Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: kittiwake on August 18, 2010, 12:39
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I have a flower border that is a quarter circle 2 metres by 2 metres and bordered on one side by a fence covered in ivy and on the other side with a low wall (1ft high). The curved front has a 3 inch high stone wall which divides the border from the lawn.
The soil is clay with potting compost mixed in yearly and tends to get dry in long dry summers (I live in Cambridgeshire so these have been common recently) but not waterlogged in winter. The border receives sun for much of the day as the garden is south facing and is sheltered from wind and severe frosts.
I have removed all the existing plants and weeded it as most of the bed had extensive perennial weeds and couch grass. I want to plant a mixture of plants predominantly perennials (and bulbs and possibly herbs) which will all attract bees and butterflies but that are relatively low maintenance (ie not too much weeding, deadheading and no tender plants that I have to dig up in autumn) and are resistant to slugs, my cats (i.e. no cat mint) and the resident hedgehog.
I have found long lists of wildlife friendly plants but need some ideas on how to put some together to make an attractive display throughout much of the year as my approach of just putting plants any old place hasnt worked very well :) I would like to fit some existing lungwort into the scheme if possible.
Elsewhere in the garden is water mint (pond), a buddleia and lemon balm as well as fruit trees.
Any suggestions appreciated,
Thanks,
Kitti
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I am no expert on garden design, but usually the taller plants go at the back. Ensure you have sufficient foliage variety to keep it interesting during the quieter months. And plant in odd-numbered drifts / clumps, i.e. put 3 or 5 or 7 of the same plant together for impact - not single or even numbers. Also think about trailing plants over the wall.
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Go for the echinacaes (i think that's how you spell it) I have white swan and purpurae and my garden is full of bees.
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The bees love my california poppies, marigolds (surprised at that) and the gaillardias. Gaillardias and california poppies, sow now (although packet says may to July, I've done August before) for next year. Gailardia hardy perennial, California poppies hardy annual, mine usually come up again. Protect the poppies over winter frosts.
Believe it or not in the shops had a hard job finding my California poppies, easy online, they are put on the shelfs variously by the letter 'P' for poppies, 'C' for california poppies and 'E' for Eschscholzia there real name. Dead head both regularly.
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You can buy wild flower mixes for bees and butterflies, but apart from that and in addition to the suggestions already made, the bees and butterflies are going mad this year for my Cosmos (bipinnatus), flowers on the sage shrub, snap dragons, sweet williams, sunflower, even the ageratum and every year they adore the open white flowers on the wild rose bushes (the ones which grow hips) in our mixed native hedge.
:)
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Hi there
All these are good suggestions - Cosmos especially this year in my garden - I'd add borage to the list as well - I like to put runner beans at the back of my border and they add some height
Steven
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Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) is also really good for attracting bees. Really pretty blue flowers, and the bonus is the leaves are lovely in salads!
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Hi Kit, I completely redesigned our garden this year and like you wanted to get the wildlife in; planted Nepeta/catmint, the bees adored it, also put in verbena rigida (great value plant, still flowering it's socks off, monarda/bergamont, salvia nemorosa, sunflowers - the birds are fighting for the seeds now - I made a concerted effort to choose wildlife friendly plants and have been overwhelmed by the amount of lovely bugs in the garden! Good luck! Jude.
PS have never had so many ladybirds as this year, but maybe that's something to do with the weather?????????????
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My TV guide tells me that Gardeners World tonight has an item on attracting butterflies to your garden. Could be worth a watch! ;)
:)
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try yarrow, scabious,knapweed,sea holly ,echium ,globe thistle, lavender, agastache, veronica, herbs like oregano,chives,comfrey, borage,fennel. if its damp try purple loosestrife too name a few
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My TV guide tells me that Gardeners World tonight has an item on attracting butterflies to your garden. Could be worth a watch! ;)
:)
Quite veggie based for once wasn't it :)
Here's a link scroll down and there is a bit about the bee border
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00thyb5
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My TV guide tells me that Gardeners World tonight has an item on attracting butterflies to your garden. Could be worth a watch! ;)
:)
Quite veggie based for once wasn't it :)
Here's a link scroll down and there is a bit about the bee border
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00thyb5
I didn't watch it, I may do on iplayer....
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Bees will love the ivy flowers as they flower late when most flowers have given up.If your more concerned at keeping the wildlife happy than how the border looks then try to spread the flowering season of the plants .
You could start early in the year with hellebore and maby a flowering currant at the back of the border,bees love them.Thrift is great at the front of a border for hoverflys and bees in spring.My bee border contained the above and also the following Comfrey,latharys latifolius,potentilla,snapdragon,cardoon,fuschia and the star performed is verbena bonariensis,it takes so little ground space but really stands out.
But for years i have been surprised that my herb patch seems to attract more bees and butterflies than my supposed bee border.Fennel is great in a herb bed or a perennial border in my opinion(though my wife hates it).Bees also love the afore mentioned hyssop as they do rosemary,thyme,borage.dill.pot marigold,melissa(bee balm) , woodruff and chives.I'm sorry for going on but i hope it is of some help
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sedum, flowers a bit later, if you can, they love mint that is allowed to go on to flower, the obvious buddleia,lavender an old favourite.