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hydrangeas, but this year they are undoubtedly pink.'Blue Wave' has always been so reliable, but now it's not living up to its name.Hydrangeas exhibit a chameleon-like characteristic, changing flower colour according to the type of soil they're growing in

They've been developing bit by bit for weeks, teasing me with glimpses of their pink petticoats. Finally last week, my first camellia of the year opened fully to show off its golden anthers, set off to perfection against the delicate frill of pink

in colourful mixtures, but I love growing varieties in a single colour. 'Candy Stripe' has white flowers with a pink, picotee edge, while bicoloured 'Daydream' has a deeper rose-pink centre, fading to white at the edges. For reds try 'Pied Piper Red' or the new

thing, it has continued growing strongly to dominate this display. Yes it's tender, but I could take cuttings now to keep young plants through winter on a warm, bright windowsill. The contrast in colour between the cream-and-pink-veined upper surface

will hopefully be as big as theirs!I think some varieties have rather wishy-washy flowers, like 'September Charm', whose blooms are pale pink; I prefer either a pure white flower, like 'Honorine Jobert', or something providing a deep, rich, colour. 'Pamina

Rose Shades (from Mr Fothergill's seeds), producing a simple, single rosette in shades of rose pink. They only grow to about 45cm, so I've planted them closely to form a carpet between some standard Bonica roses in a complimentary shade. The marvellous

, wavy, pale pink petals.I don't want to be accused of neglect, but nerine really does like to be left undisturbed in the same pot for many years to get really pot bound. The bulbs slowly divide and multiply, and as the new bulbs mature and flower your

of green foliage with flower buds developing at the tip of each. The pink form of oleander is possibly the most commonly seen abroad, but I've chosen the white form. The flowers don't last long, but there are always more coming, and it continued to bloom

business, but I remember pouring over old Kelways catalogues, crammed with colour plates of pristine fields with row upon row of pink, purple, white and red peonies. How I would love to have seen them. People must have travelled miles for a peony pilgrimage

long, gradually fading with age. 'Roma' adds a lovely pink to the display, but there are lots of other equally generous astrantias available in greens, whites and deep reds. Some even offer variegated foliage, but this isn't really to my taste