Spring is here and lots is happening in the nature reserve near my house. The frogs were everywhere last week, but they are gone now. You may have noticed the nettles are new and extra stingy at the moment. Nettles don’t sting, the hairs on the nettles do. My dad crushed the hairs down and I had a bite! Primroses are very common at this time of year. They are pretty – usually yellow – flowers, so look while you can. Hazel leaves are young and small at this time of year. Hawthorn leaves are starting to come out, they are also young and small now. Sometimes people eat them. Some people call the leaves “bread and cheese” because of the taste, but I don’t think they taste like that. The ground elder is young and tender. My dad and I eat it. When cooked it tastes like spinach. Lots of other green leaves are pushing up. We saw lords-and-ladies. Their green, heart-shaped leaves have black spots. The plant will have beautiful red berries later in the year. The hogweed has light green leaves which I think look a bit like half of a snowflake. We found a big patch of coltsfoot. It is called that because they say it looks like a horse’s hoof, but I don’t agree. Alexandra, eight Read today’s other YCD piece, by Anna, 12: ‘What’s that droning noise coming from the river?’ Young Country Diary is published every fourth Saturday of the month. If you’d like to submit a piece, the form will reopen on Saturday 1 June for summer pieces