The transformation that takes place from week to week at this time of year at the allotments is so rapid that it is hard to know what to expect as I turn the corner and view the full length of my plot.

The lush greens are broken up by a bank of frothy irises which multiply each year and are happy with the damp conditions on the site.

The comfrey is growing vigorously, towering above everything around it and is alive with bees buzzing in and out of its purple, scented flowers. Comfrey is a native perennial which can be used to make plant feed or as a mulch, as it has very deep roots which mine a host of nutrients from the soil.

Once the bees have had a chance to do their work and other plants are coming into flower, I will cut the long stems and place them along the rows of potato plants, which have been earthed up once already.

So far the seedlings are doing well, especially in the raised beds, although the runner beans have attracted blackfly. The threat of potato and tomato blight is looming while the damp conditions persist and all the plot-holders have been warned to swiftly demolish any plant that is showing signs of sickness.

The pond has a good population of newts (below) as this is their breeding season and they lay their eggs in the water.

I sighted four as I peered into the murky shallows. These are smooth newts, which is the most common species, and the male is covered with black spots while the female is a plainer brown colour. Newts are shy creatures and they look small and delicate compared to the fully-grown frogs that are a familiar sight, quietly sitting in damp corners around the plots.

However, I noticed that there were no tadpoles in the pond, which may well be due to the spawn being taken as food by their fellow amphibians.