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-spring, covered in white flowers which, come the autumn, turn into deep red berries, or haws. They also make spectacular trees that reach about 5m in 10 years - although if left alone they can reach 18m. They're fantastically gnarly and twisted and every wild

marigolds, cosmos and agastache.Planted in one of the tree pits was some monarda, (commonly known as bee balm or bergamot). My partner hadn't seen these flowers before and the name was on the tip of my tongue. I smelled them to jog my memory and, instead

Christmas'Purple fountain grass is a real show-stopper. Best in its own tall container, it has graceful stems and red-tinged squirrel-tail flowers that fade to beige in autumn. It will need frost protection in winter.Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'Where to see

In the Horniman Museum Gardens earlier today and a brightly coloured butterfly caught my eye as it visited a low dandelion flower. I skulk up to it and discover a painted lady, Cynthia cardui. This is only the third I have seen this year.A native

it with one or several different varieties of thyme for a good mix of colour and flavours.April - MayJune - September20 minutesDwarf lavender, such as 'Kew Red' or 'Munstead'Thyme plants x5Hanging basketCompostWater-retaining crystalsSlow-release fertiliser

feeding, nesting and hibernation preferences. Tongue lengths determine which flowers the bees can feed on, so grow flowers with long corollas like red clover, honeysuckle and foxgloves to attract long-tongued bumblebees like the commmon carder (Bombus

It’s life and death out there on the ivy at the moment. The far corner of our garden is a sheltered sun-trap, and the fence is now smothered in ivy flowers. The air is thick with the heavy scent of the blossoms, and the lazy buzzing of insects

- Parrotia persica (Persian ironwood). Its flowers are always a surprise; tiny, deep red threads that seem to slowly push out their buds like hermit crabs squeezing from their shells. Parrotia is part of the witchazel family and makes a very spectacular small

loosens his plait.Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Rosea' - these persicarias also come in red and white.If you need more ideas then there is a great book called Late Summer Flowers by Marina Christopher (her nursery, Phoenix Perennial Plants is near Alton

pendular green flowers with attractive markings. Nidularium innocentii leaf rosette has a deep red centre. Aechmea fasciata has a silver rosette that contrasts with its sugar pink bracts, and Vriesea hieroglyphica leaves are densely mottled in purple