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’

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

Spring is unfurling in Fiona Cumberpatch’s container garden in Lincolnshire and she’s appreciating every small stage

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

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

Hares tend to steal the limelight in March, thanks to their spirited boxing bouts, as the females fend off unwanted advances from feisty males. However, rabbits are fairly boisterous, too. The differe