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and elegance of 'Karine' is unmatched. Its colour fits with almost anything, but is particularly good with bronze fennel foliage. Height 70cm.Papaver 'Karine'As straightforward a poppy as you could wish for. Easy to grow, its pink flowers form the classic poppy

from late summer to autumn, attracting bumblebees, honeybees, butterflies, moths and hoverflies.HebeA trusty, late-flowering favourite. The plant's pink flowers make the perfect landing pad for pollinators such as butterflies, moths, bumblebees

apples) from the 'pink-pink-pink' alarm call he uses when I'm putting the compost out. He also makes gurgling canary-like noises with his beak shut when he seems really content - much more melodious than his namesake.The robin's song is higher pitched

, pinks and yellowy greens.The nondescript green or brown caterpillar feeds on a huge range of native and cultivated plants, but it's usually very secretive and never a pest. It was sitting in its distinctive pose: head down body slightly raised with its

Moving some bricks around the shed yesterday revealed one of my favourite spiders. With a narrow reddish-pink body 25 mm long and long rather slender legs, there is no mistaking the 'woodlouse' spider, Dysdera crocata. It makes no web, but hunts

tail chopped off and then grew a new one. It was easy to spot with its delicate pink newly grown tail contrasting with the old dark purple body. We looked at it thoughtfully for a while, and let it go. I decided not to launch into a lecture on worm

, or show off their blooms with decorative mulches in pots.Our favourite varietiesThe rose-pink flowers of T. platystigma bear traces of orange running through the petals, becoming clearer towards the margins. Height 60cm.Tulipa platystigmaThis species

be, I doubt there are many who would mourn its loss from a wildlife perspective, and plenty who would celebrate the final demise of a pernicious triffid.But this vigorous tree does have some wildlife value, as host to one of Britain’s loveliest