Have you seen as many butterflies this year? I haven't — even on buddleia plants

Stop and 'smell the roses' — no matter what's growing in your garden

Tortoiseshell butterflies on a buddleia bush at Seven Heads, West Cork — are there fewer butterflies around this year?

Many of us are, undoubtedly, spending time in gardens this bank holiday. And why wouldn’t we! After all, gardens and gardening are good for our health, surveys show.

There’s the almost primaeval joy of seeing tiny seeds that we plant push through the earth and eventually bloom. Gardening has soared in popularity since the Covid lockdown, with spending of €1.5 billion last year, according to Bord Bia.