I have travelled a few hundred miles across the UK this month - in London I was struck first by the intense displays of deep blue Ceanothus that seemed to explode along every residential street, then by the profusion of Wisteria, all so beautifully trained around windows and balconies. Twisting up, up and then dripping down with long and lazy pale mauve clusters. Wisteria - a real labour of love when it comes to the twice yearly elevated pruning.

Please let them survive this murderous wisteria scale insect that has been discovered invading London. It was brought over here on imported plants originating from China and in some instances can literally suck a plant to death!

Back to my travelling - Wales. I have seen drifts of our native bluebells carpeting woodland, but have never seen quite so many bluebells along the roadside. The verges were a blue haze punctuated with pink campion, white stitchwort, splashes of yellow from buttercup and cowslip (another plant making a welcome comeback) and then finished off with a frill of cow parsley lace-edging the country lanes. So heart-lifting.

Perhaps it is because I don’t travel far out of Shropshire during May (it IS a full-on gardening month!), but maybe it’s because this theme of floral abundance looks set to continue.

Have you noticed the Clematis montana this year as it spills over walls and climbs up trees? The Cercis siliquastrum (Judus Tree), the Laburnam, the Azalea? All fabulous and despite the rain, I am so enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of spring - especially in my own garden.

I guess this is why they hold The Chelsea Flower Show during May. Oops! Did I say that I wouldn’t mention Chelsea?