Bee & wildlife friendly plants/shrubs for border

Unknown said:

We're looking to put a border stretching from the rear patio to the chicken pen at the top of the garden, along the fenceline boundary with our neighbours property.  It's about 20 feet (6m) long or thereabouts.  It faces due East, so gets sun in the morning, but by late morning it will be largely shaded from the house (initially) and then the fence itself in the afternoone/evening.  Anyone got any suggestions for suitable wildlife friendly plants (flowers and shrubs) that will fill the border nicely, give it some volume, colour and hopefully be attractive to bees, butterflies etc - and of course thrive in the partial shade.

Thanks!

Hiya David...I would recomend Buddlea [shrub], especially the pinky/blue varietiesas they attract the butterflies, and also coneaster [shrub] which attracts the birds in the winter as they love the berries. Lavender is good for the lower level planting and cornflowers, marigolds and asters are all good too. Your garden should be alive to the buzzing of insects and birdsong by the middle of summer...Happy garden planning...Gary

Hi

This plant is  really good for bees - I forget the name so have posted a photo

Possibly Centaurus ? 

Cheers

Nick

Bees love foxgloves and foxgloves (digitalis) will cope with shade, ditto lungwort (pulminaria) which comes in shades of pink, coral, mauve, good blues and white, they often have spotty, silver or silver striped leaves, they flower early in the season and are thus good for early emerging bees etc, there are cranesbill geraniums that'll thrive in those conditions, are good 'doers' and after flowering if you cut them right back (you can shear them off)they'll flower again, lots of colours in those, nice simple flowers that insects love. Lungwort and geranium are low growing plants, woodruff would probably like it and makes good groundcover, the taller evening primrose will grow practically anywhere and finches and sparrows love the seeds. The shrubby plants have been mentioned by Taylor, if you can bung in a rowan, that would be good too. Dames violet (sweet rocket or Hesperis) is nicely scented and should do in semi shade, sweet (viola odorata) and dog violets will attract fratillery butterflies as well as hoverflies, bees etc. Wood anemone, ramson (wild garlic) bluebells and the sweet little hardy cyclamen will all do well too. Rosa rugosa will grow anywhere, attracts insects, has nice fat hips that birds love in autumn and smell wonderful.

All that lot should do for starters - have fun:-)) Kezsmum

Sue W said:

Hi

This plant is  really good for bees - I forget the name so have posted a photo

Possibly Centaurus ? 

Cheers

Nick

Is this a type of Cornflower as it certainly looks like one great colour too?

Shane 

Here is a page from Bumble Bee Conservation Trust.

http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk/gardening_for_bumblebees.htm

It shows plants through the year and although its to do with bees Im sure other insects will be attracted to the same plants.

 Chris S.

Shane said:

Possibly Centaurus ? 

Cheers

Nick

I think you're right, the distinctive flower bud is usually a dead giveaway. Great plant - any ideas which variety?

 

Hi David

You might find something in the RSPB plant list for a wildlife garden

I have a buddlia (not sure if that's how it's spelt) and I get loads of butterfly's and the color is fantastic and of course it provides a good place for the birds to sit in and the bee's to buzz around, you will need to cut it back each year or it will go all leggy but other than that its a great shrub