From a milliner inspired by topiary to a model-turned-ecological gardener and a couple who swapped jobs in telecommunications for growing vegetables, Sir David Beckham’s rural heroes tell Julie Harding why craft and the countryside are key

Did you have much experience with pets or taking care of animals before you found the newborn hare? I had very little direct experience outside childhood. My father is a diplomat so I grew up abroad.

Reader Caroline Crocker celebrates her chance to reclaim the family garden to create a plant lover’s paradise with a focus on climate resilience.

Marian Boswall defends the building of lakes, which bring both beauty and biodiversity

SARAH DITUM

Nature needs time to adapt to changing conditions,