Country Life February 14 2018 meets the royal-wedding florist, explores the love life of birds and reveals the best bespoke engagement rings. Find out more:

NAUGHTY BIRDS: Birds are famous for monogamy – but some are known to bend those rules, as Ian Morton explains.

FLOWERS: Charles Quest-Ritson on a trip to Italy to look at the rose of St Valentine.

DESIGN YOUR OWN ENGAGEMENT RINGS: If you’re about to pop the question, or if you’re already engaged but yet to get a ring, Emma Hughes has help.

WOODLAND PLANTS: At Caerhays Castle in Cornwall, generations of work have gone into breeding specialist plants.

ARCHITECTURE: Authentic Georgian colours have taken the restoration of Woodhall Park to a different level.

LIVING NATIONAL TREASURE: The gold stamper.

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MUSIC: The world’s most romantic composers, by Ysenda Maxtone Graham.

IRISH STEW: Simon Hopkinson shares his recipe for this classic dish.

CHIPPENDALE: The furniture designer’s great book reveals another string to his bow.

MY FAVOURITE PAINTING: Sir John Tusa makes his selection – one from an obscure German artist.

WALKING: Fiona Reynolds follows in the footsteps of the founder of the Picturesque movement.

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