Most observant gardeners have probably noticed that certain
‘types’ of plant appear to be particularly good at encouraging
wildlife to our gardens whereas others are bereft of any
insect activity. Plants with open, starry flowers for
instance are often covered with hoverflies, and daisy shaped
blooms frequently have bees swarming around them. There are
inevitably exceptions to these generalisations but one group
of plants that always provides value in the
wildlife-attracting arena is the pea family. These are
often knows
as legumes and the peas, vetches, clovers and trefoils together
make up a huge group of our native wildflowers and includes
shrubs such as gorse and broom which adorn our heaths and
cliff tops, scrambling vetches and peas from country hedgerows
and the tiny yellow trefoils that can be found in many a
garden lawn.
Together the plants in this huge group provide nectar and
pollen for many types of insect, plus some are the food plants
for the larvae of certain moths and butterflies. In all,
the peas, clovers and vetches are some of the most important
plants we can grow if we are interested in conserving and
helping our native wildlife. Many insects depend upon
them and those insects are a vital part of the food chain.
On a wider scale these leguminous plants have a vital role in
soil fertility, as they fix nitrogen in the soil by means of
the bacteria contained in their root nodules, so they truly
are important plants.
In a wildlife garden we value them mostly for their flowers
and insect attracting properties. Amongst the many native
species in this group some are less valuable as garden plants,
but there are still plenty that are worthy of a place in a
border or container, or can be used to provide colour at the
base of a hedge. In meadows and flowery lawns too these
wildflowers will be happy, many being able to complete with
even the most rampant grasses to add a dash of colour with
nectar and pollen in profusion.
If you are confused by the variety of plants within this huge
family, the good news is that some of the most familiar and
indeed the prettiest are the easiest to grow. My favourite,
for all round ease of cultivation, colour and wildlife
attracting ability is the birdsfoot trefoil. Known by a huge
variety of country names (Tom Thumb and Eggs and Bacon being
perhaps the most common) this plant is worth its weight in
gold. With its neat foliage and bright yellow flowers with a
touch of red, all it requires is a dry sunny spot and it will
flower from early to late summer with abandon. It is ideal for
a flowery lawn, a container in a sunny spot or it can be
encouraged to grow in gaps in paving or amongst gravel. The
real joy of this plant is its ability to bring the common blue
butterfly to gardens where it has never appeared before. This
little jewel of an insect lays its eggs on the leaves of the
birdsfoot trefoil as well as preferring to take nectar from
its flowers so it’s a one stop shop for the common blue!
Other plants are visited for nectar, but this one is generally
the preferred choice for egg laying in my garden. Bees and
other small butterfly species such as the brown argus and the
skippers also love this flower and the burnet moths lay their
eggs on the leaves. In all, fantastic wildlife value in one
small plant.
If
bright yellow flowers are not to your taste, you may prefer
the rich purple of the tufted vetch, a versatile climber for a
hedge bottom or a stunning wildflower to scramble through the
lower reaches of a wigwam or the bottom of a more substantial
climber. This plant is a magnet for bumblebees and the loss
of the vetch species in the wild, together with that of the
clovers, has undoubtedly affected the natural food supply for
honeybees, solitary bees and bumblebees. The purple vetch
flowers are arranged neatly along one side of the flower stalk
and it will climb up to two meters where it is happy or cling
to tall grasses in a meadow, a habitat where it is often found
in the wild. Flowering into the late summer, it is a
brilliant addition to a wildlife friendly hedge or an area of
long grass beneath trees. It is tolerant of shade but will
flourish in a sunny corner too.
Shades of white, cream and pink are also represented in this
useful group of plants. In particular, red and white clover
will cater for the nectar and pollen needs of the bees in your
garden, and some butterflies too will feed at these blooms.
Red clover is also the larval food plant of the wonderfully
named Mother Shipton moth, whose wings display the profile of
an ancient witch! The lawn is perhaps the best environment
for these plants, but some species are attractive enough for
the herbaceous border or a container, especially the pretty
and rare yellow clover, red zigzag clover and the soft annual
hare’s-foot clover with its pink, downy flower heads. Other
clover and trefoil species may be less showy, but will cater
for insects none the less.
There are many other vetches worth the effort of growing as
well as the few outlined above – in fact one could be spoiled
for choice by this group. Try the stunning pink sainfoin with
its tiny lupin-like spikes, golden horseshoe vetch, a perfect
plant for a scree garden, kidney vetch for both bees and
butterflies or yellow meadow vetchling which will scramble
around in long grass. For the connoisseur, sea pea requires a
well drained soil, but will reward you with stunning magenta
flowers on creeping foliage, and the wild narrow-leaved
everlasting pea with unusual dusky pink flowers, will climb to
2 meters or more. Lastly I always try to grow the pretty
grass vetchling, an annual pea with tiny bright pink flowers
and, as it’s name suggests, grass-like leaves. It adds
brilliant spots of colour in grassy places in early summer.
If some of these plants appeal to you, you could try sowing
seed now in pots or small trays. Several specialist
wildflower seed suppliers have them and like so many members
of this family, both native and non-native, they germinate
more effectively if exposed to cold, or after being subjected to
a bit of rough treatment. To encourage germination rub the
seeds between two pieces of sandpaper (known as scarification)
before sowing. Cover with a fine layer of grit and place
outside now.
Germination can be slow and don’t expect to see
everything at once – appearance of the seedlings is likely to be staggered
over the next few months.
With flowers in all shades, species for sun and shade,
climbers, scramblers and plants that hug the ground, there are
peas, vetches, clovers and trefoils in all colours for just
about every garden situation. Add to their versatility their
enormous importance to our native insects, and this group is
indispensable in the wildlife garden. Sow some now and enjoy
their bright flowers humming with insects this summer. |
