Reconnectwith nature

Dancing With Daffodils

As National Trust gardens and parks across the country burst into spring colour, you can pay homage to the daffodil at Cotehele in Cornwall, home to 300 different varieties. Alternatively, wander through Dora’s Field in the Lake District. Once owned by none other than William Wordsworth, who gave us ‘A host of dancing daffodils’, the poet planted this patch of woodland with daffodils in memory of his young daughter and they have been dancing in the breeze ever since. www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Watch The Birdies

“One of the wonderful things about birdwatching is that you can do it almost anywhere,” says the RSPB’s Jamie Wyver. “Start in your garden, from a balcony or window, a local park or your nearest RSPB nature reserve. Stay quiet and still, and you’ll soon start to notice nature all around.

“Knowing what birds you’re seeing and hearing makes a huge difference to the birdwatching experience. Use the photos and birdsong recordings on the RSPB website to help you identify some of the most common birds, or try downloading an app for your phone.” www.rspb.org.uk

To The Rescue

Have you ever cried when watching a stranded whale on the news? Or felt helpless when you spot an orphaned baby seal on the beach?

Anyone over the age of 18 with a reasonable level of fitness can join one of the courses regularly held by British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) and become a marine mammal medic. Once qualified, BDMLR volunteers can help this amazing wildlife charity respond to the ever-increasing needs of injured or sick mammals along our coastline, including seals, dolphins and whales.

https://bdmlr.org.uk

Wild Gardening – The Experts’ Way

Wilderness gardens are the latest horticultural trend but they involve much more than simply letting nature take its course. Discover how the experts work with nature at one of the many wild gardens featured in this year’s National Garden Scheme, such as Bates Green Garden in East Sussex, with its wildlife pond and wildflower meadow (opens