Take the time to appreciate nature

So many people have reported that during lockdown, they became much more aware of the nature around them. This was probably due, in part, to the fact we’ve all had more time to stop and look, but also the lack of cars on the road meant that we could hear more – and less pollution surely played its part, too.

In my garden, the hum of bees through the day has been much clearer, particularly in late afternoon. But more than anything this year, our local birdlife has really thrived – so much so that on more than one occasion recently, I’ve been awoken by a very loud 4am dawn chorus! If one good thing comes from this very strange period we’ve endured in 2020, it could be a greater awareness of the world around us. Certainly we should all take that time to look and listen at nature more – I know the environment is high among the concerns of GN readers, and every little thing we can do to help it is to be applauded. It’s always worth looking at Karen Murphy’s Natural Gardener feature (page 10) and her Small Ways To Make A Big Difference – there’s always something we can do!

Elsewhere this week, I love our feature on those plants that just keep on blooming – they look wonderful and definitely make life easier. Salvias perform that role best in my garden but there are lots of other plants I need to try, too – I fancy I might have to widen my borders!

As ever at this time of year, there is so much to do – isn’t it wonderful? Have a great gardening week!