Gardening for butterflies
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Gardening for butterflies
- In the spring of 2002, Butterfly Conservation launched a major new campaign to raise gardeners awareness of butterflies.
- The campaign featured TV personality and BC supporter Alan Titchmarsh
- The aim is to improve garden habitats for butterflies. Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch continue to promote this campaign at public events across the two counties
Ways you can help....
Grow your own....
There can be few pleasures in life greater than seeing butterflies attracted by plants grown from seeds you have planted yourself. Butterflies can be quite choosy about the plants they visit and tend to prefer traditional garden plants and native wildflowers. These are often hard to find in shops or garden catalogues, where seeds with familiar names may be modern hybrids, bred for appearance. This often means large showy blooms, which may be of little or no use as nectar sources. Even wildflower mixes can be unsuitable, sometimes containing a variety of species which will not thrive together or foreign species not used by local butterflies.
The top 99 best butterfly nectar plants in order of attraction
This list is published with the kind permission of Dr. Margaret Vickery, author of 'Gardening for Butterflies'.
| 1. Buddliea |
26. Verbena |
51. Hyssop |
76. Onions |
| 2. Ice plant |
27. Alyssum |
52. Rock Rose |
77. Virginia stocks |
| 3. Lavender |
28. Common Fleabane |
53. Honeysuckle |
78. Petunia |
| 4. Michaelmas daisy |
29. Dandelion |
54. Daisy |
79. Busy Lizzie |
| 5. Marjoram |
30. Dahlia |
55. Teasel |
80. Coreopsis |
| 6. Red valerian |
31. Wallflower |
56. Sneezewort |
81. Bluebell |
| 7. Aubretia |
32. Bowles mauve wallflower |
57. Chrysanthemum (single) |
82. Yarrow |
| 8. Field Scabious |
33. Ivy |
58. Cosmos, Cosmea |
83. Birds-foot- trefoil |
| 9. Scabious |
34. Heather |
59. Osteospermum |
84. Everlasting pea |
| 10. Bramble |
35. Shrubby cinquefoil |
60. Clover |
85. Cuckoo flower |
| 11. French Marigold |
36. Ragwort |
61. Globe thistle |
86. Feverfew |
| 12. Hebe |
37. Cranesbill |
62. Marguerite |
87. Inula |
| 13. Candytuft |
38. Primrose |
63. Pot marigold |
88. Pinks |
| 14. Lobelia |
39. Tree mallow |
64. Escallonia |
89. Sneezeweed (Helenium) |
| 15. Honesty |
40. Chives |
65. Everlasting flower |
90. Floss flower (Ageratum) |
| 16. Mint |
41. Thyme |
66. Lilac |
91. Corn marigold |
| 17. Hemp Agrimony |
42. Catmint |
67. Cornflower |
92. Sea holly |
| 18. Phlox |
43. African marigold |
68. Hyacinth |
93. Grape hyacinth |
| 19. Forget-me-knot |
44. Pansy |
69. Lychnis coronaria |
94. Cotoneaster |
| 20. Aster |
45. Black eyed Susan |
70. Red campion |
95. Buttercup |
| 21. Sweet rocket |
46. Hydrangea |
71. Nasturtium |
96. Viola |
| 22. Runner bean |
47. Golden rod |
72. Ceratostigma |
97. Ceanothus |
| 23. Knapweed |
48. Ox-eye daisy |
73. Statice |
98. Muskmallow |
| 24. Privet |
49. Sweet William |
74. Cone flower |
99. Heliotrope |
| 25. Purple loosestrife |
50. Shasta Daisy |
75. Senecio |
|
Seeds available
For the last few years the branch has been building a seed bank from plants known to be high quality butterfly attractants, primarily nectar sources, but also including an array of larval food plants. Branch members have worked tirelessly selecting and packing the seeds. The packets of seeds are available on our sales stall but now for the first time seeds can be posted. All are freshly packed during 2006 and we suggest a donation of approximately 50 pence per pack.
Click here for a full list of seeds currently in stock
If you would like more information please contact Malcolm Hull
11 Abbey View Road
St. Albans
Herts, AL3 4QL.
Phone: 01727 857893 (evenings &
weekends)
A full list of forthcoming dates & locations for
the sales stand is available on the branch website on the Events Diary page
