Welcome

The afternoons are lengthening, the difference in how long it stays light is now perceptible – to us, and to our plants. It won’t be long until office at 5.30pm, which is always the point I really feel spring’s properly under way, the first time we open the office door and it’s no longer dark outside. Then, and also when spotting the first tulips in bloom, of course. Feast your eyes on the cheering vision of masses of these colourful bulbs in gardens such as near Abergavenny, where they pop up in dewy meadow grass, or in Dorset where ranks of the brightest are just waiting to be cut and taken into the house. Meanwhile, learn how to create your own ‘pro’ tulip displays with advice from Anne Olivieri at Worcestershire’s , gearing up for its second Tulip Festival weekend.