Five top tips to get your garden styled up for spring

The recent cold snap may have us all feeling as though the depths of winter are here to stay. But the start of the warmer season is just around the corner – hopefully – as spring has officially arrived. With the launch of its brand-new season collection, Dobbies is celebrating the official start to spring…

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Scots actor Mark Bonnar lifts critics’ prize

Scots actor Mark Bonnar has been awarded Best Actor in the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards 2018. The Edinburgh man was given the prestigious honour for his roles in programmes including Eric, Ernie and Me, which was screened at Christmas on the BBC. Mark scooped the award for four outstanding performances; Eric, Ernie and Me (BBC…

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Scottish castle named takes top UK venue prize

A Scottish castle has been crowned the winner of the the Best Wedding Venue at the prestigious UK Heritage Awards 2018. Myres Castle, in Fife, received the honour at an exclusive ceremony celebrating the best heritage experiences and places to stay in the UK, hosted at Goldsmith’s Hall in London. Myres Castle is a family…

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A meal to savour with succulent loin of venison

Andrew Cook, head chef at The Lime Tree in Fort William, presents this recipe for loin of venison. When starting out, Andrew’s experience came from big, bustling hotel kitchens, before the chef ’s career took a new direction. He said: ‘I didn’t really start in restaurants until about ten years ago, when I got into the fine dining side…

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A tasty treat with this Highland cannelloni

This recipe for Highland cannelloni comes from Andrew Cook, the head chef at The Lime Tree in Fort William. He said: ‘You could probably say I fell into this line of work. My parents were hotel managers with British Trust Hotels, so I’ve grown up in hotels. ‘My dad is a trained chef as well, so he was my first…

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Snow egg offers a dessert with a difference

This snow egg recipe was created by Andrew Cook, head chef at The Lime Tree in Fort William. The menu at the Lime Tree changes every three to four months. Andrew said: ‘As a team, we all write down our ideas and then we handpick it from there. There are just four of us in the team, so things…

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The art and science-inspired daffodil garden

Preservation and daffodils are at the heart of the heritage collection of Backhouse, at Rosfie Arts Garden in Fife. Caroline Thomson is an artist and sculptor who is a direct descendent of the Backhouse family, the renowned Quaker botanist and ethical banking family from Yorkshire, Caroline is filled with the enthusiasm and dedication that drove…

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Borneo – the land of orangutans and so much more

Arriving at Palangkaraya we were met by our guide for our Wow! Borneo excursion for the start of our five day cruise up the Rungan River. Our first stop was a supermarket to buy alcohol as it was a dry boat! Within minutes we were starting our cruise and being shown to our comfortable but…

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Former farm site with potential for 45 homes is now on the market

A former farm site in Midlothian is now available to buy as a proposed area for building houses. Presented by Scarlett Land and Development, this site in Wester Cowden is located on the north-eastern edge of Dalkeith, and the area is approximately 1.55 ha (3.84 acres), excluding the farmhouse. Planning permission in principle has already…

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Nominations wanted to find Scotland’s finest farm woodlands

The finest farm woodlands in Scotland are being asked to step forward as part of a national awards programme. Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards, which recognise excellent management and the creation of new woodlands, have added a Farm Woodland Award for 2018. Any farm where tree planting or woodland management has made an important contribution to…

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