drier, it may be necessary for gardeners to change their habits. Our guide includes information on rainwater harvesting, when to water your garden and ways to make your garden more drought-resistant.
Outdoor Skills
Beachcombing guide: what to find on the seashore, plus the best beaches to search
Extraordinary and beautiful treasures can be found along the British coastline. Here is our expert guide to beachcombing, including things to look out for, how to get started and the best beaches for beachcombing in the UK.
How to prune an apple tree in winter
A few simple snips and cuts in the winter months means strong, healthy fruit later in the year for your apple trees.
Longshore drift: what it is and how it has shaped the UK's coastline
Remember longshore drift from school geography? Vaguely? Don't worry, here is a quick reminder on what it is and how it has shaped our beautiful beaches
Wildlife gardening
Best bird nesting boxes for your garden in 2024
Help support the local wildlife by providing safe nest boxes for the birds in your garden.
How to trim hedges
Want to know how to manage and trim a hedge? Here's some advice from Ben Newton, Wilder Landscapes Advisor for Norfolk Wildlife Trust
When to plant sweet peas
What's the best time of year to sow sweet peas and when should you plant them out in your garden?