Most people brought up in a rural area will be familiar with the king-cup, even if they do not know its name, or they mix it up with one of its relatives. It is sometimes known as a marsh marigold and this is not a bad name in the sense that this plant is often found growing in marshy ground.

It forms a bushy plant, about 30cm tall, or a bit more if the plant is big. It has thick, fleshy stems and leaves – these are rounded and often a bit floppy. Its fleshiness is a sign that it is used to having a plentiful supply of water to maintain it.

The native wild plant is quite common in most parts of the country and often appears in abundance in areas suited to it – wet, marshy ground. It is very bitter to taste and contains poisonous substances, but animals generally do not touch it and only do so if they are very hungry.

The wild plants are usually left undamaged, except by trampling, and being perennial they persist for many years. It is called a king-cup because it’s the largest of the buttercups and is a member of the buttercup family. The king-cup is a lot like the ordinary buttercups and their near relatives. There are lots of kinds of buttercups, such as the meadow buttercup, which is tall and appears in great swathes in damp meadows that have not been sprayed for weeds.

The other common buttercup is the creeping buttercup, which is the one that appears in gardens in flower beds and other places, sending out low runners to speedily colonise new ground. It can grow in dry ground but thrives in heavy, damp soil. Another relative that appears very commonly in gardens is the lesser celandine. It is called lesser because it is smaller than the greater celandine, or chelidonium, even though the two plants only have yellow flowers in common and are in different families, chelidonium being part of the poppy family. An unusual buttercup, with white floating flowers and stems, is the crowfoot that grows in shallow, unpolluted streams.

The celandine is one of the first wild flowers of spring, often starting with a few flowers in February. The flowers are those of a true buttercup, rounded petals and a neat cup shape, that opens out fully flat on a sunny spring day – the better to attract pollinating insects.

Celandine likes heavy ground and can do nicely under a high tree canopy or in the open. It even manages to get going in lawns. It can be very pretty in a natural garden setting, but it can also be a pernicious weed if it is allowed to get established, re-establishing from seeds and tiny tubers that fall off during weeding.

The king-cup is a much more well-behaved plant and for that reason it is used as a garden flower. It forms a neat clump covered with bright yellow flowers.

The wild form (see picture) is not seen much in gardens – the double-flowered form being preferred. This has larger flowers, but they often flop down and they lack the elegance of the wild form. Either kinds are best planted at the edge of a pond, in wet mud and sunshine.

Lawn moss

Because of the late autumn and mild early winter, moss growth has been very strong this year and in many cases lawns are carpeted with moss. This often becomes obvious only when the lawn is mown.

Moss is favoured during the damp part of the year and competes with grass for light. It is more prevalent on damp soil and in shaded areas, and it thrives in the damper parts of the country. Try to reduce shading and improve drainage, if possible. Sulphate of iron is a good mosskiller when applied in sufficient amounts – about 10g per square metre or more. When the moss has been knocked back, the grass should get a feed of high-nitrogen fertilizer to help it out-compete the moss.

Fruit, veg & herbs

Control weeds around fruit trees and bushes. Sow vegetable seeds if conditions allow and the soil is dry enough to till. If not, it’s better to wait for the right conditions. Onion sets can be put in now and potatoes can be planted at any time.

Flowers

Gladioli and dahlias can be planted directly outdoors from the middle of the month. Wait longer in the colder localities. Lilies can also be potted up for summer flowers. It’s too late to sow bedding flowers. Wait and buy plants in May.

Trees, shrubs & roses

Bush roses and repeat-flowering climbers are growing strongly and should be sprayed soon against blackspot disease. Evergreen trees and shrubs, both broad-leaved and coniferous, can be planted as the sap is rising and they will root quickly. Watering them well at planting and two weeks later.

Lawn

Lawns need feeding in most cases as growth has been slow. Mowing should be well under way. Use lawn mosskiller if there is heavy moss growth. If new areas of lawn are to be sown, the ground should be cultivated. If there are weeds present, these could be sprayed off first.

Greenhouse & house plants

Plant out greenhouse tomatoes, peppers and chillies if you have raised plants or purchased them, only a few are needed. Feed and water all greenhouse plants, if not already done. Around the middle of the month, sow sweetcorn and runner beans for planting outdoors at the end of May, after the danger of frost has passed.