Stinging nettles are some of the first plants to appear in the hedgerows and fields in early spring along with the wild garlic. They are colonisers of wasteland, verges and streambanks, thriving in rich, disturbed soil. Some of our biggest patches grow on the sites of last year’s mole-hills and where the sheep had their midden.

Nettles have a bad reputation with gardeners due to their propensity to spread. However, they are the primary food source for the caterpillars of a large number of moths and butterflies, including the comma, small tortoiseshell and peacock, and in autumn provide plentiful seed for birds, so we scythe or strim only the worst patches to keep them in check.