Garden gnomes - dividing opinion since 1847
Garden gnomes - love them or loathe them. How did they become such a (often derided) feature of British gardens?
Six Things on
St Michael's Mount
St Michael's Mount in Cornwall is a prominent feature just off the coast at Marazion. It is a smaller version of its namesake in Normandy, France - a rocky island crowned by a medieval church and castle. It is reachable by a man-made causeway of granite from the town at low tide.
John Evelyn - 17th Century polymath and thinker
John Evelyn was an English writer, gardener, intellectual and diarist in the 17th century. His diary spanned the period of his adult life from 1640 to 1706, the year he died. His notable achievements include books on a number of subjects such as architecture, cookery, horticulture, politics and theology. He gave advice to the government on air pollution and forestry.
The Jay - Britain's colourful crow
The most colourful members of the crow family, jays are noisy and flamboyant, though much shyer than the other crows. They are woodland birds, rarely moving far from the cover of trees, and therefore less seen for their attractive plumage than the other mostly black crows.
London's Temple Church - once home to a secret society
Dating from 1185, the Temple Church in central London was once the English headquarters of the legendary Knights Templar, and the site of their mysterious initiation ceremonies. Since the downfall of the Templars in 1307, it has been regarded as the church of the legal profession, whose offices are concentrated in the surrounding area.
William De Morgan - distinctive ceramicist of the Arts and Crafts movement
William Frend De Morgan was an English pottery maker and tile designer whose work is seen as a significant element of the arts and crafts movement. A lifelong friend of William Morris, he designed tiles, stained glass and furniture for Morris & Co. from 1863 to 1872, and was also a popular novelist.
Six things to delight and entertain you every day.