Calendula Touch of Red

Golden-orange on the face of each petal, deep mahogany-red on the back, so the flower flickers between two colours as it moves. Where Sherbet Fizz puts the same red behind a pale buff top, this puts it behind full orange, and the result is far warmer and a good deal louder.

Low autumn light is when it earns its keep. Late afternoon sun comes through the petals from behind and lights the red up, and the whole plant takes on a smouldering quality a plain orange calendula never has. It is the obvious partner for chrysanthemums and dahlias in a harvest arrangement.

The same caveat applies as to any two-tone calendula: the red is on the underside, so a flower looked at square on reads as orange with a dark rim. Plant it where you will see it side on or backlit. At 50 to 60cm the stems are long enough to cut, the petals are edible and will colour rice as a saffron substitute does, and it flowers from June to the frosts. Keep cutting and it keeps producing.