One of the joys of living on the south coast of merry old England is the wonderful flora that surrounds us, one specimen of which i'll bring to your attention right away.

The Pompey Trollop (pulchellus pompeyum puella per amplus pectus) is a very common flower in these parts and graces the local scenery with her flashy show of colour and subtle fragrance.

She is most vivid during the summer months when her beautiful fleshy pink fruit are attractively displayed to all who care to see, a magnificent and succulent spectacle that never fails to make me pause and contemplate her wild beauty.

Handling her can be tricky, for she has plenty of prickles, so the keen horticulturalist who ventures too near may find himself wishing he'd been more circumspect in his approach, although the rewards of an intimate inspection of this delicate beauty are worthy of any risk involved.

Bursting into a frenzy of passionate colour from mid-evening, coincidentally when the pubs and clubs begin to fill up, this amazing little blossom captures the heart and imagination of anyone fortunate enough to gaze upon her splendour.

Many is the time that i've dwelt upon especially breathtaking examples of this species, pondering the likelihood of gathering up those eye-catching blooms, admiring the ripe fruit or those juicy little berries, carrying them back to my own garden and diligently planting my seed.

The Pompey Trollop is a blessing upon our region and if tended regularly and kept contantly moist, we shall have her delights for many a summer to come, sighing our silent praise to Mother Nature for this most enchanting gift, which would have graced even the Garden of Eden itself.

Be sure to make it a priority, if you ever visit Hampshire, to witness the staggering extravanganza of this wild and precious little blossoming flower, bewitching and captivating, sweet-smelling and aromatic, once you have tasted her fruit you will be her devotee forever.