From us to you
Muddy prints, beautiful bluebell woods and a romantic royal wedding
A sea of bluebells
If your spirits need a lift, head for a bluebell wood. The azure haze of massed flowers in dappled sunlight is among the UK’s most glorious natural spectacles. Bluebells have been given plenty of folk names, such as crowtoes, cuckoo’s boots and even witches’ thimbles, however their botanical name is Hyacinthoides non-scripta. These are our native wild flowers – as opposed to tougher Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) – so look for these bulbs if you’re planting bluebells in your garden.
PAWS FOR THOUGHT
Does your dog head straight for the wettest, muddiest places on every walk? If so, you’ll sympathise with Susan, whose dog Obi is the proud winner of Dr Beckmann’s Mucky Pup Award. Five-year-old Obi, a golden retriever, simply cannot stay clean and gets grubby up to seven times a day.
Upmarket paint and wallpaper company Farrow & Ball celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Famed for classy colours, paint names such as soft pink Dead Salmon and mid grey/lilac Elephant’s Breath, plus this year’s mint green Arsenic and fiery dark red Bamboozle, also attract attention.
On this day in history
29 April 2011: After a 10-year relationship, Prince William and Catherine Middleton married in Westminster Abbey, watched by The Queen, 2,000 guests and a worldwide TV audience of 162 million. There was huge public support for the wedding, and London’s streets were packed with well-wishers, cheering William in uniform, and Kate in a stunning lace and ivory dress by Alexander McQueen designer Sarah Burton.
SPIRIT WORLD
Based on the beautiful animated 2001 film Spirited Awa
