Tree collections are interesting to visit at any time of year, but especially at the end of October, when autumn colour is at its peak, with a sufficient carpet of multicoloured damp leaves underfoot, but before wind and frost have stripped the branches. This is the time to appraise long-wished-for beauties, especially among the big shrubs, such as the Japanese maples, for their seasonal beauty, not least as backdrops. Each year, the range and intensity are different, depending on the preceding summer conditions, but this is a fleeting annual feast that should be celebrated. It will soon be gone.
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Can you buy happiness? The latest list of Britain's happiest places, and what you could end up with if you moved thereCan you buy happiness? Of course not, but you can buy a nicer house in a better town... and, well, that's probably going to help quite a bit.
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Is the British Museum's attempt to save a Tudor-era pendant with links to Henry VIII proof that the institution is on the up?After years of neglect and controversy, Britain's premier cultural institution seems to be finding its feet again.
