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pair of jays.I do occasionally catch a glimpse of these handsome birds, although magpies and crows are the usual corvids in this part of London. I'm not sure what they were up to, but they spent several minutes strutting about on the small area

What a week we've had. The weather has been gorgeous — almost summery. The big blackthorn tree on the edge of the plot is blooming beautifully and the birds have been flitting about in it, acting friskily and obviously checking things out with a

and parasites.For the first few weeks they must forage alone, feeding the first batch of grubs through to maturity. If the queen dies, eaten by a bird, caught by mould, or trodden underfoot as she struggles to get airborne one cool March morning, the colony

of them have popped out of the ground and needed pushing back. That always happens with sets, doesn't it? I assume it's birds pecking about on the freshly worked beds, but I've never seen them at it.I've also got turnips, swedes and beets showing

If I had to describe myself, I'd say I was a nature lover. I'm forever taking the side of birds, insects, amphibians and mammals, and can argue the case for just about any creature, even pests. But at this time of year there is one exception

It's cold, there's snow on the ground, and all is quiet in the garden. But I've just been outside feeding the wildlife. In my case that does not mean putting up nut-filled bird feeders or hanging fat balls, it means tipping the kitchen waste

refreezes, another layer can settle on top.I've also tried to ensure that the wild birds have a plentiful supply of food and unfrozen water.My garlic is a worry, especially those cloves that were planted only a few weeks before the snow arrived. Some have

If you're bearing a grudge against your neighbours, one way to exact revenge is plant a leylandii hedge in your garden. Left unclipped, it could grow to up to 35m high and 5m wide. It will be a haven for garden birds, insects and even the odd mammal

.Now, with the increasingly warm weather, the aphids are happily multiplying on just about any fresh, soft growth that they can find. In a bid to thwart them I’ve tried the trick of hanging bird feeders on shrubs. The blue tits form an orderly queue for the feeder (they

, the prickly pear, which are often dotted with fruits.The bird of paradise flower, Strelitzia, always seems at its most vigorous and vibrant in Madeira, too. I always find hard to avoid the temptation of buying a packet of the seed while I’m there. There