April plants for butteflies

[Lynn]

Ny garden is situated in East Hampshire and although it is on the 250’ contour line it is a frost hollow, with the land rising up on three sides.

Early flowers for butterflies included celandines and primroses, & I did see these being visited by Brimstones this year. Wild violets are out too & I have memories of a Small Tortoiseshell on violets at Noar Hill one April. I have all of these wild flowers growing in my lawn. It would not win a lawn awards from Fisons but at least it is not boring green grass!

Cherry plum Prunus cerasifera flowers really early - from February onwards- & some people confuse it with blackthorn. I have seen Commas on it some years but not this year. It is now over and the blackthorn is going over too. The catkins on Goat Willow were at their peak in early April. It is easy to have Salix Caprea in the smallest of gardens as the Kilmarnock willow can even be grown in a pot. It is a grafted specimen that has long trailing wands – very attractive. But as these flowers decline they are closely followed by the blossom of wild cherry. I have several at home but do not always remember to look around them for butterflies. I do recall seeing Red Admirals nectaring on a very prominent tree at Bentley Station meadow

Honesty has been flowering for a couple of weeks – I some times see Orange Tips nectaring on it. But my first orange Tip of the year – a female – gave me a surprise yesterday by returning repeatedly to take nectar from hyacinths. The variety is a lovely soft violet shade called Splendid Cornelia. My picture is just of the flower – I dare not post my imperfect picture of the butterfly!
Whilst I know hyacinths can be popular with bumble bees this is the first time I have been aware of their use by butterflies. This orange Tip did also check out several clumps of Grape Hyacinth Muscari but these did not hold its attention like the hyacinth

Of course there are lots of daffodils but I have never known these to be used by butterflies. Have you? But I do remember a male Orange Tip picking a fight with the lovely white and orange ‘Professor Einstein’. Look at the picture & you can see why!

My garden also provided larval food plants. Lots of nettles, Ladies Smock and hegde garlic are all just waiting for batches of eggs. Have not seen a Speckled Wood yet but the rough grass is ready when they want to start laying. I saw one laying at the entrance to my poly tunnel at the end of the summer – so that’s another bit I can’t tidy up!

[Martin]

Great write-up Lynn...and to answer your question, yes, I have seen a butterfly (once) nectaring from daffodills. A Brimstone on 4th of April this year.

Martin.

[Lynn]

I am just SO pleased. That OT on the hyacinths yesterday was not just a fluke! I had given my neighbour some of the same hyacinths & when I visited her today there was a Peacock nectaring on them & it was moving from flower to flower. I do hope all of you will be watching spring bulbs & seeing which the butterflies like.

I must add the Peacock in my own garden ignored the hyacinths choosing to take nectar from the dandelion flowers instead. So thats another flower to add to the April list. Did you know that 23rd April St George's Day is the traditional day to make dandelion flower wine - the dandelions are supposed to be most numerous then.

I mentioned Ladies Smock as a larval foodplant for OT - well it also provides nectar. I had given some plants to a freind and he saw a Peacock on there yesterday. I just love this time of year - so much to see!

[Denise]

Hi Lynn,

I find this garden information very helpful and inspiring. I have planted a butterfly border in my own garden, and have planted both Ladies Smock and hegde garlic. Unfortunately they both failed. However, I also planted Aubrieta and that has taken off like a rocket. I have had both Peacock and Orange-tip on it as well as lots of bees and a bee-fly.

Your pots idea was brilliant and yet so simple. I can't understand why I didn't think of it. I now have quite a few pots to be planted up so that I can rotate the flowering ones to the prime sun spots. Any suggestions to the best butterfly flowering pot plants?

Thanks for the help, and any other pearls of wisdom that you think of, be sure to let us know.

Denise

[Lynn]

Hi Denise so glad that you found the piece I wrote useful.

I have lived here for 25 years & it would be impossible not to garden for butterflies. In 2006 sightings of White Admiral ( on buddleia ) & Purple Emperor brought the total of species seen to 30.

I got initial advice & inspiration from Matthew Oates book ‘Garden Plants for Butterflies’ ( I think that’s the title) but sadly it is out of print.

Regarding plants you tried that failed - I would suggest trying again & maybe even again! Ladies Smock are easy to grow from seed which should be collected as soon as it is ripe & sown immediately in a seed tray. It is a perennial & once established should seed & spread well. I have most of mine growing in rough grass. Garlic mustard Alliaria petiolata is a biennial & so needs sowing every year until you get plants established that seed themselves. It looks lovely if you grow it with Honesty That’s the plant not the concept!

You say your aubrieta has gone like a rocket! Well talking of rockets another good plant for about now is Sweet Rocket, also known as Dame’s Violet Hesperis Matronalis. It is a perennial & comes in violet & white. It is very fragrant. Sadly it does not do well in my garden. But writing this has reminded me I must try again!

[Susie]

I wonder if your Ladies Smock failed because it was too dry, Denise? This plant likes to keep its toes damp I think. I grow it in the margins around my pond and it has done very well.

[Denise]

I wonder if your Ladies Smock failed because it was too dry, Denise? This plant likes to keep its toes damp I think. I grow it in the margins around my pond and it has done very well.

No Susie,
It was nice and damp, I also have Hemp agrimony planted close by and it thrives. The slugs ate it!!!
I have just bought some more which is about to flower so i'm going to put it in a tub on a sand mat and hope I can get some seeds to start again. Any ideas where I can get some Garlic Mustard seeds or plants? My supplier has none.

Denise

[Susie]

I can give you some, but they are tiny. I pulled up a single plant last year and threw it into a corner hoping it would self seed and it did. I now have hundreds coming up!!

PM me your address and I will stick some in the post to you. I can't promise they will survive the journey but it is worth a try.

[Matsukaze]

Another fine plant for butterflies is dandelion - I am not sure how welcome it is in most gardens though. The small tortoiseshells down by the stream near my house love them, fluttering enthusiastically from one to the next. Bumblebees love it too!

[Denise]

Hi Matsukaze,

I agree. Dandelions are great for butterflies. I have a very "wild" patch at the end of my garden that I leave to it's own means, and just cut it back once a year in the autumn. Bramble, dandelions and other "weeds" and grasses thrive here. It does not make me popular with the neighbours, but wildlife loves it.

Denise

[Denise]

I have taken Lynn's advice on pots to the max! Today I have planted up quite a few garden tubs with a mixture of flowers, and different habitats.
I have planted Sweet Rocket with Ox-eye Daisey's, different dry mixes, (including Birds-foot Trefoil, Scabious etc,) a wetland mix (Ragged Robin, Greater Birds-foot Trefoil, Garlic Mustard, thanks Susie, Ladies Smock) and have placed them in sunny sheltered spots around the garden to see what I can attract. Thanks Lynn for giving me the idea.
Watch this space

Denise

[Lynn]

Another April plant for the list - I saw a Holly Blue nectaring on Alkanet - a wild flower which can be a bit invasive in gardens but which has lovely blue flowers.

[Susie]

I have green alkanet, it is a good one for the bees too.

[Denise]

Hi Denise so glad that you found the piece I wrote useful.

I got initial advice & inspiration from Matthew Oates book ‘Garden Plants for Butterflies’ ( I think that’s the title) but sadly it is out of print.

While browsing through my local second hand book shop I came across a copy of this book and bought it. An excellent little book that has given me a lot of ideas. Thanks Lynn.

Susie, my garlic mustard is doing well. Not a single one died. Thank you.

Denise

[Susie]

You are more than welcome. It is just nice to meet other people on the web who are keen to help their local butterflies.

I must admit that I am suprised and very pleased that they made the journey; what robust little plants they must be!

[Lynn]

Denise I am just so thrilled you found Matthew's book, Although lots of gardening for butterflies books exist I think that one is really good. It is written by a real butterfly expert & I just love teh touches of humour in it too!