The old saying goes that spring is truly sprung when a maiden can put her foot on seven daisies. That is sure to be the case in the days ahead on the lawn, as these lovely little flowers start to really get going, popping up their cheery heads all over the place. The name daisy comes from ‘day’s eye’, which sums up this low growing plant perfectly. In the bright sunshine they spread their petals to catch the rays, but close them up when it is dull and overcast.

Dandelions have been showing themselves shyly for a few weeks now, but they will be producing their sun-like yellow flower heads in profusion soon. These beautiful, bold flowers would surely be cherished more if they were not so common. They are especially valuable to bees and hoverflies that are on the wing in early spring.

Wild parsnip (Pastinaca saliva) grows all over Britain on well drained grasslands and waste ground. It is most at home on alkaline chalky and limestone soils. Above ground, the flowers and foliage of the wild version are very similar to its well-bred, domesticated cousin. Indeed, biologically they are the same plant. However, selective breeding down the generations has differentiated them, and developed the fat root in one which is so popular in the kitchen.

Parsnips are native throughout Eurasia and have been eaten since ancient times. In fact until the sixteenth century, when potatoes arrived in Britain from the Americas, they were a staple part of the winter diet. Parsnips are rich in dietary fibre as well as numerous vitamins and minerals, especially potassium and calcium. It is exposure to cold temperatures which prompts starch in the root to become sugar. This desirable sweetness is the main reason why the advice traditionally is not to lift ‘snips until after the first frost.