Rearranging the garden

[Susie]

It good to use these colder months to plant what to do with the garden next spring. After a few years of growing wide variety of nectar rich flowers in an attempt to bring butterflies into the garden (and food plants) next year I am going to simplify the borders and grow a greater number of a smaller variety of plants. Fingers crossed that it works.

[Pete Eeles]

Perhaps you should write an article on "Gardening for Butterflies", Sooz; you clearly know your stuff

Cheers,

- Pete

[Susie]

Bless you, Pete. I'm not sure about that. I don't have your skill at writing articles.

Then again, I probably know more than I think I do. When I am old and venerable then I'll think about it.

[Pete Eeles]

Then again, I probably know more than I think I do.:

Undoubtedly.

When I am old and venerable then I'll think about it.

i've written a few articles. What are you trying to say?

Cheers,

- Pete

[Susie]

[i've written a few articles. What are you trying to say?

Cheers,

- Pete

That you are jolly clever

Before I write anything I need some experience to draw on, I've only been doing this for a few years and I'm still learning.

[ChrisC]

hi Susie, have you decided which plants you are keeping/adding and which you are getting rid of? are you trying to attract anything in particular or just greater numbers?
Chris

[Susie]

I'm trying to sustain the butterflies which breed here in the garden, which are mainly orange tip/green veined/small and large whites, purple/brown hairstreaks and possibly common blue and brimstone, by keeping and increasing their larval food plants. I'm increasing the amount of dog violet in the slight hope of silver washed fritillary laying (I won't be putting money on that one) and dock for the small copper.

Other than that the number of nectar plants which have proved to be successful will be dominant in the garden in an attempt to pull in more passing butterflies. Garlic mustard and sweet rocket in the spring. Hemp agrimony, lavender, wall flower Bowles Mauve, vebena bonariensis, buddleia, valerian, greater knapweed in the summer.

I don't tend to take anything out of the garden, I just squeeze stuff into the gaps and let them fight it out for space.

The pond area needs a major overhaul though, that area does need plants removed. The fleabane, hemp agrimony,purple loosestrife, comfrey and others are taking over, to the point it is impossible to see the water.

[Matsukaze]

Do you get the scarlet tiger moth in your area? In spring the stripy caterpillars around here on the comfrey, often near the water.

[Susie]

I haven't seen scarlet tiger moths around here, neither adult nor caterpillar, but they'd be very welcome!

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Susie,
Scarlet Tigers were only (re)discovered in Sussex in 2008, having been absent as a breeding species since 1929. We now know that they are relatively common along the coastal plain between Eastbourne and Brighton, and are probably spread more widely than we are currently aware of. It is likely that they will start to move inland and, at some point in the future, they may well become a welcome addition to your garden list.
Neil

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Susie

Good luck with the garden. Rather you than me in this weather. We have around 1 foot of frozen snow in the East Midlands at the moment.

I am extremely envious of your garden list. I'm lucky to attract 1 or 2 passers by. I did find a passing White-letter Hairstreak towards the end of their flight season a couple of years ago.

[Susie]

Hi Paul, WLH are certainly a butterfly to be proud of. Lucky you!

Hi Kipper, I've been following the reports of Scarlet Tiger Moth over the last year or so on the sightings page of Sussex BC website and so am hopeful that they may turn up here in time. I will be chuffed to bits it they do.

I will have to remember to check the comfrey around the Arun next year. If they can extend down to my bit of West Sussex coastline then they may work their way inland along the waterway and floodplain.

Going off at a bit of a tangent, does anyone know why my ivy doesn't flower? It is growing up a eight foot tree, which it has covered and cascades from the top like a waterfall. Last summer there were female holly blues investigating it but as there were no flowers there was nothing to lay on.