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of that fabulous scent: the philadelphus, or mock orange.There are a number of different varieties, all deciduous with white flowers and unremarkable foliage. In the first garden I had that actually possessed any soil (the first two were just concrete yards) I

the dog from The Magic Roundabout) tucking into a blackfly colony on my runner beans. Most recently I met a very special species indeed: an orange ladybird. It was hibernating in a pine tree in my local park. What a find.The orange ladybird is only special

I recently spent a few days in Barcelona. The orange trees growing there were laden with fruit and looked stunning in the February sunshine. I loved seeing them growing outside in the streets, though admit to having felt a pang of jealousy on behalf

ripened and Richard Cox took the pips from the apple marked by his wife and sowed them in the garden. Most did not survive but two seedlings flourished. One became the very first specimen of 'Cox's Orange Pippin', which is probably the most popular apple

, three came along at once.A green-veined white, Pieris napi, was the first to appear, fluttering down to examine the mock orange flowers. This is probably the most widespread of the ‘cabbage’ whites, since it occurs commonly throughout the British Isles

In the bright heat of this week's baking sunlight, a buzz of black and orange fur announces the arrival of what I think is one our cuddliest hoverflies. Merodon equestis is a large (12 - 15mm long), stout, bumblebee mimic, and although not quite

Last week I found vine weevils on the rim of the pot my orange tree lives in. It stands next to my 'nursery' of seedlings, so potentially hundreds of plants could be affected. The adults cause little damage, save for a few nibbles on the edges

The temperatures are dropping and the hill opposite where I live is a magical mix of golden, yellow, orange and bronze, as all the trees, largely oak and beech, are showing their autumn colours.It is a sight that is a pleasure to see, even though I

, it boasts the most spectacular colour. The leaves are 70 shades of scarlet, and they contrast with the extraordinary orange seeds and pink seed-pods. The whole plant makes an eyeball-searing spectacle - almost hallucinogenic.In parts of the USA, Euonymus

up.MayMay - September30 minutesRudbeckia hirta 'Toto' x5Gazanias, yellow and orange-coloured x5Long metal troughCrocksMulti-purpose compostFill a metal trough with crocks to help drainage, then top up with a layer of multi-purpose compost