Quiz of the week 1) Which Shakespeare play ...

Though January 1 marks the start of our calendar year, spring feels like the time when things really get going, as forests awaken, flowers bloom, migrating birds (swallows, swifts, warblers…) return f

I like unusual words and there are a couple that seem appropriate for this time of year. March, we know, is a fickle beast, where the weather can flicker from T-shirt to thermals in the course of a da

Carpeting woodland in clouds of white star-shape flowers and filling the air with a heady, intense aroma, wild garlic is abundant in April. This bulb hibernates for most of the year before bursting fo

Millions of us will be marking St Patrick’s Day on 17 March

The delicate blush of blossom heralds the start of spring. Let’s take a cue from Japanese culture and spare a few moments to pause and embrace its fleeting beauty