Daffodils which have finished flowering should be allowed to die back naturally and the leaves should not be mown, cut off or removed in any way as the bulb is now relying on the leaves to store up energy for the following season. A scattering of bone meal will also help. If you have clumps of daffodils which are not flowering as well as they used to do and you are getting masses of leaf it may be time to dig them up and separate the clumps of bulb because it is likely that they have become overcrowded and are too small to form a flower. Separating them will allow them to reach flowering size again. There may be other reasons for them not flowering such as large narcissus fly but check the bulb size first. Large narcissus fly damage will be evident by a single maggot within the bulb. Happy hunting!

Spring flowering bedding plants should be removed once they have finished flowering as they say a change is a good as a rest and you’ll have had enough of them by now.

You should be getting ready for planting summer bulbs such as lilies, gladioli, and begonia. Annuals such as Petunia, Begonia, Gazania and Busy Lizzies should be planted out now that the risk of frost has passed, along with your hanging basket arrangements. Conditions are also perfect for planting out you chosen young perennials.

A well known television presenter (Ok I think it was Monty Don) said in a recent programme that aphids (greenfly, blackfly etc) are not such a problem and in certain cases natural biological control will keep on top of them. However if they get out of hand they can cause bud distortion, transmit viruses and sooty moulds will grow on their honeydew. Therefore keep an eye on your plants, especially your roses and make sure you are stocked up on pest and diseases control products, your friendly garden centre will be able to advise if you are unsure what to do.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned the lawn yet, with the temperatures warming up (Hah!) the grass will be starting to grow quickly, especially if you overdid the fertiliser in April. So did you get the mower serviced? If not perhaps it would be a good idea before setting out on regularly mowing the lawn during the summer. Remember a little bit of feed every now and then will keep it green, weather permitting.

If you like the idea of a wildlife garden the simplest option is to let a corner of your garden grow, with silver bells and cockle shells but make sure it doesn’t upset your spouse (or the neighbours) otherwise you may be in for some serious hoeing and weeding. If planting for wildlife plant as many different species as possible because diversity is the name of the game and the more diverse the planting, the greater the number of insects and butterflies you are likely to attract.