Pink! Pink!

"Pink! Pink!" is the traditional transcription of the two-note alarm call of Chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs), whose song is a real feature of mild March days, especially if the sun is shining. While it is the male that sings, both sexes can be seen flycatching from the still-naked branches of apple trees in the orchard, sallying forth high into the air in pursuit of a tasty morsel. While many of the Chaffinches in and around the garden will nest locally, others are migrants, heading back north to breed in the forests of northern continental Europe, perhaps as far away as Russia. A few years ago we found a dead Chaffinch bearing a small metal ring on one leg. Close inspection revealed the word "Stavanger" followed by a series of numbers. A quick internet search and an email soon elicited confirmation that the bird had indeed been tagged in Norway, in early autumn, on its way south to spend the winter in the comparative mildness of a British winter.

Pink is also one of the colours of early spring, albeit it somewhat overhwelmed by the massed yellow of daffodils, primroses and celandines... Some pink flowers hit you in the eye in a none-too-subtle way; others are more discreet and easily overlooked. Here is a selection covering both extremes, with stops along the way.

Bergenia cordifolia Elephant's Ears

Chionodoxa forbesii 'Pink Giant'

Cyclamen coum – a last hurrah

Erythronium dens-canis Dog's-tooth Violet; modestly nodding flowers with gorgeous marbled leaves

Close-up of Erythronium flower – a subtle beauty

Carmine pink or red? Erupting buds of rhubarb