Despite unpredictable weather, the blossom was a joy starting with blackthorn, then ornamental and wild cherry, apple and finally the May Blossom of the Hawthorn, writes H.W. in her monthly column.

Despite most of us disregarding the saying “don’t cast a clout until May is out” as temperatures soared to 26 degrees, suddenly May Bank Holiday brought a wintry cold wind, causing us to reach for our jumpers again!

Wildlife responded to longer days with bats swooping around the house and a few butterflies to be seen. Orange Tip seeming to be the first, then a few Small Blue, Gatekeeper and Red Admiral, but good numbers of the brown female Demoiselle dragonfly.

The bees got busy as soon as the weather warmed up and as the hives filled with eggs and larvae, overcrowded colonies could decide to swarm. Action to prevent this had to be immediate.

So ending up with more hives to manage, when the present ones were already enough!

The first honey of the season was not far off, meaning lots of space needed in the garden room. Myself and my overwintering geraniums were politely asked to move out.

All the tender Geraniums had been moved on to the porch wall, tomatoes out on the patio table, when lo and behold two degrees was forecast at the beginning of May and the temperamental tomatoes were hurried back in to the warmth.

The greenhouse was chock a block with plants growing on until safe to put them out.

Amongst the pots of plants standing out on the concrete base outside, I found little piles of dandelion heads which had gone to seed.

I thought they were probably gathered by voles, and a few days later I saw two baby voles emerge from a tussock of grass by the concrete. They were so cute despite being the creature that eats my bulbs and seedlings!

In the orchard, I was at first dismayed to see a forest of Hog weed. Not really what you envisage in a wild flower meadow.

As May progressed, I could see the parasitic Yellow Rattle, so that was a good start to reduce the vigour of the grass, and gradually the daintier flowers of Meadow Cranesbill and Birds Foot trefoil began to emerge.

So we had achieved some semblance of a wild flower meadow though coarse grasses still dominate. Hopefully the insects appreciate our efforts.

As I drove home one evening following a welcome period of rain after a dry couple of weeks, the view in the headlights was filled with insects, probably the small mosquitoes we get near the stream.

Bats were swooping about as I opened the door to let the dog out and something crashed into my head torch which I thought was a hornet - something I wasn’t keen on attracting!

It must have been a Maybug though as the next morning with a great humming of wings it was crashing about in the windowsill until I could release it. The rain brought out the wild life as well.