The hole in the lawn mystery, some long lost book by Agatha Christie or one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five adventures? No, something has been digging little holes in my front lawn, not deep, not that big but each morning there are more. Opening the curtains one night before heading for bed, there was the culprit just visible in the filtered light coming through the hedge from a street light.

It is hard to know where to start this week writing about the garden, so much is happening.

In the greenhouse I have nipped out the leading shoots of my dahlia seedlings so that they bush out, the cucumbers are taking off and the peppers have germinated at last. The petunias and alyssum that I pricked out have started to move on at a rate but the basil is very slow.

Outside in the garden the Exochorda The Bride is still starring, over 6 feet tall and wide it is stunning. The first rhododendrons are in flower, light pinks that were here when we arrived over 20 years ago and Rhododendron Luteum which has to be one of my favourites with its yellow and beautifully scented flowers. The tiny sweet scented violets are everywhere, again they were here before us and seed themselves everywhere but are a joy rather than a problem. Bluebells in their full glory and blue mists of forget-me-nots that seed themselves every year, I know some that think this a problem but for me they seem to complement all around them and if in the wrong place they are so easy to pull up.

The same can be said for Bowles Golden Grass or to give it its proper name Milium effusum 'Aureum'. The late Geoff Hamiltonbrought this to my attention many years ago and I struggled to find a specimen way back then when I suppose grasses were not such a design item as they are now. I would not be without it as it is an absolute ray of sunshine in the garden and goes well with most colours, one exception being yellow. I let mine seed and transplant it to wherever I think appropriate or just leave it where Mother Nature decided it would look best. The magnolia is still in flower and the pink apple blossom with its delicate scent has shown itself.

The sweet peas need to go into the ground but it has been too cold and would only set them back. The forecast this week is for dry and sunny weather so this is a job at the top of the list. They are bushing out nicely as I have been pinching out the tops and these morals have not gone to waste. We have a cockatiel and she absolutely loves eating sweet pea. They are intelligent birds and she recognises the direction from which I am coming as I walk past the conservatory window where she spends her days when the sun is not too strong. She dances up and down her perch shouting until I produce the treat from my pocket and then the eyes half shut in ecstasy as she tucks in.

And the mysterious vandal making holes in my lawn? A hedgehog, very welcome in my garden and I suppose he or she is helping to aerate my lawn.