Spare a thought for the wildlife in your garden this month. It may seem like it is warming up, but food will still be in short supply for some time to come. It’s also a good time to put up nest boxes for birds and bats and remember to keep birdbaths and ponds topped up, ideally with rainwater.
You could also try growing some hardy annuals, choosing varieties that are beneficial to insects such as the yellow and white Limnanthes douglasii (poached egg flower), Tropaeolum majus (nasturtiums) or Calendula officinalis (scotch marigold). Amaranthus caudatus (love-lies-bleeding) and Nigella damascena (love-in-a-mist) also produce attractive seed heads after flowering which are a valuable food source for birds and other animals. They can be sown straight into the soil now because they are generally not affected by frost. Prepare and weed the bed. Then level the soil with a rake and tread lightly before sowing.
Spring is a wonderful time of year to be out in the garden, every thing seems to be waking up and coming to life. So get out there and make the most of it!
