Nature Notes with Richard Williamson

'Weeds' would shot the keepers of Hampton Court, Palkace of Versailles or the Oval lawns. 'Flowers' I would riposte, I have 30 or 40 different species on it.

Sixty years ago my lawn was the cottage vegetable patch when the head gamekeeper lived here. We let it go since the only crops that never failed were flints and slugs.

I mowed it once 35 years ago, mainly for the sake of the children so that they could play tennis or football with their friends. All the while the flowers were coming through.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette April 25