Bay watch

In short, yes: the Victorians did indeed think eating mummified remains pilfered from ancient Egyptian tombs was a good idea, although they did not come up with the idea themselves. The morbid practic

Galls, which can range from the delicately beautiful to hideously unattractive bulbous growths, are among Nature’s most intriguing phenomena, discovers Deborah Nicholls-Lee

Once one of Britain’s most fashionable delicacies, the medlar fell from favour in the 20th century. Fabled and sweetly flavourful, it deserves to make a return to our gardens and kitchens, says Jane Steward

We may have invented the flower border, but planting them remains one of the trickiest things to get right. Charles Quest-Ritson looks at the secrets behind the very best

As frequently, this column is inspired by Britain’s Queen of Classics, Mary Beard. This time, her ‘History of food tasters from Nero to now,’ appearing (25 May 2025) in the TLS weekly Newsletter. Does

Herbalist and author Bevin Cohen explains how to nurture wider home-grown medicinal and culinary loveliness in an extract from his new book, Herbs in Every Season