April is a wonderful time in the garden – although it awakens slowly to the sun’s warmth, the small precious flowers that herald spring are particularly lovely – little jewel-like crocus opening to the sun and to the tiny solitary bees that seek their pollen; the delicate beauty of dainty wild daffodils, belying their ability to withstand fickle spring weather… The sweet-violets on a sunny bank attracting the sleepy attention of the first queen bumblebee, muzzily seeking nectar.
It seems to have been a long winter, but it is satisfying to know that the garden has been a haven during those chill, dark months. One of the simplest things that we do to help wildlife through the winter is delaying the big autumn tidy-up until winter is over. The dead plant matter and autumn leaves then provide an insulating blanket over the surface of the soil, providing a warm, dry home for ladybirds, woodlice, earwigs, and hundreds of other little creatures. Eughhh! I hear you say – Earwigs? Who wants them? Well, this is one of the most important concepts of wildlife gardening: earwigs and many of the other little un-glamorous creepy crawlies of the garden are essential food for many of the larger, prettier or more interesting creatures. So, hedgehogs, frogs, song thrushes, dunnocks, newts, and many more of these struggling creatures are all carnivores, and will be extremely happy to find a thriving source of creepy crawlies in your garden. I still remember with pride the first time I saw two songthrushes rummaging in the fallen field maple leaves in the garden in the depths of winter. They were doubtless after the earthworms, rising to the surface to retrieve autumn leaves to pull below and eat.
Sorry, but I can't resist more of Robert Browning's beautiful poem!
That 's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
Rapture indeed.