House & Garden magazine's Spirit of Summer Fair is at Olympia next week

I do love a bit of House & Garden, I don't know if it's an age thing, quite possibly, or the fact I love nothing better than a nose around other people's country piles, but it always feels so incredibly English. If I lived overseas I'm fairly sure I would subscribe and gaze longingly at the green and pleasant countryside through the windows of the houses inside.

I've also got a bit of a fascination developing with Elle Decoration Country a weighty tome which comes out from time to time and which when I first saw it I thought pah! who would spend £10 on a magazine. Turns out I would. I've got all three 'volumes' which feature the requisite country-luxe rural retreats.

Next week House & Garden are bringing their Spirit of Summer Fair to Olympia 14th-17th May with stands selling a slice of chic country living in the form of interiors, food and all things posh. It's open to anyone, you can buy tickets online, I'm going to take my mum.