The Wildflower Garden in April
An unpredictable month weather wise, often with showers and sun but with the days lengthening and the ground starting to warm, April is the month that sees many of our native trees coming into leaf. Resident birds will already be egg laying and migrant birds such as swallows and warblers will be arriving into the country in huge numbers by the end of the month, the exact timing often affected by the various weather systems. In the Wildflower garden yellow is still the theme with species such as Primrose providing a nectar source for spring butterflies particularly the whites. Ladies Smock will be blooming by mid month transforming the colour of ditches and wetlands to a bright lilac. Its flowering time of mid April coincides with the arrival of the cuckoo, hence its other common name the “cuckooflower”. As the temperature of pond water slowly rises the first tadpoles will emerge growing rapidly as they feed frantically on the various aquatics that form their diet. If you have a pile of logs in your garden it may be possible to find small mammals such as wood mice, shrews and voles taking refuge and on a warm night the first fox and badger cubs may be tempted to emerge from their underground homes.