Wildlife Gardening

Hi Fraser,

Welcome to the Forums!

Here is a copy and paste from an earlier post from some kind person who had answered a similar question - sorry, can't remember who it was...(it was mainly for Bees)

'Agrimony (agrimonia eupatoria)
Angelica (angelica archangelica)
Anise Hyssop (agastache foeniculum)
Aubretia
Bergamot (monarda didyma)
Betony
Bird's Foot Trefoil (lotus corniculatus)
Black Horehound (ballota nigra)
Blackthorn (prunus spinosa)
Bloody Cranesbill
Bluebell (hyacinthoides non-scripta)
Borage (borago officinalis)
Bugle (ajuga repens)
Butterbur
Cardoon (cynara cardunculus)
Catmint (nepeta cataria)
Chicory (cichorium intybus)
Chives (allium schoenprasum)
Columbine (aquilegia)
Cornflower (centaurea cyanus)
Foxglove (digitalis)
Germander Speedwell (veronica chamaedrys)
Globe Flower (trollius europaeus)
Globe Thistle (echinops ritro)
Grape Hyacinth
Greater Knapweed (centaurea scabiosa)
Greater Stitchwort
Gypsywort
Hedge Woundwort (stachys sylvestris)
Herb Robert (geranium robertianum)
Hollyhock (althaea rosea)
Hound's Tongue (Cynoglossum)
Hyssop (hyssopus officinalis)
Ice Plant (sedum)
Lemon Bergamot
Lady's Smock (cardamine pratensis)
Lambs Ears (stachys byzantine)
Lavender (lavendula)
Lemon Balm (melissa officinalis)
Lesser Celandine
Lovage (levisticum officinale)
Marjoram (origanum majorana)
Marsh Marigold
Meadow Clary (salvia pratensis)
Meadowsweet (filipendula ulmaria)
Apple Mint
Mountain Mint
Mullein (verbascum)
Musk Mallow (malva moschata)
Oxlip
Painted sage (slavia horminum)
Pasque Flower (pulsatilla vulgaris)
Penstemon
Poached Egg (limnanthes douglasii)
Poppy (papaver)
Purple Loosestrife (lythrum salicaria)
Ragged Robin (lychnis flos-cuculi)
Red Clover (trifolium pratense)
Red Valerian (centranthus ruber)
Rock Rose (helianthemum mummularium)
Rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis)
Sainfoin (onobrychis vicifolia)
Selfheal (prunella vulgaris)
Small Scabious (scabiosa columbaria)
Spiked Speedwell (veronica spicata)
Sweet Cicely
Sweet William (dianthus barbatus)
Teasel (dipsacus fullonum)
Thyme (thymus)
Tickewwed (coreopsis)
Toadflax (linaria vulgaris)
Valerian (valeriana officinalis)
Viper's Bugloss (echium vulgare)
White Clover
Wild Basil (clinopodium vulgaris)
Wild Clematis (clematis vitalba)
Wild Mignonette (reseda lutea)
Wild Privet (ligustrum vulgare)
Yellow Archangel
Yellow Flag Iris (iris pseudacorus)
Yellow Loosestrife'

Pick the bones out of that!

Hope this helps!

Best wishes, Graham

Cheers thanks for replying,some of those i have and others i've heard of.Do you know more common and more readily available plants i.e varieties available from your average nursery?

Hi Fraser and welcome to the RSPB Froum and enjoy yourself here

Graham that is a great list of plants you have there for all sorts of wildlife {thumbs up to you}

Fraser: Yes, some flowering plants will be available as a seed to plant, or as a mixed sachet ie of mixed 'wild' cottage Flowers (example)

You just have to make up your mind what you want.  There are a lot of choices in the market place now.  Are you going to grow the plant as a seed or bought as a young plant to add to your garden area. If you have limited space you can use box planters, or pot planters

The other choices that you have would be to go to one of the RSPB shops, and buy wild flowers in sachets to grow in your garden - remember it illegal to take wild plants from the wild.

Some of the mentioned plants are Herbs and can be used for yourself as a cooking ingredant as well as the wildlife having their use of the same plants

Remember that some plants are annuals so they last for a year only, bi-annual for two years, and parennals which is a plant which will remains long as it is healthy, and happy.

I am sure others will give ideas of their own too to offer here

Regards

Kathy and Dave