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The sun is shining and the daffodils are out. Nothing spells the start of spring like a mass of golden, trumpet-shaped narcissi.Among the flowering daffodils are some that are only producing foliage. These ‘blind’ daffodils, either side

of year.The hedge outside is covered with birds in all shapes and sizes, munching away at the many and left-overs I've put out for them. I've left them little heaps of Christmas pudding, crumbled up biscuits and I've filled up one of the peanut feeders

-flavoured toffee without quite so much guilt as from the real thing!!The slips went in in two batches, the first towards the end of May. This year I grew Jetfire and Beauregard. The pretty, scrambling heart shaped leaves, occasionally topped with morning

take on a round, head shape. Tie a tight knot beneath the mass of sawdust and soak the head in water, ensuring it is thoroughly wet through. After about ten days the grass hair will start to appear, bright green and very straight. Add some plastic

, but that needn't be the case. Yes, it's great to have a classically shaped tree, but there are plenty of other options if space is short. Fans, espaliers, simple cordons and step-overs can all be pretty productive and look gorgeous at this time of year. They also

in size and shape of the tubers was extreme. There were two tubers which stood out from all the rest. The first, held aloft by a grinning 10-year-old, weighed in at a full 750g and was ear-marked for slicing and frying. I was sure it would win a prize

initials and it's great fun to plant bulbs in the shape of the letters. Now coming into their third year are a smart 'C' and 'A' – representing the first letter of each of my kids' names - gracing a bit of grass near the magnolia. We used just 10-15 bulbs

I've always been a great fan of bulbs, in all their shapes and sizes. I couldn't get through the winter without snowdrops, and the prospect of daffodils, heralding spring. But right now, in (a rather cold and wet) May, alliums are centre stage

gone! All I know is that the plant is a Seeds of Italy variety.The other, ‘Midnight’, is a more of a ‘classic’ courgette shape; far more compact and healthy looking, but it does have slivery grey straight-edged markings on the leaves. At this time

the garlic crop (and I cannot help myself at the moment due to the wet weather), I have to confess to feeling rather pleased with myself. Despite the clay soil and the sky-high water levels it is in pretty good shape. The foliage is starting to yellow