Shelve this
A plant stand is a great way to display your tinier treasures – potted snowdrops in late winter, dwarf narcissi in spring, succulents in summer – without taking up much room in the garden. You can customise and paint a small wooden bookcase or stepladder, just make sure you secure it to a wall to guard against toppling over. Black will really make the blooms stand out.
Study this
If you can’t tell a red-tailed bumblebee from a marmalade hoverfly, a new citizen science project is on hand to help you learn about pollinators. Families, schools and other community groups can sign up to the Polli:nation survey to record sightings on their local patch, spotting bees and beetles and finding out how to make green spaces pollinator-friendly. Details at opalexplorenature.org/polli-nation.
Plant this
Put semi-trailing begonia ‘Glowing Embers’ in a window box, hanging basket or pot for a fiery display from July to October. Height and spread: 30cm x 30cm. Buy three jumbo plug plants for £9.99 or nine for £19.99 (plus £4.95 p&p per order). To order, call 0330 333 6790, quoting ref GU535, or go to our Readers’ Offers page. Dispatched within four to six weeks.
