Country Living UK

Whether you live in the town or countryside, in Country Living you’ll find a wealth of ideas for your home and garden, learn about traditional crafts, keep informed of rural issues, enjoy irresistible dishes using seasonal produce and, above all, escape the stress and strain of modern-day life.

Country Living UK

A note from the editor

January

“I lost and found my sense of self IN MY COUNTRY MOVE” • Fifteen years ago, Paula Sutton swapped city life for a Norfolk village. In the first of her new series of columns, she shares how unprepared she was for the change

emporium • Last-minute gifts and seasonal buys from our favourite artisans, small businesses and high-street brands

REBEL WITH A CAUSE • Once touted as our next prime minister, Rory Stewart now hosts the UK’s leading political podcast. As he publishes a book championing unsung heroes of the countryside, the maverick politician reveals his radical plan to revive a disenchanted Britain

POLITICAL AGENDA

MAKE IT a night to remember • From fresh foliage to bespoke placecards – ring in 2026 with these extra-special handmade flourishes

The BIG QUIZ of 2025 • From the roaring success of the Lionesses to the dog-friendly garden that stole the show, 2025 was anything but dull. How well do you remember the highlights?

“I felt I didn’t belong in the countryside UNTIL I STARTED HIKING” • Londoner Makda Sinit Kiros loved the countryside but felt unsure of her place in it. The community of a hiking group gave her the assurance she craved

YOUR 2026 HOTLIST • It’s Winnie the Pooh’s centenary and Jilly Cooper’s Rivals is back on the small screen: the year ahead is looking good

STEP BEHIND THE SCENES AT CHATSWORTH HOUSE • Country Living Members are invited to an exclusive lunch and garden tour at the majestic Derbyshire stately home

10 QUESTIONS WITH… WILL YOUNG • The singer-songwriter on resourceful gardening, rescuing dogs and his fear of open spaces

STORY BOOK HOUSES • If walls could talk, Ele Grafton’s miniature paper houses would tell the colourful stories of her customers’ lives

“My SOCKS are MADE to LAST for YEARS” • From hosiery to hats, Rose Brown’s investment knits are fashioned from the finest fleeces to keep customers stylish and snug winter after winter

GIFT COUNTRY LIVING THIS Christmas

Everyone WELCOME • Hosting family and friends for seasonal sleepovers? Here are 20 smart ways to create a cosy and chic home away from home

MODERN RUSTIC

MORE is MORE • Interior designer Olivia Emery brings an abundance of punchy pattern, childhood memories and theatrical touches to her Oxfordshire village home when getting it ready for guests

STEP INTO TWIXMAS • In the days between Christmas and New Year, footwear designer Penelope Chilvers gathers extended family in her Cotswolds village home. Dress code: party shoes!

ON SALE NOW

HOME comforts • DECORATING NOTES

GROUND JEWELS • Step into a magical winter garden in the Weald of Kent, where cyclamens, hellebores and crocuses add splashes of pink and purple to the white carpet of snowdrops

HOW TO HELP YOUR PLANTS OVERWINTER

DOWN to EARTH • GARDENING NOTES

THIS MONTH Barn owls • Author and seasoned smallholder Sally shares her Yorkshire plot with sheep, horses, hens, ducks, geese, an orchard, a vegetable garden and a pond

WHAT HOOTS ARE YOU HEARING? • Barn owls don’t hoot. In late winter and into spring, they make a rather eerie screeching sound, like a ghostly, drawn-out hiss. If you hear “hooting”, it’s probably one of these owls:

GET THE KIT

ORDER YOUR COUNTRY LIVING 2026 DIARY & CALENDAR

SLOW and SUSTAINABLE • NATURE NOTES

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