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Once spring is sprung it really does get going! My plot is a mass of potato leaves creeping out over the mounds of ridged earth, seedlings sprouting sturdily out of the ground almost as I watch. But of course, there's a hearty selection of common or garden weeds for good measure,...

The plot is abuzz with wildlife, including ladybirds, lacewings, bumblebees and ground beetles. They're all marvellous for my crops; bees increase my yields by pollinating flowers, and ladybirds and lacewings eat a lot of aphids. As well

queen buff-tailed bumblebee, was examining the compost heap; I guess she was searching out a suitable hibernation site. Every now and then something else would buzz past: rosemary leaf beetles, green shieldbugs and ladybirds were all very active

the missile. If it's a female it will ignore the stone and continue sunning itself. So confrontational are the males that they will also flap up to investigate other butterflies, bumblebees, birds and even passing aeroplanes.