Demise of the butterfly

THE freshest of all the late summer flowers must surely be white phlox, beloved by virtually every cottage gardener and many more besides.

Phlox will also bloom in various shades of lavender, pink, red and purple, each shade possessing its own distinctly rich, old fashioned perfume, like something from a bottle dabbed behind a favourite aunt’s ear.

And if you are ever lucky enough to stand in a well-planted cottage garden you’ll find it rather like a little flowery meadow; a square of coloured tablecloth thrown down on a hillside.