RHS Wisley Garden.

Having come through the coldest part of the year, the days have been gently turning milder over the last fortnight. The frosts have passed, and my long-johns are stowed back in their drawer. Nevertheless, I certainly had not been anticipating anything tropical around the corner - until an unexpected trip to Wisley beckoned.

I joined Matt of Hyde Hall's Hilltop team on a trip to collect bundles of birch rods (as you can see by the picture of the truck, his wood-stacking talents would set him as decent a lumberjack as he is a gardener). Once that was done, we took a minute to step out of the elements and into the humming, steaming warmth of the Wisley glasshouse.

Every spring, Wisley has a 'Butterflies in the Glasshouse' exhibition - in which hundreds of spectacular butterflies are released among its jungle fauna. Of course as an apprentice horticulturalist the exotic plants were utterly fascinating (particularly Ravenala madagascariensis, Tabebuia impetiginosa, and Dypsis leptocheilos), but this time around it was the butterflies that won the battle over my camera!

Essex Mornings.

This is where I work - quite a lucky young chap, to be honest.