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The snow was great fun, but it made wildlife watching in my garden a bit pointless. I am rather biased on this, because as far as I'm concerned, wildlife really means insects. OK, there are a few birds and the odd squirrel out there

lens. Having decided there was nothing to worry about, it stuck its nose back under its tail and continued to bask in the fading day.Half an hour later it had gone. Maybe it sensed the approaching rain. When I next looked out it was nowhere to be seen

My running's not going very well. I've done something to the heel of my right foot and it was pouring with rain on Sunday morning, so my heart really wasn't in it. But I went anyway, even if it was only for half an hour. Peckham Rye Park is my

and partly blown away. It'll certainly keep the rain out.On Sunday I'm down to the last few handfuls of muddy silt in the deep end. I'd been sieving the last few bucket loads and the overwintering insect larvae were coming out thick and fast. In virtually

they are transformed by the arrival of tonnes of imported topsoil and a bewildering rainbow of garden plants, for Gardeners' World Live.Whilst I was there I was asked to research and create a container of plants to attract wildlife, and despite the rain, it looked

, the drain is perfect for it. It receives a tiny dribble of rain run-off from only a very small part of the roof, and gets plenty of organic material from the soil particles and spilled food flushed down when we occasionally hose off the patio. In effect, we

.The orange ladybird eats the mildew on leaves of deciduous trees, particularly sycamore. It appears to be becoming more abundant and is likely to have had a good 2012 due to all the rain (and therefore mildew). However, like the native two-spot, its success

't believe it — the cat is locked in the guinea-pig hutch. Stupid beast. How did it get in there? Then it dawns on me. The pig had been out on the lawn all day, until the rain and hail about 4 o'clock and I threw him back in. The cat must have been asleep

It's Gardeners' World 'Grow Your Own' Week and I really am trying to grow my own, honest. Up at the allotment, everything's looking a bit bedraggled after the rain. The onions and garlics are looking just about OK; I'm hoping the strawberries