Once in a while I come across a plant that stuns me with its power to attract pollinating insects, and yesterday I found just such a marvel.
It was this one (below), which has burst into flower in the last week in my new garden - and very happy about it I am too!
It's a Deutzia, named after a 17th century Dutchman, a group of plants mostly from China and South East Asia. My assumption is that it is Deutzia 'Strawberry Fields', one of the single-flowered, pink, compact cultivars that is readily available.
You can see one of the bumblebees in action, and in a quick count I had 28 at one time, even though I could only see half of the bush.
It is a woody shrub, growing to about 2 metres tall with multi-stems, and does well on most soils in a sheltered, sunny spot. Pruning out a third of the old wood to the base each winter will keep it fresh and tidy.
As always, if you've found a wildlife-friendly plant, let us all know - the more that gardens are filed with them, then more nature that will have their 'home needs' fulfilled.
If you want to drop by my RSPB wildlife gardening blog, it is updated every Friday, and I'd love to see you there - www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/hfw
I have a climbing Hydrangea up one wall of my house which is in full blossom , and it is attracting a lot of small bees right now. It takes up very little space, just took up a slab of the boring concrete pation and planted it, and five years later it is rampant. Actually the whole garden is buzzing - I have a lot of shrubs and they are all doing their bit for diversity.
My plant of the moment is Surbus 'Joseph Rock' which is just buzzing. Any other Rowan tree is also good, but this also gets lots of Shield Bugs (seems not to suffer) and the yellow berries are late - just at the right time to attract Waxwings here in the North East. The size is just right for even the smallest front garden, and we have planted a young sapling in the Wildlife Garden at RSPB Saltholme, but it is yet to flower.