A note from the editor

I love the gardens that we feature throughout the year in Country Living. Evocative and dreamy, they provide a source of inspiration and a momentary escape from the humdrum of everyday life. For the past six years, our gardening pages have been expertly produced by talented editor Paula Mcwaters (below) and I’m sad to say that Paula has decided, metaphorically speaking, to hang up her CL trowel. She will still contribute to the magazine, but plans to spend more time visiting gardens for personal enjoyment. As a relative newbie to gardening, I’m always eager to glean advice from the experts, so I asked Paula to share a final thought. “Be in the moment,” she says. “If you’ve created – or are viewing – a glorious planting combination, just drink it in. It’ll look altogether different this time next year.” Wise words that should be applied to how we live our lives – nothing stays the same for long and we should savour every moment!

Passionate and accomplished women feature highly in this issue. On page 60, we meet a swarm of female beekeepers making meads and honey, and inspiring the next generation to look after our precious pollinators (below left). Then, on page 82, we spotlight two friends from Ullapool, on the west coast of Scotland, who run an award-winning business serving fresh fish dishes from a tiny trailer (the queues are legendary, but it’s well worth the wait). Whether you’re off on holiday this month or you’re staying at home, I hope you find time to breathe in the scent of summer and cherish the moment. I will be doing my best to take

Paula’s advice and enjoy the glories of the garden.