What flowers to plant ??

[rd84]

Hi,

I'm new to being a butterfly admirer , but was concerned to hear of their problems in the Uk due to last years wet weather.
I have to admit I hate gardening - but I would like to plant a few flowers that are easy to look after or even maintenance free that will help the butterflies - I was thinking about buying a load of bluebell bulbs - is there anything that would last throughout the summer period ?? - I don't mind planting a large number of flowers - but I don't have the time or patience to keep looking after them - any advice to a non-gardener would be appreciated

Cheers
Paul

[Pete Eeles]

Hi Paul - and welcome to the forums! I don't consider myself qualified to provide an authoritative response ... I'm sure others will chip in here!

My only comment would be consideration of both nectar sources for the adults, and foodplants for the caterpillars. Simply having a "wild patch" in your garden can do wonders. In addition to the usual "buddleia" that has always been a nectar favourite, there are quite a few others flowers you can plant. But I'll let the "experts" guide you from here

Cheers,

- Pete

[Denise]

Hi Paul,

I have found that Oreganum vulare (Marjoram) is hugely successful and easy as pie to grow. Also Verbena bonariensis flowers for longer than Buddleia and once planted, just water until the Autumn, then cut back and mulch. These are great nectar plants, but I am now looking at food for Caterpillars, and have planted Birds foot Trefoil and other plants to see how I get on. Other people here are much better gardeners than I, but this is how I started out, and in my first year got 18 species of butterfly.
Good Luck

Denise

[Gruditch]

Hi Paul, if your a hate gardening and love butterflies your in luck. One of the gardens I work in has won several awards, flowering plants everywhere, immaculately kept, and you get the odd butterfly. However look over the fence and there is a wreak of a garden, that's not been touched for more than ten years, and its teaming with butterflies. So let your garden run wild and call it a nature reserve

Gruditch

[rd84]

Hi Pete, Denise, Gruditch,

I'm going to act on your advice !! - I've already purchased some bluebell bulbs - and will buy the other stuff you suggest.
Got to admit that the wild garden idea sounds ideal !!

Cheers
Paul

[rd84]

Progress report from NW Leicestershire.

Well to my absolute consternation there are NO Red Admirals, Tortoiseshell, or Peacock butterflies at all in my garden this year - normally I see quite a few - is it too early for them - or am I panicking too soon ??

The only butterflies I've seen at all are Whites and Commas

The only plant I've had any success with is the Budleia - and the Whites love it - so I've planted more for next year. The other favourite is Dandelion
All my other plants that I went to so much trouble over aren't all that popular. The Bluebells were of no interest.
Bee's seem to enjoy the Clover flowers on the lawn - so I've let one of my lawn's grow long to leave the Dandelions and Clover flowers
I've also left quite a few Stinging Nettles since I've read that some species lay eggs on them - I wonder if the flowers on the nettles are of interest to butterflies ??

However I'm not going to give up and I'd like to thank everyone for their - suggestions - I've planted more flowers and I'm hoping that eventually help, advice and determination will get some results - I'm quite worried about all the species that seem to have gone missing this year.

Cheers
Paul

[Cotswold Cockney]

I'm quite worried about all the species that seem to have gone missing this year.

Cheers
Paul

Not to worry Paul, they'll be back ~ give them time. There have been many periods of decline over the years and those used to worry me ~ not now, butterflies have a motto ...like Arnie once said ..."I'll be back" and fortunately, they invariably are provided their habitat is still available.

A few years ago, the chirpy House Sparrows were numerous in my area ~ then suddenly became a rare sight. Their numbers have fully recovered recently and I do not begrudge both sexes stripping bare the flowers from my large Pampas Grass to use as material for their nest building ~ sometimes three or four all busily stripping the soft downy fronds or whatever they're called.... they are back again .. Big time! .... and so will the Butterflies.

[rd84]

Hi,

Thanks for your re-assuring words above - I'll keep my fingers crossed that the missing butterflies will return some day.
I've managed to attract some House Sparrows back by feeding them - I also put up a 5 compartment sparrow nest box under the eaves of my house at great risk to life and limb - naturally the little blighters have completely ignored it !! - However we did have a successful family of Blue Tits in another box - so it seems that large efforts can reap SMALL rewards - certainly the Sparrow Hawks that have been watching my bird feeding table seem very impressed with all the things that I have done

Anyway I've planted some more flowers and flowering bushes - but have left a wild area while there are still wild flowers in it - its a great excuse !!

Also the extra effort as lead to more Hedgehogs being in the garden - so all in all much better than TV.

I wonder if there any breeding programs for the missing species ?? - I'd love to release some in my garden.

Is a butterfly feeder a worthwhile addition ??

Cheers
Paul

[eccles]

in my first year got 18 species of butterfly.
Denise

Blimey, Denise. That's more than I've SEEN all year. Forget the excursions, I'll just bring my camera round to your garden.

[Eris]

I can really recommend common fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica) although it officially likes damp ground it grows happily at the side of my field in a very non-damp bit and the butterflies go crazy over it. It has attracted Meadow Browns Gatekeepers Common Blues, Brown Argus, but they all get chased off by the small coppers who try to keep the patch for themselves.
On one occasion the little patch of it had around 15 mixed butterflies on it. It looked wonderful and it is a very bright cheery sort of flower. I'm going to save some seeds and try for a bigger patch next year.

To attract speckled woods I've found leaving an old Peugeot 405 under a pear tree seems to work well,as I keep finding them sitting on the bonnet

[Rogerdodge]

You might want to try planting some Ragwort...



(I'm going for the Jack Harrison Mischevious Old B*st*rd Award)

[Shirley Roulston]

I heard that, Roger.

[Susie]

Did you grow Verbena bonariensis, rd84? I think this and the vebena rigidia are the two most popular nectar plants in my garden, far more so than the buddleias.

[Eris]

You might want to try planting some Ragwort...



(I'm going for the Jack Harrison Mischevious Old B*st*rd Award)

And I think you probably deserve it

[rd84]

Hi,

Yes - I did - altho' I've seen nothing on them - the most popular plant in the garden that I set is Budleia.
Just saw a Tortoiseshell a couple of days ago - but other than that its mainly various types of White butterfly - more than most years oddly.

I'm going to try a few more plants - I've noticed locally the butterflies seem to love Lavender - so I've bought some more.

Cheers
Paul

Did you grow Verbena bonariensis, rd84? I think this and the vebena rigidia are the two most popular nectar plants in my garden, far more so than the buddleias.

[rd84]

Hi,

I'll try and get some - but where from ? - I've done a search but the latin names are different to the one that you quoted.

Thanks.

Cheers
Paul

I can really recommend common fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica) although it officially likes damp ground it grows happily at the side of my field in a very non-damp bit and the butterflies go crazy over it. It has attracted Meadow Browns Gatekeepers Common Blues, Brown Argus, but they all get chased off by the small coppers who try to keep the patch for themselves.
On one occasion the little patch of it had around 15 mixed butterflies on it. It looked wonderful and it is a very bright cheery sort of flower. I'm going to save some seeds and try for a bigger patch next year.

To attract speckled woods I've found leaving an old Peugeot 405 under a pear tree seems to work well,as I keep finding them sitting on the bonnet

[Susie]

If you can't find Fleabane anywhere else then try Naturescape, Paul.

http://www.naturescape.co.uk/acatalog/potplants1.html

[Matsukaze]

I'm going to try a few more plants - I've noticed locally the butterflies seem to love Lavender - so I've bought some more.

There is a lavender farm a few miles from us that always seems to have good numbers of nymphalids and whites in late summer. They have had Clouded Yellow, Hummingbird Hawk-moth and, maybe, Silver-washed Fritillary visit occasionally in the past.

[rd84]

If you can't find Fleabane anywhere else then try Naturescape, Paul.

http://www.naturescape.co.uk/acatalog/potplants1.html

I'm going to try locally - but otherwise I'll buy some seed from Naturescape for next year.

I was amazed to see Dandelion for sale at Naturescape !!!???? - still after the Budleia Dandelion at certain times is my second most popular plant for the butterflies !!

Cheers
Paul

[rd84]

I'm going to try a few more plants - I've noticed locally the butterflies seem to love Lavender - so I've bought some more.

There is a lavender farm a few miles from us that always seems to have good numbers of nymphalids and whites in late summer. They have had Clouded Yellow, Hummingbird Hawk-moth and, maybe, Silver-washed Fritillary visit occasionally in the past.

I've recently been around a few garden centres locally and I took note of what the butterflies were going for - and the Lavender was one of the most popular.
In fact on my next visit I'll write down the favourites for future reference - Bees also seem tohave their favourite plants as well - I'm also concerned about the lack of Bumble Bees compared to previous years - there are one or two but not many - I've mostly seen dead ones - and I'm not using any insecticides or chemicals of any form in my garden.

Cheers
Paul