I remember only too vividly my first trip to the tip of Cornwall and seeing a plant apparently growing wild that had a 12-foot high spike of blue flowers covered in bees.
That it had the name Echium pininana was a bonus, for here was a Latin name that I could remember. The first word was a bit like 'Ecky thump' and the second sounded like a cross between a pineapple and a banana.
I was then still a teenager when I grew my first Echium in the garden for wildlife, but it was the native one, Echium vulgare, better known as Viper's Bugloss - another great name don't you think? (Better than 'George', anyway).
Reason number one to grow it: it looks stunning, massed spikes of sea blue. Reason number two: what a supremo it is for bumblebees - it's fantastic.
So I'm always thrilled to find it growing wild, as here in Norfolk back in June.
Even better when darting in to feed on these spikes was this:
Yes, a Hummingbird Hawkmoth - reason number 3 to grow it.
Thinking that other Echiums might be just as good, I've been growing Echium wildprettii, and this year for the first time I got it to flower.
I was so proud - what a flower! But oh, how I wish it had turned out to be brilliant for insects. Sadly not one visited, and I'll probably stick to the other Echiums now, but I enjoyed the experiment!
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
That's great to know, Peter, thanks. Lusitanicum isn't quite as showy, is it? But what a family of plants for larger bees, wow!