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Going for walks in Dulwich and Sydenham Hill Woods, Peckham Rye or Nunhead Cemetery, I often hear the tap-tap-tapping of great spotted woodpeckers from high up in the trees as they test the dead boughs for tasty insect morsels. We have no large

guises of the harlequin. I met my first pine ladybird last spring, thanks to a heavy gust of wind blowing it out of a tree on to the pavement I was walking along, and I once found the larvae of tiny Scymnus frontalis (which somehow resembled Dougal

It's always been my ritual, in the first week of March, to start the long-awaited pruning of overwintered herb shrubs and trees. However, a word of warning for those who live in the north - the long range forecast is for another cold snap, possibly

Gulf Stream sees to that) but susceptible to ferocious winds. Fortunately, many years ago a far-sighted fellow planted a thick shelter belt of trees around the gardens, which saves them from the worst winds.The gardens were laid out in the early 1930s

and three-year-old laughing in the wheelbarrow as we bumped down the site. Suddenly my eye was caught by a strange bouncing red thing moving away to the trees. It was an animated strawberry making its way down the path ... in the mouth of a squirrel. Pah

Up to town today, and while waiting for the number 12 bendy bus, 12-year-old and I examine the trunk of a lime tree overhanging the stop. There's a whole ecosystem in just a few square feet of bark.Most prominent are the white waxy remains of horse

the evergreens to keep us amused.Last year my autumn tree of choice was the magnificent liquidambar - I was actually quite bossy in my urgings. This year I have chosen a slightly more humble tree: the field maple, Acer campestre.Acer campestre is our only native

928Port Logan, Stranraer, Dumfries & Galloway01776 860 231www.rbge.org.uk/loganDG9 9NDOpen 15 Mar-31 Oct, daily, 10am-5pm. Adult £5.50, OAPs £4.50, under-16s £1.parking,toilets,part-disabled,plants,refreshments,picnic,shop

781Stow Bardolph, King’s Lynn, Norfolk01366 382 162churchfarmstowbardolph.co.uk/stowhallgardens.aspPE34 3HUOpen 27 Mar-30 Oct, Wed only, 10am-4pm, plus Sun 19 May, 23 Jun, 21 Jul, 18 Aug & 22 Sep. Adults/OAPs £3.50, under-16s free.parking,toilets,full-disabled,plants,refreshments...

797Benvarden Road, Dervock, Co Antrim028 2074 1331www.benvarden.comBT53 6NNOpen 1 Jun-31 Aug, Tue-Sun & bank hols, 12 noon-5pm. Adults/OAPs £4, under-14s free. Single discount with card: 10%.parking,toilets,part-disabled,plants,refreshments,public-transport