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hens. Now, once again, we have plenty hens and plenty of eggs. The garden will soon benefit from larger quantities of well-rotted poultry manure and we should also see a decline in the numbers of slugs and snails.I expected the kids to be happy - I

off and I went out to have a look. Nothing. All very curious until I went out again on Tuesday and had a look around. There, sheltering against the recesses of the bars and grills are several small garden snails and amongst them are some garden spiders

, but I've told the hens I'm taking them back on the plot the minute I see the first of this year’s slug and snail eggs!

two beds with one variety growing in each - 'Florence' and 'Honeyoe'. They've been in the ground for four years and are in their harvesting prime. Add to that plenty of sunshine and a timely dry spell that's keeping the slugs and snails at bay, and you

snails, or perhaps a dew-encrusted millipede huddled down into the thatch. What I saw, was a succulent plump emerald gem - the chrysalis of a speckled wood butterfly.It took me some while to recognize exactly which butterfly species it belonged to

In early spring, there were a lot of discussions in the garden media over whether the harsh winter would have reduced numbers of garden pests.The slugs and snails were slow to appear after the cold, dry April. But most other critters, good and bad

pots and flower beds, keep an eye out for slug and snail eggs, plus leatherjackets (the larvae of crane flies, pictured, left), chafer grubs and vine weevil larvae. Removing these pests now will save you time (and your crops) later, and the birds

pleased by the discovery of slugs, snails and leaf miners. One commenter suggested I take a closer look at leaf miners, which he described as "fascinating".Leaf miners literally 'mine' leaves, tunnelling through them and eating them from the inside, before

Dividing hostas.Creating a pot display of hostas and ferns.Dealing with slugs on hostas.Protecting hostas from snails.

condition - and you'll also save yourself some pennies when it comes to the annual service.Mow lawns and trim new edgesDig compost into borders to improve water retention Add copper rings to pots to protect plants from slugs and snailsAround the garden