Author: Brackenfold Team

A candle burns best when the first burn is long enough for the whole surface to melt. Trim wicks to about a quarter of an inch before lighting, keep candles away from drafts and never burn them for more than four hours at a time.

Starting seeds indoors gives your garden a head start. Fill a tray with fine seed compost, sow two seeds per cell, cover with a humidity dome and keep the tray somewhere warm and bright. Remove the dome once shoots appear and thin to the strongest seedling.

Linen is one of the oldest textiles and still one of the most practical. It dries quickly, gets softer with every wash and resists bacteria. Look for stonewashed linen if you want softness from the first day, and choose mid-weight fabric for towels and cushions.

Cast iron lasts for generations when it is kept dry and lightly oiled. Wipe your trivet with a damp cloth after use, dry it straight away and rub in a few drops of cooking oil once a month. If a spot of rust appears, scrub it with coarse salt, rinse, dry and oil again.