I have a massive pieris in my front garden and it’s gorgeous. When the rest of the garden is wild and overgrown, the pieris is stunning, especially in the spring.

I think it’s other name is Forest Flame. It’s very pretty. The leaves, usually green, with fine blondish veins, turn bright red, and tiny little white baubles sit around the top, attracting bees. The overall effect is stunning.

Generally, I’m not much on plants or their proper names, although I am getting to that age when I have friends who have National Trust memberships. It’s something that comes with time, I suppose, an appreciation for living things. That said, my knowledge of Latin is next to zero. When I have a free – couple of years – I’ll learn more about plants.

The pieris is one of the few things that grows in my garden which is not a weed, threatening to strangle the life out of everything else, or a rhododendron.