Butterflies

Butterflies are one of the prettiest of insects that can be found in the garden. When I was little I remember seeing so many different kinds of butterflies all over the summer drinking nectar on my mum's buddleia. Butterflies are suffering though, from modern farming techniques, and the use of more and more non-flowering shrubs and 'display' (too ornate for butterflies to feed from) flowers in public and private gardens. The recent bad weather has also not helped our native species either. One of the best ways to support all the species of butterflies is to plant all kinds of nectar rich flowers which they feed on. You can find details of all kinds of flowers at the Butterfly Conservation website, but here is a short list. Flowers that are good for butterflies in spring are bluebells, cuckooflower, dandilion, garlic mustard, pansy, primrose, sweet rocket, sweet william, wallflowers, violas. Flowers for the summer and early autumn are buddleia, chives, chrysthanemum, common bird's-foot trefoil, cornflower, forget-me-not, French marigold, globe thistle, honeysuckle, hyssop, lavender, lilac, marjoram, mint, valerian, thyme.

Identify a Butterfly
Seen a butterfly and not sure what kind it is? Identify it by looking at the Butterfly Conservation Identifier. You can also register your butterfly until August 5th in the Big Butterfly Count which aims to record the health of Britain's butterflies, and has been taking place every summer since 2010. Log your butterfly here.

Yellow Rattle Wildflower

Yellow Rattle Wildflower
ANNUAL
rhinanthus minor
Yellow rattle is a semi-parasitic wildflower that is used to inhibit the growth of grass on order to allow other species to thrive. It feeds of the grass roots and is helpful when beginning to create a wildflower area where grass was the main plant growing. Yellow rattle must be sown in the autumn as it needs the cold winter weather to trigger its germination in late February to early March. To sow. Mow the grass short and 'scarify' the ground by ripping through parts of the ground with a claw fork (or similar tool). You will need between 0.1 and 1 g of seed per m2 (our packs are 1g) depending on how dense you want the yellow rattle. For best results you can sow two years in a row. Yellow rattle may need managing as it can feed off the roots of other plants; in this case, remove plants before they seed (being an annual it is quite easy to manage this plant).

Viper's Bugloss Wildflower

BEES LOVE THIS PLANT
Viper's bugloss is one of the plants to put in your garden or allotment to attract bees. It is best sown where you want it to grow as the roots are easily disturbed if moved. Sow either March-May (for some flowers that year) or August-September (for flowers next year). Sow thinly as seedlings can choke each other, 6mm deep. Fully grown plants should be about 38cm apart so thin as required. Keep well watered till established. Deadhead to prolong the flowering period. IMPORTANT: Use gloves when handling adult plants as there are tiny spines that can irritate the skin.

Flowers: June-September
Height: 90cm
Order viper's bugloss wildflower seeds here. The seeds can either be delivered locally or posted to the rest of the UK.