St Valentine’s month may be bitterly cold, but the capricious charms of Vanellus vanellus never fail to warm the heart, says John Lewis-Stempel

Giving garden wildlife a spring in their step

As the long nights shorten, Mounton House garden quietly emerges from winter with delicate sprinklings of white narcissi, Scilla siberica and crocuses through the lawns. Daphnes fill the air with frag

Find out which early species to watch for, how to make your patch more butterfly-friendly and where to record your sightings for science

Nadia Shaikh goes synaesthetic for the start of spring, almost tasting the orange tang of an early butterfly

Karen Youngs is on the lookout for nature’s collectibles during a sunny spring walk