I'm getting a bit worried about my asparagus too. I've ten crowns but only one is sending up spears, we've had five lovely fat ones of that plant, but there is no sign of any of the others. I'm on slug patrol every night and it isn't that, so I'm wondering if the cold winter has killed them off, or ...

It is normal for rhubarb to flower like any plants. Just cut off the flowers so it doesn't waste energy like everyone says.

Heard the first cuckoo here in Yorkshire yesterday and my friend heard one three days ago on her farm. One year when I was a little girl a pair of Dunnocks were caring for a cuckoo chick at the top of our garden. It was enormous and they were frantically dashing about and stuffing food into its huge...

Pity it wasn't yesterday, I could have done a quick streak round the garden and hope the shock would have made the scaffolding man fall off the platform. He's been singing the first line of the same song for the last three days, it's a wonder his fellow workmen haven't chucked him off the top.

Hi Primrose, It is a shame your duck is causing problems, but perhaps it is eating lots of slugs too.

My dilemma has been solved for me. My friend phoned last week to say the fox had eaten all the ducks when her husband forgot to fasten them up for the night. Very sad.

Mine came yesterday too. I'm still reading the May edition since it is only just May.

Success - nice tall scones, thanks John. I tried rolling it out and cutting the scones after it had risen and rolling it out first and letting the cut scones rise and I think the latter were better. Both tasted good though and didn't last very long especially when topped with home made seedless rasp...

I'll let you know what condition they are at the end of the season. I know fleece isn't as strong as net or mesh, but it looks quite thick compared to some other fleece I have. Anyway, as you say I can always make some new ones as I have loads of spare fleece handy. They are doing a good job so far.

I've just read the article in May's KG on tunnel cloches, and would like to say how pleased I am with my Haxnix ones, I bought two fleece and one net cover at the bargain price of £14.99 each from the garden centre and they are brilliant. Easy to erect and fasten down, closing ends and one point the...

I quite agree Barney, if I want to find anything out I read a book, look on the internet, forums etc or to on a specific course lead by professionals. The present gardening programmes are so phoney they are irritating. I do enjoy the articles written by Head Gardeners in the magazine, (is it KG, or ...

Thanks for the recipe, I may just give it a try if I can bring myself to plunge them into boiling water, although I would think cooking them for 40 minutes would make them a bit tough. Someone once gave me a plate of winkles to eat and it was like chewing car tyre. I did catch some beauties last nig...

Thank you John, I've always wondered how the bought scones come out tall while my home made ones are always flatter. I'm going to try your method this weekend and hope for the best.

Pat

I've had three more slug hunts this week and have caught over 300 each night, and last night being warmer and wet brought out the most enormous snails I've ever seen - golf ball size. Wonder what they would be like with garlic butter? Ugh. Anyway, while I was at the Harrogate Spring Garden Show on T...

We've had lots of large bumble bees for a few weeks now, I think three different kinds, a very large yellow and black one, one with a red bottom and a smaller one with much paler stripes.

This week there have been a few hive type bees too. I've not seen any Mason bees yet though.

Why do people (men) have to make so much noise when they are outside? I've just been enjoying the first nice warm gardening day this year when first of all a lorry full of scaffolding appears over the wall. So there has been banging and crashing and the men shouting over the noise they are making, t...