Even in our northern, exposed garden, the season has changed by April. We may still see some harsh frosts and perhaps snow on some mornings, but the longer days have already started warming the ground, making it a good time to sow even more crops outside.
The biggest change I notice in the garden is the longed-for return of flying insects, including the buff-tailed bumblebee and hairy-footed flower bee. I love tawny mining bees, too, which are often seen warming themselves on leaves. These bees live underground, digging holes in exposed patches of drier soil.
Birds too, of course, are now actively building nests in our hedges and smaller trees, gathering twigs and
