Just a hop, skip and jump from London, but a million miles from the stresses of the city, newly refurbished countryside retreat Burnham Beeches makes a perfect escape, whether you’re seeking a Mother’

Karen Youngs encounters a couple of bachelors looking for love as the season shifts into spring

Bulbs planted in autumn come to life now and deliver vibrant bursts of colour – a joy to see after the dark winter months. Daffodils (more on those overleaf) and tulips are enduring symbols of spring

Cornwall Garden Society Spring Flower Show – Royal Cornwall Showground: 28 & 29 March Often called the “Chelsea of the West”, this vibrant two-day show brings together dazzling floral displays, specia

I like the slow-quick-slow burn of early spring, with the leaves unfurling slowly but surely. Some plants are decidedly cautious; whitebeams and catalpa won’t show themselves for weeks, while impatien

In the garden, hellebores and snowdrop bulbs are emerging through the wintry ground, while beyond, in borrowed views, dangling catkins and blossom-laden blackthorn branches sway in the hedgerows. Thes