The combination of warmth and rain of late seems to have been fantastic for the butterflies, on warm days we have been seeing good numbers of red admirals, commas, and small whites, as well as the occasional peacock and gatekeeper…. One morning a few weeks ago, I was pleased to see four different species – large skipper, red admiral, comma and meadow brown simultaneously - over one flowerbed, feasting on the hebes and Salvia ‘Mainacht’ planted there.
One area which they really seem to love is a warm, south-west facing bank, planted with Verbena bonariensis, red valerian, knapweed, and a lovely ethereal dianthus called D. carthusianorum. When they’re not drinking nectar, they are often to be found basking in the sun on the duckboards of the raised vegetable patch, or taking up minerals from the moist soil of the open spaces between plants. Hopefully in due course the wildflower meadows, only recently seeded, will add habitat diversity, and encourage species which lay their eggs in long grass, such as large skipper and meadow brown.
Exciting butterfly moments elsewhere in the area have been at our woodland reserves Stour Wood and Wolves Wood, where silver washed fritillaries and white admirals have been seen in the last few weeks.
We’re also pretty excited about the numbers of bees visiting the garden, several different varieties of bumblebee as well as honeybees… Their plants of preference seem to be the Salvia ‘Mainacht’ again, followed by Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia), foxgloves of all types and the culinary herb hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis). They also love deadnettles (Lamium spp.), we have a variety with silver-splashed foliage and rose-pink flowers which the bumblebees adore…. I often get slowly mesmerized whilst eating my lunch, watching them drowsily visiting the flowers!