OUR BEAUTIFUL AND LUSH GREEN BRITAIN...

 It's lambing time in the UK at the moment, wherever you drive in the country side you see the tiny little lambs jumping around and following their mothers every move.

There's nothing quite like Britain in April as it reaches the end of Spring and everywhere looks so green and lush. I don't think anywhere in the world can beat our views at this time of year.

Imagine waking up to a view like this.... This year everywhere is even greener than ever after our very wet winter. It's typical April weather with April showers popping up most days but May is on the horizon and can be a great month for the weather in the UK.

BRITAIN IN BLOOM 2014...

Growing for Gold – 50 Years of Britain in Bloom!

To launch the 2014 RHS Britain in Bloom campaign and to celebrate Bloom’s golden anniversary, the RHS is encouraging community groups across the UK to plant golden pollinator-friendly flowers in public spaces this year.


The RHS is providing over 500,000 golden sunflower seeds to Britain in Bloom community groups across the UK to plant in their neighbourhoods.

They hope that groups will get involved by holding ‘Growing for Gold’ planting events between 14 – 20 April 2014, to coincide with the national launch activity for RHS Britain in Bloom.

Add your events to the National Gardening Week website to promote your work to thousands of potential new volunteers.


They hope that groups will sow their golden displays in a public space(s) where the local community can enjoy them. Please ensure that you have permission from whoever owns the land before planting.

THE GREAT BRITISH TELEVISION PROGRAMES...

We all enjoy the 'Great British' programes from the
'Great British Bake Off' to 'The Great British Sewing Bee' which is just about to finish.

Starting tonight for it's ninth series is 'The Great British Menu' on BBC2.

The first round of the competition starts where chefs around Britain go head to head for a chance to create a feast for this years chosen event, which is for a D Day Anniversary Banquet held at St. Paul's Cathedral. Many D Day veterans will also take part as judges, bringing their incredible experiences, personal memories and discerning taste buds to the judging chamber.

AIR POLLUTION PROBLEM HITS THE BRITISH NEWS ...

All over the papers and for that matter all over our cars in Britain for the last couple of days, has been a type of Sahara sand dust.

According to the BBC News 'People with health problems are being warned to avoid strenuous activity after forecasts that air pollution will reach high levels in parts of England'.

Defra issued warnings as high pollution levels were recorded on Tuesday.

The pollution - a mix of local and European emissions and dust from the Sahara - is forecast in parts of south England, the Midlands and East Anglia.

The elderly and those with lung or heart disease are among those warned against exercising outside.

In February, the European Commission launched legal proceedings against the UK for failing to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution.

On Wednesday, Defra (the Department for Food, Agriculture & Rural Affairs) admitted it was a "challenge" to meet air pollution targets near busy roads but said air quality had "improved significantly" in recent decades.

Even the Prime Minister, David Cameron's car was covered in the Sahara dust.

Defra has a 10-point scale for measuring air quality - with level one implying a "low" risk of air pollution and 10 warning of "very high" levels.

Levels are determined by the concentration of five pollutants in the air, including NO2, sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ozone.

High levels of air pollution are usually reached about five times a year, Defra said.

On Wednesday, levels were recorded at six - meaning moderate - in East Anglia and south-east England, with pollution readings reaching level five in London and areas of north-east England.

However, forecasters say pollution levels could reach high levels later in the day and on Thursday, before clearing on Friday.

The BBC weather centre said the highest recordings were likely to be in East Anglia and the East Midlands, while moderate to high air pollution levels were also forecast for large parts of southern and central England.