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-glory style (yes they are related!) flowers makes them a great ground cover crop, but early this morning I stuck a fork in under one for the first time. Simply couldn't wait any longer. They're not huge (they do need more sun and warmth than they got

with buzzing insects. I know the village is slightly nearer the equator than still-hibernating East Dulwich, but this was ridiculous.Dozens of honeybees were bobbing about on the flowers, together with their hoverfly mimics, droneflies (Eristalis tenax

' garden though, but in the playground of Goodrich Primary School. Like most Victorian London primary schools Goodrich suffers from an over-abundance of tarmac and virtually no 'green' open space. There are a few concrete and wooden tubs of flowers

.Types to sow now include crimson clover, fenugreek, field lupins - even broad beans. They germinate and grow quickly and reduce weed growth. Flowering varieties even attract bees and beneficial insects.Nothing could be simpler, and the green manures help break

to have passed. All was relaxed and gorgeous.I've always loved under-planting with drifts of bulbs and was bowled over by a stunning, snow-like drift of narcissus beneath a flower-packed cherry. The effect was breath-taking. Having worked for the RHS

were planted out and in flower. Admittedly it was during the mini heat wave and I was experimenting to see just what I could get away with. But this year there's no way I'd dare put half of my young vegetable plants out into the wilds of the garden. Who

and turn a blind eye to other areas of the plot that need attention. My purple sprouting broccoli, for example, is now in full flower. I won't be using that bed until I'm ready to plant sweetcorn, so I may as well leave the blooming broccoli to provide

urge to grow and flower profusely.My idea back in the autumn was to plant it with a few salad leaves such as mustardand rocket that might overwinter and give us some early, spicy leaves to make a few winter salads, as well as some parsleyto keep us

by the tendency of these little birds to strip yellow flowers, such as crocus, but so what? And don't forget that the adults not only eat weed seeds, but they also feed their young with insects and their larvae. All-in-all, sparrows are a delight and a help

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