Property & Gardens 

Flat-hunter: Life is tough for would-be London renters

On the market for £200 a week, the smelly basement was more like a squat. And don't ask about the carpet

Diarmuid Gavin shares tips on how make your garden fun and funky

The top TV garden guru explains how your garden can be fun, funky and flamboyant

Interior design: It's time to end our craze for open-plan living

Trying to make up for a lack of space, many of us end up with space of no conceivable use

Travel 

Europe's 20 best music festivals

Missed out on tickets or weary of the British weather? Head to the Continent for a proper holiday with the best of soundtracks

Corfu: the complete guide

Smart or simple? Cultural or clubby? You can have it both ways on this Greek-Island classic

Britain's 10 best pubs with gardens

The beer garden is an essential part of summer – a place where days disappear. We offer 10 favourites

Women 

Bargainhunter: Can McDonald's be chic?

The burger chain has new uniforms designed by Bruce Oldfield. Yet can down-to-earth brands realistically go upscale?

To be happy in marriage, delay parenthood

Nearly a third of newlyweds are aggressive towards one another. A study also shows parenthood leaves partners less satisfied

Second-hand clothing gets chic

Oxfam’s concept stores are sharpening up their fashion credentials with fair-trade clothing and designer donations

Driving 

Liz Hurley's new small wonder of the road

The film star's Fiat 500 and Wayne Rooney's Mini confirm that, behind the wheel, size really does matter

Drivers in worse jam as traffic plan fails

Department for Transport tried to bury new figures showing delays increased on 100 routes ministers pledged to improve

Learner drivers face new testing hazards

Driving instructors will gain powers to force learners to have extra lessons before taking their tests, under new reforms

A beef about BA and spare wheels

Walkin' tall, feelin' sassy. At least until the revolution

Health 

Rise of the ‘spliff society’

Former users think that reclassification of cannabis will make little difference to Britain’s collective habit

UK 'lags behind Western nations' on strokes

Exclusive: ministers want a dedicated stroke coordinator in every health authority as a charity says services are poor

Foreign doctors fiasco lambasted by MPs

The government is criticised over a training scheme that gave NHS jobs to foreign doctors at the expense of British ones

Food & Drink 

Nominate your organic food hero

Don’t miss your chance to nominate your favourite organic producer in The Times/Soil Association Organic Food Awards

Australian quality goes down under

Given Australian winemakers' ability, few of us predicted the gallows drop in wine quality

Gordon Ramsay: Seasonal tips

Imported asparagus can be good, but I only want the best – and the best is definitely English. Three tasty recipes to make

Career  

What not to do when working from home

Daytime TV and the neighbour's dog are two things that can easily trip you up

Crème 2008

The best show in town is just a week away, so reserve your place at the Crème Show now

Win an MBA scholarship

Mike Smith, who won The Times/Henley scholarship last year, reflects on his first year on the Henley executive modular MBA including his study trip to Beijing, plus full details of how to enter this year's competition

Skills tests reveal good and bad

What makes a good leader? Carol Lewis, the editor of Career, puts her reputation on the line in a search for the answer