Dawn Chorus: The English region named as one of the world's 10 finest destinations, RHS Chelsea going to the dogs, and our Quiz of the Day

East Anglia's moment in the spotlight

Cornwall, the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District, the Cotswolds... Britain is full of magnificent areas that are, quite rightly, world famous for their beauty and charm.

East Anglia, though loved by those who know it (and absolutely on the radar for Country Life readers, we'd reckon), gets less international attention. Or at least, it has done until now, thanks to Lonely Planet's 'Best in Travel' list for 2025.

East Anglia is named the eighth best region in the world — sitting in there between Bavaria and the Jordan Trail. Considering the latter includes the astonishing temple carved into the rock at Petra, that's quite a compliment. Jordan might have Petra, of course, but Norfolk has Sea Henge:

We're not in the least surprised. Both Norfolk and Suffolk are glorious, and our long-time columnist Carla Carlisle is an East Anglia resident. Country Life's deputy digital editor James Fisher keeps a set of parents in Suffolk, which means he gets to escape there whenever he likes.

Quiz of the Day

1) In which county is Penrith located?

2) What name is given to the study of viruses?

3) How many days are there in Lent?

4) To which family of birds do jackdaws and jays belong?

5) In 1991, which song spent 16 consecutive weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart?

Answers at the bottom of the page

Here is the news

If you know where to start with this nonsense, you're made of sterner stuff than we are.

The Chelsea Flower Show is going to the dogs

Monty Don made headlines on Tuesday by announcing that he'd be making the first ever dog-friendly show garden at the Chelsea Flower Show.

We love Monty, of course; everyone loves Monty. So much so that it seems nobody was really minded to point out that the show itself isn't dog friendly... so we're not quite sure how they'll get the dogs in to demonstrate the dog friendly features.

Then again — this is Monty Don we're talking about. It'd take a brave security guard indeed to turn him away at the entrance to the 2025 show merely for having the temerity to have a Yorkshire terrier (Patti) and a golden retriever (Ned) with him.

Christie's is also going to the dogs

This isn't just a 275-year-old porcelain model of a dog.

It's a 275-year-old porcelain model of William Hogarth's dog, Trump, made between 1745 and 1749, and most likely modelled by Louis-François Roubiliac. It's currently for sale via Christie's with an estimate of — gulp — £30,000 to £50,000, reflecting the fact that 'there has not been an example of this rare form on the market in nearly 30 years, and the present model is the only decorated example known.'

If the price isn't too rich for your blood, jump in here and have a bid in the auction, which is the snappily-titled Collections: Including the Property of the Earl of Harewood and from a Private Roman Apartment Overlooking the Tiber.

Snoopy...

...is on the cover of this week's print edition of Country Life. Honestly. How cool is that?

You can find out more about what's in the issue here.

Are you rich without even realising it?

If you bought a house in the last 20 years, quite possibly so.

Let gravity do the work

And finally...

A kind reader pointed out the other day that we'd made a typo.

Nothing unusual in that, of course — we're olny hyuman.

Except that this typo occurred, deeply ironically, in the word 'literary', while we were discussing the brilliant Petworth Literary Festival. Whoops!

That's your lot for today — we'll see you again tomorrow

Quiz answers

1) Cumbria

2) Virology

3) 40 (not including Sundays)

4) Corvids

5) (Everything I Do) I Do It For You (Bryan Adams)