These days pieris is looking wonderful as both its flowers and its young shoots are on show. The flowers are white, shaped like little cowbells and carried in drooping clusters.

The clusters are up to 15cm long with several usually carried together. The flowers are mostly pure white, although there are red and pink forms. They sparkle in the spring sunshine, perfectly set off by the dark glossy evergreen leaves.

The mature leaves are about 10cm long or a bit more and are narrow and pointed. They are held along the twigs and in a rounded tuft at the end of the twigs, which is where the flower bunches are located. This positioning ensures that flowers are well-displayed when they appear.

The new shoots are located close to the tip and are also well-displayed. They are as eye-catching as the flowers, perhaps even more so, and lend the plant its common name of flame-of-the-forest, covering the top of the plant with bright red leaves. The two decorative features appear together and make a great combination. Pieris has only become common in ordinary gardens in the last two or three decades. It was occasionally planted in large big-house gardens, easily making four metres, sometimes six metres or more. Specimens of this size are very impressive – the red young foliage like a beacon.

The variety that made pieris so popular for gardens is Forest Flame. Its young leaves are red at first and then turn to pink and later cream, before finally turning green.

Other varieties have followed. Firecrest is a beauty with white flowers and bright red leaves, and Wakehurst is similar, both more vigorous and making a bigger bush than Forest Flame. Purity has lovely white flowers. Its young leaves are green and it is not a big grower.

Mountain Fire puts out its flowers in March and is much-visited by bumblebees but does not produce its new shoots until May. These shoots are a rich glossy red-brown colour, not bright red like many others. It normally produces a second set of red-brown leaves in summer, while most of the others do not or, at best, produce a scattering. Valley Valentine and Passion have red flowers. Valley Rose and Blush are pink. Though very pretty, they are not as good at showing off the red young shoots.

Pieris flowers are larger than those of heather but of a similar shape and the plant is part of the heather family. Being part of the heather family, the Ericaceae needs to be grown in acid soil. If the soil is limy, dig in a couple of wheelbarrows full of garden compost or pine needles, which help to acidify it. Iron sulphate can be spread each spring at 30gm per square metre. This can be discontinued after a few years when the soil has been acidified.

A mulch of rotted leaves will also help to acidify the soil. Pieris can be grown in a large pot in acid soil and lime-free compost. The plant will be fine in a pot for about a decade if regularly watered and fed with a lime-free liquid plant food, but then the pot tends to fill with roots.

Pieris is hardy in most areas but some kinds can be killed inland in a hard frost. Pieris is generally not pruned but actually takes pruning very well if it is getting too big. This pruning can be done in spring – the new growth not being completely lost, but delayed certainly.

Apple Blossom

Apple trees flower in May, some a bit earlier or later than others. The later ones generally miss the spring frosts. During flowering, it is essential that the flowers are visited by pollinating insects because apple pollen is heavy and sticky and needs an insect vector to carry it to the next tree. Most apple trees need pollen from another tree to set fruit. It is important not to do any spraying that might affect bees, which are scarce anyway. But there are lots of other insects that can help too. If apple trees must be sprayed for apple scab disease, wait until after flowering.

Trees, shrubs & roses

Forsythia, flowering currant, kerria and spring spirea might need pruning now, but this is only necessary if they are getting too large or need to be reshaped. Spray roses against blackspot disease.

Flowers

Watch for slug and snail damage to susceptible plants. Begonias can be potted up for greenhouse and indoor decoration while dahlias and corms of gladiolus can be planted out.

Fruit, veg & herbs

Thin out veg of a suitable size. Sowing of veg can continue if the ground is dry, especially of maincrop veg such as carrots, broccoli and peas. Repeat sowings of those sown early can take place. Sow cabbage and cauliflower for winter.

Lawn

Grass growth in lawns has picked up after all those chilly days. Lawns that got some feed are growing rapidly but others have not done badly either. Take care of the edging jobs now before the grass gets long.

Greenhouse & house plants

Feed and water all house and greenhouse plants to get good growth before mid-summer. Houseplants can be re-potted. Plant out melon and cucumber plants if not already done.