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I thought it would be a good idea to get thinking ahead to what can be planted now to help the first emerging insects like queen bees and our hibernating species of butterfly like peacocks, small tortoiseshells and commas.
So, what are your favourites? I'm a big crocus fan, I think the display of colour you can get in a lawn or border is a great way to liven up the garden after a long winter and the nectar they produce is popular with bees. What bulbs or other early spring flowering plants will you be adding this winter or what do you have already?
As always, any pictures of your spring displays are welcome!
Warden Intern at Otmoor.
Thanks H, you give us such good ideas as well as infect us with your enthusiasm!!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
It just looks so amazingly beautiful Higgy, I've got my list for the garden centre lol
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Regards, Hazel
Glad that I can help!
Can't wait for the summer to see what pops up this year! :-)
Best
Higgy
Hi H ...Introducing the latest additions to my plant collection which arrived yesterday! 'Course, they don't look as good as that at mo, rather sickly actually, but hope they grow into the above pictured specimens!!!
Some nice ornamental grasses there Wendy, especially the ones with purple leaves.
Thanks Mrs T, do like a bit of purple, hope it grows well in mine! Thought ithey might go well with a variety of cottage/wild flower plants & complement the green clumps already established!
Hi Wendy,
That looks like an interesting combination of grasses. What is the grass in the bottom picture? It's very unusual.
I don't mind a few grasses and I use them at the back of my large perennial border but also as a transition from the more formal garden through to the wildflower area. I find that this works nicely and just blurs the change from one area to the other.
It is Trifolium Rubens H, which is a Clover but not invasive ... so I'm reliably informed!!! Thought it might be a good one for Bees, Butterflies et al, certainly the right sort of colourful to attract them ... & Clover honey is one of my favourites!
Oh that's interesting. Maybe you could trial it for us all and if it proves invasive we can all run a mile!!.. LOL :-)
Seriously though it does sound worthy of consideration but I would be a little nervous on my wet ground, if it likes it, it will probably be off like Usaine bolt!!
hahaha H, such encouragement (not!) Although the blurb says not invasive, was thinking of starting them off in a long planter to check the situation first! Can dig a trench & sink it into ground ... bit like growing Mint!!