I love watching the gradual greening of bankside weeping willow, their bright green foliage seeming to glow against a springtime blue sky.

I also enjoy the golden catkins of ‘pussy’ willow (pictured), their nectar-rich catkins attracting bumble bees while squirrels spend much time at the top of the willows feasting on the catkins and their copious nectar.

Then at the beginning of March pure white blossom of cherry plum open, thus heralding the beginning of spring along hedgerows. Before that, delicate pink and white flowers of winter-flowering cherry line roadsides and front gardens.

Later in March comes blackthorn and if the blossom opens during a spell of chilly easterly winds the spring was known as a ‘blackthorn winter’.

The spiky bush provides ideal habitat for nesting birds. Early insects out of hibernation can be seen sipping nectar from the flowers on sunny days.

It is thought that blackthorn may be the origin of cultivated damson and plum.

Two rather late summer-loving butterflies, the black hairstreak and brown hairstreak, lay eggs on blackthorn twigs and the caterpillars hatch the following spring.

That old romantic Saint Valentine was well wide of the mark with his theory about birds choosing mates on February 14. Most species paired up weeks or months ago.

Blackbirds, robins and the tit family are now ready for the off. Mallard swim in couples before Christmas and larger birds such as swans pair for life.