Seeds to sow for wildlife

Seed-sowing time is definitely upon us, and for about £2 a packet, a bag of peat-free compost and a few pots, you can give yourself a border-full of plants.

So I thought I would pick out my recommendations of seeds that are really quick and really easy to grow, easy to buy, and will flower this year and help wildlife in your garden this summer.

Here are15 of my favourites from years and years of trying, and some of my photos of them in action:

For butterflies: Butterflies are very difficult to cater for with annuals and first-year perennials, but here are my top tips for instant success from seed:

Verbena bonariensis (airy perennial that will self-seed, and is almost as good as buddleia)

Tithonia rotundifolia (below with Painted Lady, a real zingy annual growing to about 3ft high)

Coreopsis (verticillata or tinctoria) (I've found is good for smaller butterflies such as skippers)

Agastache (choose something like 'Blackadder' below, a perennial that is great for bees too)

For bees:Slightly easier than butterflies, but you still need to choose plants carefully to get the best results:

Phacelia tanacetifolia (the curly flower spikes slowly unwind, loved by Honeybees and bumblebees)

Borage (brilliant for Honeybees and bumblebees)

Annual sunflower (and the seedheads can then be left for the birds. Rather prone to slugs and snails though)

Linaria maroccana (Fairy Toadflax - like a multicoloured tiny snapdragon, for solitary bees)

Cosmos bipinnatus (they wave about a bit in the wind, but on a still day bumblebees love them)

Echium Blue bedder (a Viper's Bugloss - note the Honeybee having a lovely time below)

Cornflower - the best flower for pollinators in your cornfield wild flower mix)

Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) (great in the vegetable garden amongst your crops to draw in hoverflies)

Poached-egg Plant (Limnanthes douglasii) (low-growing, will flower within weeks - this is one for small solitary bees)

Runner bean (It's great to have pollinator plants in the vegetable garden)

Cerinthe major (Honeywort) (bees adore this, and you'll hear them doing the buzz pollination trick - grows to about 1-foot high).

I hope there is something there to inspire you. But now I'd love to hear your recommendations!