How to make your garden chic this summer — whatever its size
From saunas and built-in speakers to easy grasses and striking pots, these are the alfresco trends to try now
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is the largest-selling British national 'quality' Sunday newspaper. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation.
Featured Writers
Jake Helm
Jake is a journalist and editor based in London. He has just completed the Magazine Journalism MA course at City, University of London and graduated last year from the University …
View Portfolio
Juliette Bretan
Juliette Bretan is a PhD candidate in English at the University of Cambridge.In her freelance work, she has written regularly for Notes from Poland and Culture.pl, and been published in …
View Portfolio
Maria Wilczek
News/Espresso Editor at The Economist.Previously: Deputy Editor of Notes from Poland. Writer for The Times, Foreign Policy and Politico Europe. Marjorie Deane intern at The Economist in 2018. Strategy consultant …
View Portfolio
Laurel Ives
I'm an editor and writer who is passionate about health, food, nutrition and mental health. I work for high-profile news organisations, businesses and charities, using my specialist knowledge, editing and …
View PortfolioLatest Articles
Bring the sun in
One architect’s London home hadn’t been updated since the 1980s. After frustrations with builders, he got stuck in and helped to restore it himself
How to see Dubrovnik without the crowds — and for less
May is the perfect time to visit Dubrovnik. Notoriously crowded during summer, the city is noticeably quieter in late spring, before the school holidays start and cruise season gets into full swing. While it could still be a tad too chilly for a dip in the Adriatic, the bright sunny …
Rural Romania’s in turmoil — and foreign farmers get the blame
A British expat is one of many in physical and financial peril because of a rising tide of nationalism and a scramble for land and water in the age of climate change.
Village People
How fashion designer Louise Markey and her DJ husband revamped their rambling Cotswolds home
How to save even more in 2025’s most affordable holiday destinations
Each year the Post Office creates a report revealing which destinations are cheapest for British travellers when comparing the likes of food, drink, accommodation and exchange rates. The latest, released on March 15, had some surprises with typically expensive destinations such as the Algarve appearing more affordable than the likes …
Shh… this is the secret to a Mauritius holiday for under £800
Mauritius is a hugely popular winter sun destination but edges into low season by May, which means prices plummet in this expensive Indian Ocean honeymoon hotspot. Beaches are almost empty and attractions quiet, yet temperatures remain in the mid to high 20s and the sea is still gloriously swimmable. Humidity …
How to see America’s most fun city — for a lot less than you’d expect
With its straight-from-the-movies sights and 24-hour buzz, New York City is always a good idea. By the end of March, it is starting to shrug off its winter chills and embrace spring just as the first cherry blossoms appear in Central Park. Further downtown, Macy’s, one of the world’s biggest …
Fill your boots
French bistro chairs, chrome lamps, antique paintings … the design set have fallen for the humble car boot sale
I’m a smug Irish passport holder. It’s the must-have travel accessory
Last weekend in Berlin — travelling with only hand luggage — I went from plane to city centre-bound train in a matter of minutes, leaving other passengers queueing at passport control. Visiting a friend in Barcelona recently, I was sitting down to tapas for lunch within an hour of landing, …
The high street brand that is interior designers’ best-kept secret
For high luxe at a low price, this fast-fashion label that doesn't follow trends is hard to beat
I was a high-flying GP, before burnout. Here’s how I bounced back
‘My head was in my hands and I was shaking uncontrollably,” says Dr Claire Ashley, recalling an appointment in her GP surgery. “A patient had been very verbally abusive because they weren’t eligible for a sick note. After they left I started crying and I couldn’t stop. My next appointment …
What to eat to avoid a cold: the winter immunity diet
The season of sniffles, colds, Covid and flu is here. And just as we prepare for chilly weather by getting out our jumpers, it is important to limber up the immune system too, nourishing and strengthening it with healthy foods to help fend off an onslaught of viruses.Our immunity thrives …
The easy winter sun city break with only a three-hour time difference
Qatar’s somewhat unlikely hosting of the 2022 Fifa World Cup thrust this small country, which sticks out, thumb-like, from the landmass of Saudi Arabia, into the spotlight....
Skinny jeans are back: here’s how to style them
Full disclosure: I’ve always loved skinny jeans. People say they’re uncomfortable but honestly, to me, there is nothing more comforting than having my calves hugged by soft, stretchy denim. So earlier this year, when Miu Miu, the instigator of all present trends, showed models traipsing down the catwalk in low-rise …
Skinny jeans are back: here’s how to style them
Full disclosure: I’ve always loved skinny jeans. People say they’re uncomfortable but honestly, to me, there is nothing more comforting than having my calves hugged by soft, stretchy denim. So earlier this year, when Miu Miu, the instigator of all present trends, showed models traipsing down the catwalk in low-rise …
My eye-opening adventure in Pakistan — led by incredible women
‘I had no female role models,” Aneeqa Ali tells me. “I had no choice but to ask men everything I needed to know.”
The most stylish ways to hide your TV
Is that big black box dominating your living room? Here’s how to discreetly screen your screens
Creme de Cassis
For the founder of Ameriacn Vintage, the perfect second home is only 40 minutes away.
Ukrainian troops have a secret battle: to stop themselves gambling
A white neon sign and gold string lights draw in passers-by on the edge of a war zone. Down a set of stairs and past a small entryway with wall of a mirrors lies the Slot Games casino.It is dimly lit, windowless and has an open floor plan and the …
Bombed and bombed again: the Kharkiv firefighters in Putin’s sights
The firefighters were exhausted after spending three hours taming an inferno at a publishing house attacked by Russian missiles. They were covered in ash, soot, and blood from the bodies they had hauled from the flames. And they were not expecting much of a rest.It was Thursday in Kharkiv. For …
Doing it for the kids
Rubber ducks in your master bathroom? Please! It’s all about giving children their own ‘wash space’
Why I now WFH — that’s work from hut, hotel, anywhere but home
Forget switching off, the new way to maximise remote working is to plug in on ‘workation’
‘It was silent … then it was hell’ — in the path of Russia’s move on Kharkiv
The soldiers had spent almost a fortnight digging trenches day and night to deter Russian forces from crossing the border north of Kharkiv, but at about two o’clock on Friday morning the enemy came crashing through. Russia’s new assault on Ukraine’s second city had begun.“It was silent at first, and …
Your morning coffee’s costing a third more. This is why it’s so expensive
On Britain’s high streets, there is a coffee shop on every corner and someone clutching a takeaway cup at every turn. Yet new research shows ordinary coffees have shot up in price by almost a third at high street cafés — and there are signs the boom may have peaked. …
Child antidepressant prescriptions are nearing 500,000 a year
Nearly 500,000 antidepressant prescriptions are being given out to children each year, despite guidelines that say they should be used only in the most severe cases. Experts said the figures revealed the scale of the mental health crisis among the young, with NHS services struggling to cope. Charities said many …
Scents and sensibility
Custom home fragrances are the latest luxe flex — from roasted coffee beans to the smell of a beach holiday
Where to buy practical, chic kitchen seating
From bar stools to banquettes via benches, we have the styles and the know-how for every type of seat.
Inside a suburban semi packed with stylish surprises
A year spent knocking down walls has transformed this London semi into a family home as chic as its owner