The abbey is in the village of Lode, six miles north east of Cambridge on the B1102.
There are always lots of planting ideas to be seen here, but to identify the numbered plants on display you need to buy a planting list before you take a tour of the gardens.

If you can pay a visit within the next couple of weeks be sure to take in the formal garden with the hyacinths on flower. Not only will they be a beautiful sight, but they will fill your sense of smell with their fragrance even as you approach. There are some 4,000 bulbs planted there and make a stunning display.

It's time to wake up your houseplants to spring. As more light enters the house the plants will use more water and feed. Gently increase the amounts you give of both.

It is not just the amount of heat that makes plants use more water. The fact that there is more light around means that the plant will use this energy to manufacture more food to make it grow.
In using this light energy effectively, the plant requires nutrients and water in ever greater quantities.

The type of feeds available for use on pot plants are many and varied.
I like the 'feed it and forget it' type that you need only apply once per season. These are often called temperature-controlled granules.
Other people prefer to feed every time they water using a liquid. All these products will perform if used according to the instructions.

Any plant in its natural habitat would normally grow more roots further out into the soil. In a pot this cannot happen so it is important to put something into the pot to help the plant look its best, rather than deciding on which one to use.

There is a difference between keeping a plant alive in a pot and actually growing a plant and keeping it looking fresh.
The wet weather has not been good for gardening. However, there is one answer – you could consider building raised beds so that you can work around them from the edges.

Vegetable plots work particularly well when created with raised beds.
With a bed measuring around 1.2m wide you can reach across and not need to tread on the soil. No paths mean you can plant more densely and make good use of ground.
There are gardeners who use these beds and believe the soil will be in better shape if the ground is never dug over. Sounds good to me! I suspect in practice, however, garden soil will need turning every now and again.

A raised bed will be better drained than surrounding ground. The only downside would be if we have a dry summer, when there may be a greater demand for water.

Make sure you have water storage available – set up a system for collecting rainwater.
There are some cunning attachments to be had for connecting drainpipes to water butts. They allow you to connect into the downpipe, come off with a hose and site your barrel anywhere you like, so long as the water level desired in the barrel is the same as the cut you make into your pipe.

Always leave enough room underneath to allow for a watering can to be filled from the tap. You could stand the butt on bricks or buy a purpose-made matching one, to ensure a can will fit underneath.
It all makes collecting rainwater that much easier and there is nothing better than rainwater for looking after your plants.