Country Life August 5, 2026
Country Life August 5, 2026, celebrates Britain's National Parks, looks back at the career of an iconic country house architect and muses on the wonders of clouds.
Here's a look at some of what you'll find inside.
The legacy
Kate Green salutes Scotsman John Muir, national-parks pioneer
Floating on cloud nine
John Lewis-Stempel turns his eyes to the sky as he marvels at the myriad forms of cirrus, stratus, altocumulus and more
Winging it
The sparrowhawk is the silent assassin of the Unloved Birds’ Club. Mark Cocker investigates its effect on songbird numbers
A princely project
Garden restoration and creation have combined to glorious effect at the Palace of Bishop Auckland in Co Durham, finds Mary Keen
Wendy Holden’s favourite painting
The author chooses a work that changed the course of history
Country-house treasure
A curious cabinet of Catholic dolls catches the eye of John Goodall at Browsholme Hall, Lancashire
A life in architecture
Clive Aslet assesses the stellar career of Quinlan Terry, hailed The King’s favourite architect
It’s written on the wind
Larch disease — which is spread through water and air — is the latest threat to our woodlands, reports Matt Ramsden
A kiss from a rosé
English wine producers are in the pink as their blushing still and sparkling tipples fly off the shelves, reveals Emma Hughes
Dressing for success
With a sprinkle of salt here and a drizzle of olive oil there, Tom Parker Bowles works his magic on the most humble of salads
Luxury
Amie Elizabeth White smells the incense and rides a nauti-cal wave for summer style
Interiors
Arabella Youens applauds a pied-à-terre transformed and Amelia Thorpe eyes standout ceramics
Will Hosie turns green with envy, seeks the perfect pad and reels around the capital, plus our writers have all you need to know this month
‘It must have seemed like Disneyland to the Victorians’
Horsepower has been hauling the trams of the Isle of Man for 150 years. Octavia Pollock is invited to go behind the scenes
Travel
Pamela Goodman visits Schloss Dyck in Germany and unearths a Scotsman’s garden in bloom
Arts & antiques
‘Fowl, fish and beasts’ were staple subjects for sporting artist Francis Barlow, as Carla Passino learns
In a glass of its own
Corinne Julius admires the talented British artists heating up the world of studio glass
And much more
