Now's a good time to plant spring flowering shrub loved by wildlife

There are some plants that are so reliable we can take them for granted. These are the unsung heroes in countless gardens up and down the country and it's worth taking a closer look at them to renew our appreciation.

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The flowering currant Ribes sanguineum comes to mind - every April you can depend on it to put on a brilliant display of pink blossoms, alongside the yellow flowers of forsythia.

It's an easy going deciduous shrub that's happy in most well drained soils from acidic to alkaline. You'll get the best flowers in full sunshine but it does tolerate some shade.

The pretty small rose-pink flowers hang in drooping clusters and provide welcome early sustenance for pollina-tors. These are followed by purple fruits - not as tasty as black or red currants but they will be eaten by your local bird population.