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Close-up of two Blue tits (Parus caeruleus) on a bird-feeder, a very common and charming visitor to gardens throughout Britain

In the news....

There’s been more than the usual flutter around the bird table this week as it emergedÌý. Researchers found feeding wild birds after the breeding season starts affects their behaviour and may skew natural breeding patterns.Ìý

So, asks ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Nature’s Jeremy Torrance, do we empty our bird feeders at the end of March – or follow the ? The jury, it seems, is still out, though the general consensus is ‘don’t stop yet’. While everyone’s working out what to do, you could always practice telling the difference between chaffinches and chiffchaffs with help from the Garden Birds collection on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s Wildlife Finder.

The government-sponsored , launched just before Christmas to bring more trees to towns and cities, is gathering quite a head of steam: nearly 2,000 trees in the ground, an eyewatering 165,000 or so to go. And under another urban greening initiative, , an instant forest of 10,000 trees is springing up this week at Roding Valley Park in north-east London, thanks to an army of 400 or so volunteers. London Mayor Boris Johnson’s hands will be among the blistered.

Elsewhere on the web...

Ah yes I know all you can see out of the window is howling gales and horizontal rain. And that’s if you’re lucky and the white stuff hasn’t come back. But – you mark my words - spring is in the air.

Don’t believe me? Haven’t got that spring feeling yet? The latest visit to Carol Klein’s garden at Glebe Cottage in Devon should change your mind (Life in a Cottage Garden, Fridays at 8.30 on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two). I’m still basking in the warmth of yesterday evening’s feast of snowdrops, celandines and seed-sowing (as is ). If that doesn’t put you in the mood I don’t know what will.

If you need evidence, snowdrops (Galanthus elwesii, in this case) are : surely a candidate for this year’s first-snowdrop-of-the-year award. ; while Stephanie – aka the Enduring Gardener - has . It’s the ever-resilient Rosa banksiae ‘L³Ü³Ù±ð²¹â€™, in case you fancy some winter roses for yourself.

Out and about...
There’s nothing quite like stomping about in hobnail boots while whacking sticks and having a good sing-song to get the blood circulating, so if you’re in need a midwinter pick-me-up get yourself along to the . This ancient tradition sings away winter and, they say, encourages the trees to produce a bumper crop for autumn. Hobnail boots optional.

For something altogether more genteel, take a virtual stroll around some of our most spectacular gardens and parks without leaving the warmth of : their photographic exhibition of the parterres, potagers and parklands owned by English Heritage starts on Friday.

Or join the tropical butterflies emerging from their chrysalises in the glasshouses at . This spectacular annual event creates a living kaleidoscope of colour as the vivid wings of the butterflies flutter among Wisley’s sumptuously lush tropical plant collections. Plus, it’s really warm in there: the perfect escape from a dreary January day.