Good week for

Clean swims

Official bathing water status has been granted to part of the Wolvercote Mill Stream at Port Meadow, Oxford, and the Isle of Wight’s East Cowes Esplanade

Spotting water voles

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species is calling for volunteers across England, Scotland and Wales to take part in its national watervole survey, which runs from April 15 to June 15

Hogarth and Walpole

The earliest surviving portrait of Horace Walpole, aged 10, painted in 1727–28 by William Hogarth, will stay in this country, after a public appeal raised the remaining £25,000 required for the Strawberry Hill Trust to purchase it

Fighting fly-tipping

The Government has decided that households will no longer have to pay to get rid of DIY waste. It’s hoped this will reduce fly-tipping

Our plant heritage

Horticultural charity Plant Heritage has accredited three new National Plant Collections at RHS Wisley, for Eucryphia, Albizia julibrissin and Lagerstroemia. This brings Wisley’s total national collections to 15 and Plant Heritage’s tree collections to 121