10 things | You Should be Able to Reach from a Deck Chair

Deck chairs are the ideal lounging situation, but once you’ve got comfy in one, physics can work against you and it’s not always easy to hop up again. Some might view this as an advantage… The key is to make sure you have everything you need to hand before collapsing into the canvas. Here are 10 things you should always be able to reach when lounging in a deck chair. 

1. A good book. We recommend a copy of Death in a Deckchair by Peter Boon. When a Murder Mystery event at a swanky hotel goes exactly how we all know it will, reluctant amateur detective Edward Crisp finds his relaxing summer swiftly disappearing before his eyes. But you can still enjoy your relaxing summer over this light and rather charming whodunnit. 

2. Sun protection cream. Very important. No one wants to emerge from a relaxing afternoon in the garden with burnt skin, or - perish the thought - to have to get up and go inside to top up on the Factor 50. Don’t forget to do your ears. 

3. A battery-operated radio. The ideal companion for a garden afternoon. Plays, music and chat are all there at the touch of a button. And if there’s a national emergency, you’ll be able to tune in for all the essential information you need without having to stir from your seat. 

4. A deck chair pillow. Deck chairs are very comfortable but even the most comfy of seating situations needs a little rearrangement now and then. A deck chair pillow straps handily to the top of your chair and allows for a snooze in between your various lounging activities. 

5. A long, cool drink. If you’re really smart you’ll also take out a Thermos with another long, cool drink in it, topped up with ice cubes, for an easy refill. 

6. A hat. Something in straw with a nice wide brim. For snoozing under, additional shade and generally wafting about as if you are in a Merchant Ivory film from the late 90s. 

7. A fly swat. Because you don’t want to have to use your nice hat for seeing off ill-tempered wasps.

8. A copy of The Simple Things. And maybe a few summer back issues, too. We say this only for your benefit, you understand. This is shaping up to be a nice, long afternoon and you wouldn’t want to run out of reading matter. 

9. A tinkly bell for attracting the attention of someone who can refresh your gin and tonic, swap the business section of the paper for the weekend magazine and answer the front door. 

10. A pole, or large stick for hoiking yourself out of the chair, just in case the tinkly bell falls upon deaf ears. You just can’t always get the deck chair staff these days…

Our deck chair must-be-able-to-reach items were inspired by the ‘Looking Back’ feature on the history of the deck chair in our July issue. We hope you can enjoy the read from your very own deck chair this month.

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Recipe | Ginger & Orange Chocolate Biscuit Fridge Cake

This cool but sweet and sticky fridge cake is easy to make, ideal for sharing and better still, you don’t even need to put the oven on.

Makes 12

400g dark-chocolate digestive biscuits

400g orange-flavoured dark chocolate

200g unsalted butter

50g chopped crystalised ginger

50g white chocolate

1 Grease and line a 25cm-square baking tin.

2 Using a pestle and an aluminium baking bowl, break up the biscuits until they’re in small pieces, but not too finely crushed. Or place the biscuits in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin on them.

3 Break up the dark chocolate into small pieces and place into a bain-marie. Melt the dark chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth.

4 In a large bowl, mix the crushed biscuits, the ginger and the melted butter and chocolate until combined.

5 Pour the mixture into the baking tin and use the back of a spoon to press the mixture into the tray, getting into all the corners and flattening the top. Allow to cool and then cover with foil or baking paper and place in the fridge overnight to harden.

6 Once hardened, grate the white chocolate over the top.

Cook’s note: This will store in the fridge for up to a fortnight and also freezes well.  

This recipe is just one of the ideas for a picnic in the park (with games!) from our July issue by Kay Prestney, with photography by Rebecca Lewis. The feature also includes recipes for Watermelon Slushies, Fennel & Poppy Seed Sausage Rolls and a Halloumi and Giant Couscous Salad. When you’ve finished your park picnic, let the games commence. We have lots of ideas, including DIY Coits, Football Skittles and ‘Foxes and Rabbits’. See you in the park!

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Sponsored Post | Blooming Good for Business

In the latest of our ‘Hut For All Seasons’ series, we meet one business owner, for whom Blackdown’s collection of shepherd huts helped to turn her dreams into reality

Dreams are important – they’re often the catalyst for life-changing plans. This was the case for Chloe Dennis of In Bloom Beauty. When she was looking to expand her business, back in 2016, she dreamt of relocating her salon to a shepherd hut overlooking the lake on her family’s farm in Okehampton, Devon.

As her dream took shape and she researched the idea further, she came across Blackdown Shepherd Huts and her dream started to become a reality.

Following a visit to Blackdown’s display garden in Ilminster, Somerset, Chloe discovered the Tasker self-build hut, which was the ideal solution for her business. It offered all the quality of a Blackdown build, but in a kit form that Chloe and her family could construct, safe in the knowledge that the Blackdown support team were on hand to answer any questions.

Order placed, Chloe began to build on her dreams, planning a space that her clients would find relaxing while enjoying their treatments. In Bloom Beauty opened in its new setting in June 2017 and proved an immediate hit. Chloe’s clients loved the stylish salon with glazed double doors that opened out onto beautiful lake views.

Fast forward a successful few years and Chloe’s dreams and ambitions were once again starting to gather pace, so when she saw the Blackdown Brace double hut, she knew that it was the logical next step for her growing business.

She and her family set to work building the new acquisition and the bigger and better In Bloom Beauty salon opened earlier this year. Chloe’s keen eye for style and detail has resulted in a beautiful space that she not only adores working in, but her clients love to visit. We wonder where Chloe’s dreams will take her to next.

Follow at inbloombeauty.co.uk, and on Instagram: @inbloombeautyy. For more information and inspiration, visit blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk or follow on Instagram: @blackdownshepherdhuts.

Appreciation | Why we love a bench

Alison McClintock remembers visits to a special bench outside her Grandmother’s house

Every summer as child I was packed off for a few weeks to Grandma’s. She lived in a weaver’s cottage just over a humpback bridge. Less than 20 miles from the town where I lived, to six-year-old me it may as well have been the other side of the world. 

Her TV showed programmes in black and white and was only switched on at the weekends for the wrestling and Songs of Praise. She didn’t have a car and there was no bus route. And apart from finding out what one flavour of crisps the local village shop was selling that week, the main source of entertainment was sitting on the bench outside the front of her house.

Sometimes we’d sit with a bucket of freshly-picked peas and broad beans between us, shelling them into a saucepan for supper. Most of the time we’d just watch the world go by, taking it in, on our own terms. Local farmers with tractors full of hay would offer a nod of acknowledgement as they bounced over the bridge. People would pass by on their evening constitutional, comment on the weather, maybe or maybe not say hello. Others would share news, alerting Grandma to recent deaths and births and marriages way before the parish magazine ever made it through the letterbox.

There was nothing special about that bench, but just by being there, and giving ourselves permission to pause and look out at the world, the world came to us. 

You probably pass by a bench or two every day, and if you don’t need it you won’t notice it; just an obstacle to skirt round, part of life’s furniture. But that ordinariness makes them extraordinary. Take a seat and see what happens. No minor miracles or feats of wonder, just the enjoyable everyday happening around you.

You don’t need any special skills to be good at sitting on a bench. There’s no age restriction or dress code. You can just sit where you’re at. Be yourself, by yourself for as long or as little as you want. Benches allow you to be sociable on your own terms. Unlike picnic tables, there’s no need to make eye contact on a bench. And you don’t have to ask permission to join someone already sitting on one because there’s enough personal space for each of you, to sit with your thoughts. 

Who needs social media when you can say hello to passing dog walkers? Why spend time unravelling the narratives of a weekly soap when you can watch the flickering embers of a teen romance, or the drama of gulls squabbling over their potential pickings? All of this comes without the need for screen or licence fee, in high definition and glorious technicolour, played out in real time, in real life.

And benches are not just a chance to see stories, they can be the story, with captions that give strangers a glimpse of a life well lived and that allow those that chose the dedication to access a bank of days spent with a loved one no longer present but whose presence is felt and remembered in that place. Along sea fronts, in shaded parks, on rolling hills around the country you’ll find benches etched with humour, longing, sadness and love. 

The above is taken from our feature ‘Benchmark’ by Alison McClintock, originally published in issue 110 of The Simple Things. If you’re an admirer of a good bench yourself, you may like to turn to page 110 of our June issue, where Lottie Storey has collated a few beautiful benches for our My Space feature, which this month visits benches in gardens. The one pictured here belongs to Imogen Woodage, @elm_terrace_interior. And if your garden is lacking in the bench department, turn to page 74 where we have a weekend project on making your very own bench. 

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Playlist | Hello & Goodbye

Wave hello to our playlist for our July issue – full of good greetings.

Take a listen on Spotify here.
Have a browse of all our playlists.
Order a copy of July WAVE.

Competition | Win a copy of A Year of Birdsong

“As the birdsong season winds down, a few birds are still singing lustily. One of these blessed birds is the yellowhammer. Multiple-brooded, the male is seized with the need to keep going. On a summer day it might repeat its ditty 7, 000 times.”

We get to know a little bit more about the yellowhammer in the July issue of The Simple Things. For 12 months of avian delights, we’ve got three copies of A Year of Birdsong by Dominic Couzens, with illustrations by Madeleine Floyd and published by Batsford to give away.

To enter click here and answer a simple question. We’ll pick the three winners at random. Good luck!

Competition | Win £1,000 to spend with Garden Trading

Make the most of summer sunshine by creating an outdoor entertaining space with Garden Trading’s stylish range of furniture, lighting and accessories

Warmer weather is finally upon us, so it’s inevitable that we’re all looking forward to spending as much time as possible in the sunshine and to make the most of any outdoor space we have. With this in mind, our friends at Garden Trading are inviting readers of The Simple Things to embrace the season with the chance to win £1,000 to spend on its latest collection.

Whether it’s lazy days spent in the garden or impromptu summer drinks with friends, Garden Trading has everything needed to give your home a seasonal refresh, with furniture, homewares, lighting and accessories ready to spruce up your space. From classic garden seating and dining sets that will see you through many a season to come, to beautiful serving-ware that will add an elegant touch to any summer party. If you’re not ready to retire indoors when the sun dips, an impressive selection of ambient outdoor lighting and fire pits will create a cosy atmosphere that takes you seamlessly from daytime into the evening.

However you plan to enjoy the great outdoors this season, Garden Trading has a stylish and functional range of furniture, lighting, storage and homewares to complement any home and lifestyle, and will have you excited for the summer of serious entertaining that is set to come.

For more info, visit gardentrading.co.uk or follow: @gardentradingcompany, and enter the competition to win £1,000 to spend at Garden Trading below…

How to enter

For your chance to win £1,000 to spend at Garden Trading, enter our competition by clicking the button below and answering the following question by the closing date of 9 August 2023:
Q: Garden Trading has a stylish and functional range of… what?

Terms & Conditions: The competition closes at 11.59pm on 9 August 2023. One winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Sponsored Post | Meet the owner of Gild Lane

Jenifer Dapper, the creative force behind Guild Lane, gives us the low-down on the paint brand’s colourful plans

Hi Jenifer, so tell us a little bit about Guild Lane

My husband and I acquired the company in 2016. I have a background in art, so I was particularly drawn to the premium enamel paints – as were countless scale modellers across the country. As an artist, I’ve always been on the lookout for really good metallic paints, so our first project was to create a line of our own.

Tell us more…

Our paint production team used groundbreaking technologies to create GILD – a range of six exquisite metallic paints. The launch of GILD also officially marked the company’s rebranding as Guild Lane.

You’re clearly passionate about the industry

Absolutely. In fact, after the success of GILD, we introduced our latest range last year, called Jubilee, and we’ve seen sales go from strength to strength ever since. Jubilee is a vibrant palette of 29 colours derived from historic hues, sourced from the British Colour Council. Each shade has its own story, which I believe adds a real depth to every project that they’re used on.

They must have taken quite some research

They did. While curating the line, I was lucky enough to work alongside the renowned colour historian Patrick Baty, who wrote The Anatomy of Colour. We also got hold of some of the British Colour Council first edition colour books, dating back to the 1930s.

We imagine the Jubilee paints are hugely popular

They really are – from furniture designers and artists to DIY enthusiasts, crafters and scale modellers, the paints’ exceptional coverage, durability and ease of use have made them the ideal go-to for their projects. Unlike chalk paints, the Jubilee range is a one-step solution which doesn’t need priming or waxing and has its own sealant. It’s also eco-friendly and is certified safe for children’s furniture and toys, for added peace of mind.

It’s great that you have such a strong eco-stance

We’re incredibly conscious of our environmental responsibility. In fact, all of our paints are manufactured in the UK, using sustainable manufacturing practices.

And in your line of work, you must come across some inspirational makers

Oh yes – we made our debut on Hobby Maker TV earlier this year, which has only strengthened our presence in the crafting and hobbyist community. Through this, we’ve met some amazing individuals who share our love for creativity and craftsmanship. We really value their feedback as it not only helps us to improve product development, but also fosters collaborations. I believe that if we provide makers with top-quality products it will encourage creativity and will inspire them to produce their own masterpieces and artistic narratives. Whether it’s starting from scratch, transforming cherished heirlooms, or adding flair to everyday items, compromising on quality should never be an option.

So, what’s next for Guild Lane?

Onwards and upwards! We’re looking to expand our network of over 100 stockists, as well as working on some very exciting collaborations. We also have some fantastic new product lines sets to launch later this year, so keep your eyes peeled. Guild Lane’s future is bright.

Discover | Little Known Glastonbury Festival Facts

Glastonbury is a weird and wonderful place at the best of times, but it gets weirder and wonderfuller for a long weekend each summer as Worthy Farm opens its doors to the world again. The festival runs from 21-25 June this year, so in celebration of that, here are a few fascinating facts to casually drop into conversation while standing in a mud bath in front of the Pyramid Stage with friends (or watching from the comfort of your sofa with a cuppa in hand and your wellies nice and clean in the shed). 

1. The first Pyramid Stage (built in 1971) was modelled on the Pyramid of Giza, built at one tenth of the scale of its namesake. It was built to be on the Glastonbury Abbey and Stonehenge Ley Line to benefit from the line’s auspicious energies. 

2. Glastonbury has had many monikers in its time but since 1990 has been known as Glastonbury Festival for the Contemporary Performing Arts as Michael Eavis felt invoking theatre was more likely to get the event a licence from the local council.

3. In 1999, co-founder Jean Eavis died and a giant wicker angel was ceremonially burned at that year’s festival. REM dedicated their rendition of ‘Everybody Hurts’ to Jean that year. 

4. The wettest Glastonbury was in 2007 when 60.1mm of rain fell in a single day…

5. …And the highest wind speeds recorded at Glastonbury occurred in both 1985 and 1987 when gusts reached 41mph. Hold onto your tents!

6. Free milk from the farm was available at the first ever Glastonbury event in 1970. Worthy Farm still produces more than 10,000 litres a day and you can still buy the milk from the trucks that drive around the festival. 

7. Each year there is a secret stage called The Underground Piano Bar, which appears on no maps of the festival at all. You just have to find it (or find someone in the know). 

8. Glastonbury Festival has a Guiness Book of Records mention, not for its music but for a World Record in juggling! In 1984 826 people at the festival juggled at least three objects simultaneously, managing to keep 2,478 objects in the air at one time. 

9. Glasto 1987 is still fondly remembered as The Year of the Trouser Thieves. Many pairs of trews were nicked from tents overnight and later turned up in a ditch, but the trouserless masses emerging from their tents in the morning was a sight to behold. 

10. It’s not all about the music. Glastonbury has also hosted The English National Ballet, the Dalai Lama and The Wombles over the years.

You can read more about summer festivals in our feature ‘Best of the Fests’ in our June issue, in shops now.
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Recipe | Summer Weekend Roast

A weekend roast lunch for lighter, brighter days

This lamb with buttered greens and herbs is a light, summery dish using lots of the season’s best veg. Delicate, pink lamb nestled among a platter of buttery, greens along with an abundance of fragrant herbs is one of our favourite summer Sunday lunches. Just add friends.

Serves 2, generously

You will need

150g broccoli, cut into small florets
450g rack of lamb
65g butter
1 tbsp sunflower oil
250g (podded weight) of peas, mange tout, green beans
100ml white wine
Generous handful leafy green herbs (such as parsley, fennel, chervil, chives and mint)

To make

1 Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan 200C/Gas 7.

2 Steam the broccoli florets over a double boiler for 2–3 mins, or until al dente, then refresh in cold water to stop them over cooking. Set aside.

3 Season the lamb well. Place 15g butter and the sunflower oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Once sizzling, sear the lamb on all sides for about 5 mins, or until nicely brown.

4 Transfer to the oven for 10–12 mins. Remove and leave to rest for at least 10 mins while you finish the greens.

5 In the pan that you seared the lamb in, melt the rest of the butter over a medium heat then add the peas/ mange tout/beans, plus the broccoli and the wine. Bubble for 2–3 mins so that the alcohol evaporates and the greens cook through. Then add the herbs and check the seasoning.

6 To serve, pile the greens and all the buttery juices onto a warm platter. Slice the lamb into single cutlets and arrange on top.

Cook’s note: Just adjust the greens to whatever you have in stock or in the garden – runner beans, green beans, sugar snaps are all welcome, in any combination that you prefer.

This recipe is from our Veg Patch Pantry pages in our June issue, in which Kathy Slack shares how to enjoy the month’s vegetables from her own garden patch. This month’s recipes also include Raw Courgette Salad with Mozzarella and Parma Ham, Cucumber Cooler Cocktails and Strawberry Ice Cream with Lemon Verbena Shortbread.

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Competition | Win one of three cases of wine worth £77.99 each

Sea Change is the wine brand with a conscience – and The Simple Things has three cases of eco-friendly wine up for grabs, worth £77.99 each.

If you’re trying to make sustainable lifestyle choices, have you considered your wine? Millions of bottles are bought in the UK each year featuring unnecessary packaging. Sea Change Wine does things differently, with the removal of the plastic wrap around the cork, minimal packaging (which is recycled and recyclable), natural corks, and FSC certified paper for its labels which are also made partially from grape waste. What’s more, with a donation to marine charities from every bottle sold, choosing Sea Change really does make a difference. To date, more than €350,000 has been raised for its marine conservation partners who work around the world protecting the ocean and its incredible marine life.

There’s no compromise on the quality of its wine either. Sea Change has white, rosé, red, sparkling and organic wines available in its range – many of them award-winning. There’s also Sea Change Free, a completely non-alcoholic, eco-conscious wine alternative for those who choose to avoid alcohol but don’t want to miss out on that celebratory glass of bubbles.

Now that summer is here we can’t think of much better than a chilled glass of wine in the garden, knowing that you’re doing good for the ocean with every sip! Delivery is available across the UK and Sea Change can also be delivered with a personalised gift message – a welcome arrival on any doorstep! And if you’d like to win one of three cases of Sea Change wine, just scroll down and answer the question below.

How to enter

To be in with a chance of winning a case of Sea Change wine just click the button below and answer the following question:
Q To date, how much have Sea Change Wine raised and donated for their marine conservation partners from their sales?

Terms & conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 30th July 2023. Three winners will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. The winner must be 18 years or over since the prize incorporates alcohol. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

For more information visit www.seachangewine.com or follow on Instagram and Facebook @seachangewine

June | Things to Appreciate

A few things to see outdoors this month and a thing to do, too…

To accompany this ‘nature table’ image from our back cover by Alice Tatham, you might like to listen to our Podcast of the month from our Almanac Pages, where each month we collate a few seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do.

As The Season Turns
Lose yourself in the sights and sounds of nature each month in this charming podcast by organic perfume makers, Ffern, narrated by The Simple Things’ writer and annual author of The Almanac, Lia Leendertz.
Listen to As The Season Turns here.

The nature table image above was taken by Alice Tatham of The Wildwood Moth. She also runs workshops on seasonal photography and publishes seasonal journal stories from her home in Dorset.

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Recipe | Midsommartårta

A Midsommartårta (Midsummer Strawberry Cake) is always enjoyed at midsummer festivities in Sweden – this light version is moreishly bite-sized, so don't expect any left at the end of the party...

Makes 8-12 cakes

You will need

6 egg whites
A pinch of sea salt
150g golden caster sugar
2 tsp rose water (or 1 tbsp ground dried rose petals)
150g ground almonds
A little olive or coconut oil, to grease the pan
300ml double cream
1kg strawberries, hulled
4 tbsp strawberry, raspberry or rhubarb jam
To serve: Edible flowers and wild berries

To make

1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of sea salt until glossy and meringuelike then gradually add the sugar, whipping until it holds a medium peak. Whisk in the rose water.

2 Shake in the ground almonds slowly, whisking to keep the air in the whites.

3 Brush the inside of a muffin tin or a mini bundt tin with a little oil. Divide the batter between the holes in the tin, filling each just to the top – you should have 8-12 cakes.

4 Slide into the centre of the oven and bake for 12 mins, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool for 5-10 mins before removing from the tin.

5 While the cakes cool, trim the green tops from the strawberries, halve or quarter any larger berries. Mix with the jam and set aside. Whip the cream until just thickened.

6 Once the cakes have cooled, run a knife around the edges to help release them from the tin. If the cakes are a little pale on top, you can flash them in the oven. Upturn to lightly toast them on the top or until lightly golden.

Serve with the strawberries and cream and garnish with edible flowers (and/or wild berries, if you can find some). Cook’s note: The cakes are best served on the day of making but they’ll keep in an airtight tin (once fully cooled) for 1–2 days. You can also freeze, defrost in the fridge and flash in a warm oven to take the chill off, before serving.

This recipe, by Rachel de Thample, is part of our ‘Midsummer Feast’ ‘gathering menu. It features Scandi dishes including Cold Cucumber Soup with Summer Flowers, Roast Beetroot Salad with Crispy Capers, Home Pickled Herring with Fennel, Pommes Anna with Dill Sour Cream and Ryeknäckebröd with Caraway. There’s also an idea for a Meadowsweet and Strawberry Schnapps to wash it all down. Midsummer Feast, it may be, but we think you can enjoy it any day this summer. If you’re making a day of it you may also like to try your hand at the Floral Crowns or some of the other Midsummer traditions on the pages. All in the June issue.

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Sponsored post | Wild Cosmetics

Millions of bathroom products are thrown away every year and the sustainable and natural alternatives out there don't cut it — until now. At Wild, we want to shake-up the throwaway culture of bathroom products with high-performing products made from natural ingredients that never compromise on convenience or efficacy.

So, if you’re looking to reduce your single-plastic use, switch to our aluminium deo case that will last you a lifetime. You can refill your case again and again with our bamboo pulp refills. Every time you refill your case, you’ll save 30 grams of plastic going to the landfill.

We’ve got 7 great smelling scents packed full of premium natural ingredients that stop the growth of odour-causing bacteria and keep your armpits smooth and moisturised. Wild is powered by plants, not aluminium-salts or parabens and sulphates and all our formulas are certified vegan and cruelty-free. We never test on animals, only smelly people! So, by switching to Wild you're letting go of aluminium salts, parabens, and chemicals you can’t pronounce and replacing them with natural ingredients to give you the freshest pits all day, every day. 

One of the most important missions at Wild is to get bathrooms going green and going reusable! There's so many places in the house where you can make small changes, but we think the bathroom has amazing potential. Alongside this, we want to keep our planet Wild. Every time you buy from us, you help grow the Wild forest thanks to our partnership with ONAMISSION. By planting more trees, we’re proud to be carbon negative and so far we’ve planted over 300,000 trees and counting!

For more info, visit wearewild.com or follow on Instagram: @wildrefill

The Simple Things readers can enjoy 20% off online orders by using the code SIMPLEWILD at checkout. Valid for new customers only & until 31 July 2021.

Flowers | The Meaning of Posies

A posy always gives us a little boost, whether we’re giving or receiving. Who doesn’t love a little bunch of blooms, after all?

Next time you tie up a little bunch of garden flowers for a friend, spare a thought for people of Medieval times, who carried ‘nosegays’ (a small posy to make the nose happy) of flowers and herbs, to combat the natural stench of the medieval street. It was also believed that posies might ward off plague and other diseases. 

Thankfully, for posies and for humanity, life in general was to become gradually more sweet smelling.  By Victorian times, posies were enormously popular, both for covering up bad Victorian odours (it took them a while to get the sewers sorted) and also as a decorative item. They were often known as ‘tussie mussies’, a ‘tussie’ being a nosegay and a ‘mussie’ being the moss packed around the flowers to keep them moist. Posy holders also became popular, allowing the small, fragrant bunches of flowers to be easily portable. They could then be held, modestly, in a young lady’s hand or pinned to a lapel to allow for easy inhalation at infragrant moments. 

At the same time, ‘the language of flowers was evolving. What with the Victorians' aversion to wearing their hearts on their sleeves, being able to say it with flowers rather than words, made things a bit easier. They would send particular flowers, or colours of flowers, in posies in order to convey certain messages. 

If you’d like to send someone a message in a posy, too, here are a few ideas. 

1. Sweet peas - thank you for a lovely time. 

2. Daffodil - the sun is always shining when I’m with you. 

3. Chrysanthemum - you’re a wonderful friend.

4. Azalea - take care of yourself for me. 

5. Daisy - I’ll never tell.

6. Hydrangea - thank you for understanding.

7. Narcissus - stay as sweet as you are. 

8. Zinnia - thinking of an absent friend. 

9. Violet - let’s take a chance on happiness.

10. Monkshood - beware; a deadly foe is here. (Well, you never know). 

If you’re feeling inspired to work with flowers, you might like to create a midsummer floral crown, like the one pictured below. There are instructions for making one on the Gathering feature in our June issue, which is in shops now. The ‘Gathering’,  a Swedish-inspired Midsummer Feast by Rachel de Thample,  also contains recipes for Cold Cucumber Soup with Summer Flowers, Roast Beetroot Salad with Crispy Capers, Meadowsweet and Strawberry Snaps, Homemade Pickled Herring with Fennel, Pommes Anna with Dill Sour Cream, Rye Knӓckerbröd with Caraway and a Swedish Midsummer Strawberry Cake. If working with flowers truly captures your imagination, you may even want to explore florist jobs, where creativity and nature combine beautifully. Or for more floral fun, turn to our Almanac pages, where we have an idea for making an indoor or outdoor flower wall hanging for a summer supper with friends.

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Wellbeing | How to Get Up Early

Mornings are special in summer. Experiencing the dawn, or simply making the most of the quiet at this time to stretch or catch up on a book, starts your day on a positive note.

There’s something quite exciting about creeping out of bed and padding quietly about the house, guarding your precious time before anyone or anything can disturb you. Kerry Sutton is co-founder of Into the Wilds (intothewilds.co.uk) which organises group microadventures in the early morning and evening around the Bath area. “There’s something about being in the outside world when it’s waking up that’s really special,” she says. “All your senses are heightened because you haven’t yet been exposed to noise and stimulation – the grass and trees looks greener in the dew, the birdsong sounds louder and clearer, and you notice animals that you might not see at other times of the day.” Of course, you don’t need to go outside to enjoy the stillness and opportunity of the early morning. You could curl up in a chair and read a few chapters of a book by an open window, do some yoga or writing as the day slowly awakens. “By getting up early and having this time for yourself, you’re coming into the world and starting the day calmly and on your terms rather than launching straight into the demands of the day,” says Kerry.

How to get out of bed earlier

• Gradually bring your waking up time and going to bed time back by 15 minutes a day.

• Plan to do something you really enjoy and that you’ll want to wake up for.

• Sleep with your curtains open and allow the daylight to wake you naturally.

• Spend a night under canvas or in a hammock and wake up with the sunrise and dawn chorus.

• If you’re really tired, go back to sleep – no pressure!

These ideas are part of our feature ‘The Joy of the 5-9’ by Rebecca Frank, in our June issue. It’s all about making more of the daylight hours at the beginning and end of the day (5-9am and 5-9pm).

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Sponsored Post | National School Sports Week

Join in to Play For Fun, Play For 60!

This year’s, National School Sports Week intends to empower children to unleash their potential through play and sport. From 19-25 June, the initiative, powered by Sports Direct, invites schools, families and organisations to embark on a journey of active participation and collective impact.

Research commissioned by the Youth Sport Trust reveals a significant underestimate among parents regarding the recommended levels of daily physical activity for children. While the UK Chief Medical Officer recommends 60 minutes of elevated heart rate activity for children aged 5 to 18 each day, many parents believe merely 30 minutes is enough. This discrepancy highlights the urgent need to raise awareness and inspire children to lead active lives.

Amidst a prevailing wellbeing crisis among young people, studies conducted by Sport England demonstrate that less than half of all children (47%) meet the recommended 60 minutes of daily activity a day, with nearly one third (30%) falling below the 30-minute mark. These statistics underscore the crucial importance of fostering a culture of physical activity and prioritising the wellbeing of children.

National School Sports Week hopes to make a change by amplifying the benefits of play, sport and physical education. By making a #PledgeToPlay for 60 minutes every day during the campaign, schools, families and organisations can make a tangible difference in children's lives. Once you’ve pledged, you’ll be given access to a range of supporting materials and resources to help you achieve your active minutes with your children. Our resources are tailored to suit all age ranges, with separate resources to support schools and families.”

Joining the movement is simple. Visit www.youthsporttrust.org/join-us/nssw to learn more about National School Sports Week and how you can actively contribute. By taking part you become an advocate for change, encouraging children to embrace an active lifestyle, both inside and outside the classroom.

Together, we can ensure that play and sport become an integral part of every child's life. National School Sports Week is an inspiring call to action, inviting the nation to champion the wellbeing, development and happiness of our future generation.

For disabled young people, the Chief Medical Officers’ recommendation is for 20 minutes of physical activity every day and strength and balance activity 3 times a week. You can find out more about the guidelines for disabled young people here.

Wellbeing | How To Hang Out

Hanging out is the new meeting up - and it’s good for your wellbeing, too. Here’s how to embrace an easier, unfussier way to connect.

Meeting with friends doesn’t need to require a committee meeting, weeks of planning and great expense. Rather than co-ordinated gatherings, try simply ‘hanging out’. Here are our favourite ideas for ways to hang out without making it a big deal.

1. Takeaway (or homemade) pizzas in the park. Everyone brings their own.

2. Coffee at your kitchen table while you unpack the weekly shop. 

3. A chat over the Sunday papers and a pot of tea.

4. Sharing a bag of chips on the beach.

5. A joint dog walk. 

6. A cuppa over the fence with a neighbour. 

7. Phone a friend while you cook dinner.

8. Invite someone over for a ‘leftovers’ supper.

9. Saturday morning video chat with someone long-distance. 

10. Watch your favourite TV programme with a mate. 

11. Get together to help someone declutter their wardrobe. 

12. Enjoy the sun in a friend’s garden. 

Our ways to hang out are inspired by our feature The Joy of Hanging Out by Frances Ambler in our May issue. You can find it on page 14.

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Sponsored post | Soak in the Tranquility

Bring simplistic beauty into your outdoor space this summer with the Hikki Bohemen wood-fired hot tub from Bushgear

With longer summer evenings on the horizon, many of us are embracing al fresco living and reconnecting with our outdoor spaces, creating a serene environment in which to relax and escape the hubbub of daily life. We all know the importance of taking time to pause and reset, and how spending time in the open air can soothe even the most frazzled of souls.

So when it comes to unwinding, what could be more relaxing than an outdoor bath? Submerse yourself and soak away life’s stresses. Being virtually silent, wood-fired baths are crafted for peace and tranquillity, creating harmony with nature. No sound pollution here, meaning it’s kinder to both the environment and your neighbours!

Swedish Design

Hikki’s original design combines a saltwater resistant aluminium body with a solid oak frame and interior, making the Bohemen as durable as it is beautiful. Lightweight and easily manoeuvrable, this tub works in locations that are unsuitable for more traditional hot tubs – plus it can be stored away when not in use, allowing you to make the most of your space.

Its simplistic design means that it’s incredibly straightforward to set up, with no need for chemicals or electricity. Using kiln-dried wood to fuel the stove means that your environmental impact is low, too, with the Bohemen being much more sustainable than its counterparts. You can even recycle the water on your veg patch afterwards.

The Hikki Bohemen is available from Bushgear – an independent online retailer specialising in skilfully-crafted products designed with outdoor living in mind. So linger a little longer and start making plans to jump into summer with both feet.

For more information and further inspiration, visit bushgear.co.uk or call 01795 534343.

Playlist | The best of the festivals

Image: Shutterstock

In our June LINGER issue we take a look back at the history of the music festival. Pop this playlist on as you have a listen to really immerse yourself in the moment – and take a read of the stories behind our selection below.

Listen to the playlist on Spotify here.

DJ: Julian Owen

The Wailing Boat by Ted Heath

Recorded at the Beaulieu Jazz Festival (1959)

Up Jumped the Devil by The New York City Ramblers

Recorded at the Newport Folk Festival (1961)

It’s All Over Now by The Rolling Stones

Studio version of a song they played at the National Jazz & Blues Festival in 1964

Light my Fire by The Doors

Their first hit, heading up the charts as they played the Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival in 1967

Shake by Otis Redding

Live at Monterey (1967). Has there ever been a better festival set opener? Look up Monterey Pop, filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker’s magisterial overview of the pioneering Californian gathering.

Woodstock by Matthews Southern Comfort

With a respectful nod to the Joni Mitchell original, which isn’t available on Spotify

Oh Happy Day by The Edwin Hawkins Singers

On the same June weekend that Woodstock rocked upstate New York, Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson and Nina Simone headed a stupendous line up of funk, gospel and soul as the Harlem Cultural Festival hit the city – this is a live recording from that event (aka the Summer of Soul) in 1969.

So Long, Marianne by Leonard Cohen

Live at the Isle of Wight in 1970.

54-56 Was my Number by Toots & The Maytals

One of the stars of the 1970 Caribbean Music Festival at Wembley. As featured in Reggae, an evocative look at reggae’s impact on Britain

I’ll Take You There by The Staple Singers

Recorded at Wattstax in 1972 – in 1972, the celebrated Stax label put on a Los Angeles benefit concert to commemorate the Watts riots, showcasing its stellar soul roster.

Kama K’iwacu by The Drummers of Burundi

Recorded at the first WOMAD in 1982

It’s Like That by Run-D.M.C. Vs. Jason Nevins

The old school rappers headlined the first Creamfields in 1998, the year after Jason Nevins’ remixed their 1983 debut single

If It Makes You Happy by Sheryl Crow

Recorded at the notorious Woodstock 99 and thereby drenching the “… it can’t be that bad” payoff in irony

Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie

Recorded at Glastonbury 2000

The Best of the Festivals playlist on Spotify