Plant partners

Shades of pink, with splashes of purples and orange glow amid green foliage with all the zing of spring

Bright stars of the season

Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea and Lunaria annua

Leaves are not always green and this berberis – though often regarded as a bit run-of-the-mill and only right for municipal car parks – has foliage that is the colour of stewed rhubarb when young. It looks good with this honesty – a plant that will self-seed happily for ever.

Lunaria annua

Care Scented flowers from May-June and very distinct seedpods – silver, translucent discs – in autumn. Keep a self-seeding group going, with strong flowers when plants are in their second year.

HxS 90cm x 30cm

Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea

Care Good foliage, also orangey yellow flowers and berries in autumn. Spiny shoots. Best in full sun. Propagate from cuttings in summer.

HxS 1.5m x 1.5m

Tulipa ‘Black Hero’ and ‘Ballerina’

T. ‘Ballerina’ is one of my desert island plants – so elegant, so sprightly and so energising. It also smells of boiled sweets so there’s a bit of nostalgia in the mix, too. Teams well with purply black. HxS ‘Ballerina’ 60cm x 10cm HxS ‘Black Hero’ 60cm x 10cm

Tulipa ‘Pink Impression’ and Tulipa ‘Rosalie’

The great thing about tulips is there are so many colour combos there’s something for everyone. This is calmer than the orange and black, but still zingy. ‘Pink Impression’ is pink, orange and peach all in one flower – like the best sort of fruit salad. HxS ‘Pink Impression’ 55cm x 10cm HxS ‘Rosalie’ 50cm x 10cm

Tulip care Tulips are perfect for pretty much any spot. In borders they’re good with other perennials (whose foliage will grow up to conceal the fading leaves), but they are almost better in pots. Plant them deep and not too close together – you don’t want the flowers banging into each other – and you can then plant other bulbs and annuals on top of them. In heavy soils you can lift them after flowering and store them in a shed for replanting in autumn.