October 2017

[David M]

21st October - Nairnshire
Bowles' Mauve works its magic again.

Yup. I've been a devotee for 3 years now.

It isn't as big a draw as buddleia, but it's in flower for most of the year. What's more, it seems to attract a greater range of butterflies than buddleia does.

It will be a permanent fixture in my garden till the day I die!

[Jack Harrison]

I should have added that Bowles' Mauve does not set seed so can only be propagated by cuttings.

Buy a plant from garden centre next spring and take some cuttings from May to July. You will soon have more plants than you can cope with.

Jack

[NickHull]

Agree with all that is said about Bowles' Mauve; my planting inspired by comments made here on this forum a few years ago.
Here is one of my local butterflies enjoying nectar a couple of days ago...

[David M]

The flowers on mine have all gone. How do you keep yours in such wide bloom so late in the season?

[Jack Harrison]

David M: The flowers on mine have all gone. How do you keep yours in such wide bloom so late in the season?

When the "pseudo seed pods" have extended well up the stalk, the end being still in flower, I cut off at the base of that stem. Then run my hand along the "pods" to remove, trim to length and use as an indoor cut flower; the bloom lasts a couple of weeks in water. The parent plant then produces more flowers.

I had so many indoor flowers recently, that I simply gave the plants a good "haircut" taking great care not to cut into hard wood.

Jack

[peterc]

I came across a slightly unusual form of the Comma on my local patch yesterday. Inside the band of orange lunules on the hind wings are a couple of orange and silver spots towards the apex. You can just see even smaller ones towards the tornus (body).

ATB

Peter

[NickHull]

The flowers on mine have all gone. How do you keep yours in such wide bloom so late in the season?

I planted these in Spring and all of them have just continued to flower right through.....I guess if you remove the old heads earlier in the Summer then they will re-flower.

[David M]

The flowers on mine have all gone. How do you keep yours in such wide bloom so late in the season?

I planted these in Spring and all of them have just continued to flower right through.....I guess if you remove the old heads earlier in the Summer then they will re-flower.

Thanks, Nick. I'll experiment with that next year.

[David M]

A handful of butterflies seen at Port Eynon, Gower this afternoon - 3 Red Admirals, 2 Small Tortoiseshells, a Painted Lady and an unexpected male Large White.

[Allan.W.]

Glorious day today,shame I was stuck indoors for most of it ! that said I did see a Red Admiral,which glided across the works
car park,while I was eating my lunch,and Later as I drove home I saw a Small (or Green-vein ?) White nectaring roadside .
Regards Allan.W.

[Goldie M]

Yesterday was a lovely day here and whilst gardening ( cutting tree's etc ) I saw two red Admirals neither stopped but it was great to see them. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Red Admiral in Salisbury and one at Upper Norton Farm (Riverford Pumpkin Day) 28-10-2-017
Small Tortoiseshell yesterday in Salisbury 27-10-2017
Speckled Wood, UFW, 9 Red Admirals and a Brimstone at Five Rivers on 25-10-2017

Have a godun

Wurzel

[Jack Harrison]

UFW

Somebody has to ask. Unidentified Flying White?

Jack

[aeshna5]

Still quite a few Red Admirals around here. Saw 5 today.

Also at least 15 Common Darters.

[David M]

I'm now into that mindset where any butterfly could be my last for 2017, so I paid particular attention to a Red Admiral flying around the sunniest part of my housing complex this morning. It was undoubtedly attracted by the flowering sedum nearby but seemed to prefer to bask on the stonework to maximise any warmth from the sun (was 14c here today).

[David M]

Two more Red Admirals today, both seen simultaneously at around 10.30am when the sun was shining brightly and winds were light.

They were fluttering around my workplace and one came down on the car park sign to absorb the warmth from the sun.

[Jack Harrison]

More on Bowles Mauve

That one has just had a "haircut" and should flower again in 2018 but might be too tired a year later. Plenty more coming along.

Cuttings taken early summer 2017. Tops pinched out regularly. Might have to discard after two years.
Bare spaces planted with small late-winter flowering iris bulbs.

Jack