Cherish cherries while you can

It's the start of the outdoor sowing and planting season for many crops - leeks, beetroot, radish, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, onions,, spinach, cabbage, artichoke, broad beans, swiss chard, peas and spinach.

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The cherry trees are starting to flower, the beginning of one of the most beautiful annual displays. Ordinary streets are transformed into exquisite vistas as these trees become clouds of pink and white flowers. It's a short season and a time to be savoured.

In Japan, where the cherry tree is revered, their blossom-ing is celebrated and families, friends and colleagues picnic beneath the flowering canopies. This tradition is known as 'hanami' or flowering viewing and was originally a practice for the elite, but it is now a nation-wide event. The flower's fleeting nature symbolises the transience of our existence.