Nice to know I’ve been ahead of the trend for cottage gardens since the first one I had with my late husband in 1982 (What’s the buzz? Why the cottagecore garden trend is great for bees and biodiversity, 5 April). None of the regimented, tidy rows with gaps needing weeding; every bit of soil is covered and there is colour from early January’s first snowdrops right through to the last roses in December. A haven for birds, bees, butterflies, my dog and me.
Sharman Finlay
Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
If we don’t know whether or not fish can feel pain (Letters, 7 April), surely the right thing to do is err on the side of caution? To think that they might feel pain and continue doing what we do is so obviously wrong.
Dave Gunner
Copthorne, West Sussex
All this talk of solving imaginary crosswords (Letters, 7 April) reminds me of a visit to the Lake District in the 1970s. I walked past a house that I learned belonged to the astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle. “Ah yes”, said the barman in the local pub, “Sir Fred and a friend of his often sit over there playing mental chess.” I was very impressed.
Stephen Newbould
Birmingham
On 2 November, in the spirit of recent correspondence, shouldn’t we celebrate 14,600 days since Steve Bell’s first If … cartoon rather than 40 years (Letters, 8 April)?
Toby Wood
Peterborough
