n GARDENING Gardensand people - come out of hibernation

IT never ceases to amaze me how quickly the months come around, and here we are, in March again.

We can all breathe a collective sigh of relief, not just that winter is over, much as I like the cold bits, but that there is the greatest season of change just around the corner.

As the plants are starting to come out of hibernation, so are we, and with that we need to remember the joy that comes from the simplest social interaction, as we start bumping into people when we’re out and about again.

Each time I’ve walked past my pond recently there has been a flurry of activity as an army (the official collective noun) of frogs all make a dash for cover. This means that in a matter of days there’ll be a pond full of spawn, another seasonal marker.

Over the winter I took the time to clear the yellow flag iris that had been left to its own devices as well. This is a common plant that, when it gets going, will fill the space that it’s given, in our case crowding out the nymphaea that looks so lovely over the summer.

Apart from the work to clear the pond I’ve left the garden to its own devices for the last few months, and the really cold snap has done for many of our plants that can usually take a bit of a beating.

We have a large euphorbia characias that was due for a heavy prune this year anyway but has no foliage left at all. And several grasses look like they’ve taken a turn for the worse.

This, however, is an opportunity, not a loss. A garden is an evolving thing, and something that we need to expect to drastically change; nothing lives forever.

One of the hardest things can be to remove an established plant, but if the vision is there then the act will only be for the better, and you’ll often wonder why it took you so long.

As I sit here enjoying the last of the dark evenings, listening to the radio, I have time to think of the jobs that are ahead of me when I can finally work outside again this month:

• Mulch and hoe or hand-pick weeds, as they’ll be starting to grow with vigour

• Deadhead daffodils as they fade, but leave the foliage to die naturally.

City Gardener with Tim Barton

• Remove netting from ponds left to protect against leaf fall

• Plant roses and to prune established ones before the leaves unfurl

• Sow broad beans, celeriac, leeks, onions, lettuce, spinach, peas, early brassicas, coriander. Why not try something odd? You never know what might happen.

• Divide overgrown perennials

• Give your lawns a first cut - make sure you start on a long setting

• If you’ve cornus (dogwood) or salix (willow) then cut them now, so that you have fresh growth for a good winter display later

• Slugs and snails are going to be on the hunt for food, so keep an eye on fresh young seedlings.

Bike Repairs

Bike Servicing

n FRIENDS OF EASTVILLE PARK

THE keen-eyed park goers among you will have spotted signs of spring popping up here and there in Eastville Park, from the first buds on the trees to the snowdrops in the play area, and greenery preparing for March flowers.

Winter can be a tough time; the dark evenings and chill in the air can leave us feeling drained, but the return of light and flowers in early spring certainly lifts my spirit.

Volunteers to regular social prescribing Parkwork sessions have planted bulbs along the park near Fishponds Road, renovated the tired Old Swimming Pool garden, and picked up some of the litter the less responsible park users leave behind.

Working together and getting outside helps people tackle mental health struggles and, in doing so, creates a welcoming park for all.

We all need a bit of greenery, a break from the city to ease stress, escape the air pollution and calm the mind, so look out for the new trees that have been planted in Everest Road field on your next walk or commute.

The trees were planted through the One Tree Per Child scheme and help build a connection to nature, provide habitat and resilience to a changing climate.

You can find more information on the Bristol City Council website at bit.ly/3xQzYWb.

Many people make their cycle commute through the park to escape the air pollution, especially now the clean air zone has come online.

However, be aware of a spate of bike thefts from around the park area, with the thieves escaping through the park on stolen bikes.

Check your bikes are locked to something secure, even inside a bike shed or garage, register your bike on Bikeregister.com and consider further security, such as CCTV or alarms.

Night patrols have increased, but do pass on any helpful information to Avon and Somerset police.

In happier news, the play area renovations have attracted multiple bids and the council are now busy sorting through contracts.

As soon as we hear more, including the installation dates, we’ll let you know - but it’s great to finally turn the CIL funding bid from five