With spring under way,
March is a great month to think about the insects that visit
your garden and take action to improve your supplies of nectar
and pollen for them for the months ahead. Gardens are very
dynamic habitats, and we all know that at this time of year
gaps can appear in borders that were overcrowded in the
previous season. Plants outgrow their spaces and sometimes
have to be removed and replaced with something new. Others
simply disappear for no apparent reason, or conditions may
change, making the habitat inhospitable for certain species
and varieties. In my previous garden the cottage border
beside the ever
encroaching shade of a large copper beech tree required that I
reviewed that area every year, replacing sun lovers with more
shade tolerant plants. Borders in my current garden have
been designed well ahead for changes of this kind but early
spring is still a time when a little re-planning might be
necessary.
A nectar border is a good
way to cater for pollinating insects; having lots of insect
attracting plants in one area is more than just a good use of
space. Bees and butterflies detect their food sources by
scent and sight, so if all those enticing plants are close
together, they are more likely to be noticed by a passing
butterfly or bumblebee. For long term colour make the most of
those spaces by using plants that really earn their keep. If
you can find plants with attractive foliage as well as flowers
you will be pleasing your local wildlife as well as extending
the season of colour in the garden. There are many easy to
grow, insect-attracting herbaceous perennials that can be
tucked into a space. Like any gardener I have my favourites,
chosen to suit my soil conditions, but nectar and pollen
provision is always my first priority. The
Sedums, or ice plants, are an excellent choice for full sun,
with grey-green fleshy leaves and late summer blooms. If you
want to try Sedum spectabile, so beloved of butterflies like
the small tortoiseshell, make sure you select the true species
or at least a pale flowered variety. I grow the pink species,
now rarely stocked by nurseries, but my favourite is the white
cultivar Frosty Morn, a plant that attracts even shy
butterflies like the speckled wood. As with so many cultivars
of otherwise good insect attracting plants, those bred for
brighter flower colour seem to have less pollen and nectar
than the true species or paler colours. Lovely as it may be
as a garden variety, the widely available Sedum Autumn Joy has
little to attract late summer butterflies.
Another good choice would be the hardy geraniums. If you already
grow a variety of these, you no doubt find seedlings around
that need to be moved to spaces elsewhere. One of the joys of these plants is
their ability to hybridize, so you never know quite what you
are going to get! The majority of these geraniums have large
amounts of pollen for bumblebees, especially the smaller
species, and later provide seeds for finches too. They
tolerate shade, so in my garden are worth their weight in
gold.
If perennials are your
objective you could try Verbena bonariensis, valerian, phlox,
Michaelmas daisy, Echinacea and Erigeron if you want to temp
butterflies. To encourage more bumblebees try lupins,
catmint, Echinops, Echium and the Lamiums or dead nettles.
Many of these will attract honeybees and hoverflies as well.
Annuals can provide a quick fix for unexpected spaces, perhaps
where a plant has died over the winter. Many can be sown
directly into bare ground this month or next and self sown seedlings
can be transplanted with a little care and careful watering
when it is needed. Poppies of all sorts are excellent for
sowing into spaces – they do not transplant well - but a
little seed goes a long way. Poppies have copious amounts of
pollen so are good bee attractants and most colours and
varieties are worth growing. I particularly like the Shirley
poppies – varieties of our own vivid red wild corn poppy.
These come in a delightful range of colours, from bright to
subtle. The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is also a good
choice, with attractive seed heads after flowering has
finished. Other good annuals to try in borders are California
poppy for hoverflies, some of the everlasting flowers
including Statice for butterflies, and one of my favourite
annuals, Matthiola or night scented stock. This is worth
growing for its fabulous scent alone, but it also is a good
plant to attract moths. If your space is really sunny, don’t
forget the good old fashioned sunflower for bees and
butterflies plus the seed heads can be dried and then hug up
later for finches and tits. This easy plant has many virtues
and is a great way of getting children interested in the
wildlife in your garden.
Whereas some annuals are
difficult to transplant, biennials usually cope with the
disturbance, and by moving self sown plants early in their
second year, it is possible to have colourful flowers within a
few weeks. I often move the rosettes of foxgloves,
mulleins and evening
primrose into spaces, and with a little care they usually cope
and flower well.
One excellent group of
nectar and pollen plants are our own native wildflowers.
These need not be relegated to the ‘wild bit’ in the garden –
many are excellent border plants. Wild marjoram is a fabulous
insect attractant, especially for the smaller butterfly
species, and its golden leaved variety has pretty foliage for
much of the year. Greater knapweed, viper's bugloss, scabious
and betony are all good butterfly plants and sticky catchfly,
the cranesbills, Jacob's ladder, spiked speedwell, musk mallow
and mullein will all bring bees to the border. Most of these
prefer a sunny situation, but there are others including
meadowsweet, wood avens and St. John's wort that will tolerate
light shade. And don’t forget the annual wildflowers, such as
cornflower or corn marigold. All in all, there is wildflower
for every situation in the garden.
Although there are advantages to having your nectar plants all
together, it is by no means essential. Good insect attracting
plants can be popped into any spaces in spring, as long as the
conditions are right. Containers close to the house can be a
great place to try new plants for a colourful display. Even
climbers can be grown in this situation. If you plant an
old-fashioned broad leaved everlasting pea in a terracotta pot
and allow it to scramble up a willow support, bumblebees and
brimstone butterflies will flock to your patio. Add a few
sweet peas for scent for a perfect wildlife friendly
container.
Adding
some nectar and pollen providing plants to your garden this
spring could make all the difference to the insects you have
around. These in turn will provide food for birds and small
mammals, making sure your garden is alive with wildlife this
summer. |
