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Spring signals the start of the pollen season. Around 16 million people in the UK suffer from hay fever.  Keeley Donovan investigates why hayfever is on the increase and how we could better predict this painful time of year.  She also see what changes we can make closer to home by teaming up with a low-allergy gardener.

The white chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head on the east Yorkshire coast are a visual treat as far as the eye can see.  But what make this dramatic coastline extra special are the birds. RSPB Bempton Cliffs reserve has been nicknamed ‘sea bird city’. It’s the UK’s largest mainland seabird colony and Margherita Taylor catches up with Reserve Manager, Keith Clarkson, to see how numbers are faring now the birds have returned to breed this spring.

After spending a long winter indoors, turning out cattle in spring is a highlight in the farming calendar. Devon beef farmer, Phil Heard, is one of only a small number of farmers in Britain keeping the tradition of cattle driving by horseback alive.  In late spring, Phil moves his herd of Welsh Black cattle on to the top of Dartmoor.  Jules Hudson takes to the saddle to help Phil drive his herd of Welsh Black cattle six miles out on the moors where they’ll spend the summer grazing.

The New Forest National Park is one of the best places for witnessing wildlife in Britain.  It’s home to more than one hundred species of bird and nearly half of those birds are ground nesting.  Spring is the start of their breeding season but being on the ground makes them vulnerable to predation and disturbance especially from dogs off their leads.  Keeley Donovan joins Andy Page from the Forestry Commission to discover just how easy it is to overlook nests and chicks. While Jules Hudson put his dog Teddy through his paces on a course designed to test how efficient dog walkers are at recalling their pooches to prevent dogs disturbing nests. 

James Wong heads down to the woods on the trail of one of our best loved wildflowers; the native bluebell.  There he discovers that there’s more to this pretty little flower than meets the eye.  He joins chemist Dr Vera Thoss in her bluebell garden.  Vera is unlocking the secrets of the bluebell in the hope of finding disease beating chemicals.  James helped her gather some flowers and was shown how to extract these vital chemicals.   He heads back into the woods where he catches up with artist Jane Bell.  And he has a gift for Janet, an unusual pigment; essence of bluebell!

It’s the culmination of Paul Martin’s spring to do list on his Wiltshire smallholding.  Paul set out with ambitious plans to turn his country abode into wildlife haven and to grow food for the family. He introduced a flock of Wiltshire Horn sheep to mow the grass, a colony of honeybees to pollinate the newly planted traditional orchard and gave his Victorian pond a makeover to encourage an array of wildlife.  Over the course of the spring, Paul has peppered the gardens, paddocks and even the pond with camera traps and today he discovers exactly what wildlife has visited his land.

Padstow May Day is like no other. It is an event that is shrouded in mystery and involves two ‘Osses’ – stylised recreations of horses -  twirling through the streets of Padstow. Ellie Harrison joined the crowd and met cultural historian Doc Rowe to find out more about this colourful celebration. Peter Prideaux-Brune, owner of Prideaux Place, gave Ellie a special invitation to watch the Blue Ribbon ‘Oss dance through the historic house.