One of my favourite sights in spring is the arrival of ravishing pink flowers on the small tree, Cercis siliquastrum, the Judas Tree, writes Mrs. M.  This pink-purple biblical beauty flowers in spring and is a dazzling sight.

Sadly, this tree has never been popular, maybe because according to legend Judas hanged himself from this small tree after his great betrayal.  I always watch for it among the other flowering spring trees, ornamental cherries, crab apples, rowans , laburnum and magnolias, and my heart leaps with joy when his unfortunately named stunner arrives, beaming in the sunlight and out shinning all the others.  It's a native of the eastern Mediterranean, but has been cultivated in the UK for at least 400 years.