EDITOR’S LETTER
At Town & Country, our remit is to provide you, our loyal readers, with ‘the best of both worlds’. But few of us would dispute that in springtime, the nicest place to be is in the country. Who can fail to be moved by the annual miracle of stark-naked trees clothing themselves anew in fluttering blossom and pale-green leaves, and fragile shoots piercing through the solid earth? As daffodils trumpet their intoxicating fragrance to a softer air, and in the fields, new-born lambs leap with sheer joy at being alive, it’s all but impossible not to feel that same pulse of optimism and freshly minted energy that makes spring, as Tolstoy wrote, ‘the time of plans and projects’. So it stands to reason that in the first issue of 2020, we focus on rural rebirth, from the extraordinary renaissance of the grounds at Lowther Castle, transformed from an industrial chicken farm into an exquisitely romantic garden by the son of the 7th Earl of Lonsdale, to the rewilding ambitions of a landowner who dreams of wolves one day roaming across his Scottish estate. Meanwhile, on a less ambitious scale, this magazine’s former editor Justine Picardie makes horticultural plans in Norfolk, and the entrepreneur Arabella Preston explains how moving from London to rural Sussex inspired her natural-beauty business.
Our cover star, Kristin Scott Thomas, might perhaps be described as an evergreen talent, having dazzled in roles as diverse as the tragic Katharine Clifton in The English Patient and the unflappable Clemmie Churchill in Darkest Hour, with a recent cult appearance in bringing her yet another legion of fans. Nevertheless, as I found out when we met to discuss her latest film, the delightful Military Wives, she too is flourishing in fresh fields. ‘I’ve got my groove back,’ she says.
Elsewhere in the issue, we go behind the scenes at Newmarket as we look forward to the flat-racing season, and follow in the footsteps of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to discover the wild glories of Canada. And finally, for those who are contemplating one of life’s truly profound new starts – getting married – we have put together our essential bridal guide to the most elegant gowns, the loveliest tiaras and the prettiest bouquets to adorn the big day…
Don’t miss the chance to save 24 per cent on the cover price when you subscribe to Town & Country. See page 15 for details