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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.
Higgy, I reckon you've by far the best deal with your Christmas money! Clothes and shoes will wear out, but you'll enjoy your 'spend' every day for years and years!
Hi Hazel, that sounds like a challenging site that you have there but it could potentially be a prime site for some 'upland' planting and plants for butterflies maybe?
Thanks Rose I reckon I've done alright also! I think I've got good value and I still have some money left to spend!! I'm saving this though as I will be starting a big new project soon (when the weather lets me) so may need a few different types of plants for this as it comes together...
I will write another post about this project shortly so people can follow it as it goes along if they want.
Best
Higgy
Here we go then the arrival of my first plants bought with my Chrimbo money...
4 types of bare root Pulmonaria!. These are great plants for ground cover in a shady or semi shady area and will hopefully prove irresistible to early Spring bees!
I think that they will add a nice bit of variety to my Spring garden, which is slowly developing now.
Apologies for the bright pink bowl, it's my daughters (honestly!!) but I needed to give them a soak prior to planting as they came through the post bare root from ebay! I figured that you couldn't go too wrong with these so happy to order from the internet to get the best price in this case!?
I have another 2 varieties coming so that will be six different varieties to plant and test to see which is the best for pollinators! Of course I will report back in Spring to let you all know the results!...
Any one else thinking of Spring planting at the moment?
I planted my bulbs back in September and it's great to see them starting to come up now. I have:
Snowdrops (Galanthus Nivalis)
Crocus (Mixed)
Allium Atropurpureum
Allium Caeruleum
Honeybells (Nectaroscodum Siculum)
Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa luciliae)
My soil is heavy clay, but being on a slight slope, it doesn't get waterlogged. The Snowdrops are in flower and the Crocuses are just starting.
Your garden looks fantastic, Higgy. How has the recent bad weather affected it?
Annie
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
Einstein
Higgy, how is it going with the Pulmonaria? My local centre has a few of them potted so was thinking of getting a few to get some early year colour into the garden.
Hi AndrewPl
I don't want to answer for Higgy but I'd recommend getting the Pulmonarias.The first bees always head for it and it's really popular. I planted one on a slope and it's grown and seeded. I've given away seedlings and have a couple I'm going to pot up after flowering. I can see the buds in the centre of the plants now. They flower for ages and I'm always loathe to cut them down to ground level for the summer leaves.The summer leaves on my clump are silver white and green and very good ground cover as well.
They seem pretty tenacious. I had to dig mine up to get out a huge dandelion which had grown in the centre. I'd tried to kill it with glyphosate but it kept growing so I dug it up to get all the root just before last year's dry spell. All the leaves dried up and withered. and I thought I'd killed it. Today I saw lots of green shoots and leaves emerging. I don't know if it'll flower - perhaps a bit later - but the seedlings will flower on time.
Apologies that I've not been on for a while but I had a couple of short deadlines on a couple of projects at work that required my time and stress!
The Pulmonarias are doing great although they area bit small as I split them prior to planting to make more plants. They will probably be better next Spring.
Below is a quick up date on what I currently have growing in the garden for early pollinators so I hope it will give you all a few ideas...
1. The Crocus planted last Autumn....
Crocus chry Advance
Crocus Sieberi Tricolor
Crocus chry Snow Bunting
Crocus Tommasinianus Whitewell
Crocus Gypsy Girl
Crocus chry Cream Beauty
2. Anemone...
3. Bergenia 'Elephant Ears Purperea'
4. Bumblebee - Bombus Terrestris on Winter Honeysuckle Plant (Lonicera fragrantissima) - Great shrub for Bumblebees
5. Borage - Borago officinalis
6. Hellebore
7. Lesser celandine, Ranunculus ficaria
8. Daffodil Tete-a-Tete
9. Snowdrop - Gilanthus nivalis
10. Ceanothus
11. Wild Primrose
12. Daphne
I hope that these give you a few ideas.
Lovely group of photos, Higgy, they are so cheerful!
We've also had bees buzzing round the Winter Honeysuckle, and I'm not surprised as the scent is fabulous. Have you noticed any Blackcaps on your plant? The ones we get in winter always take something from inside the flowers, presumably after the nectar.
Hi Rose
I do get quite a few Blackcap in the garden at this time of year and they eat the berries from both the honeysuckle and the Privet hedge but I haven't seen them on the winter Honeysuckle. Having said that it is at the bottom of the garden so not that visible from the house but I will keep an eye on ot now that you have said this, thanks!
Do you know if? how? when? you can take cuttings from it as I would like to grow more and plant it throughout the hedge?
Not the greatest pictures but a couple of my Blackcaps yesterday...
In the Privet eating the berries....
The beauty of wildlife in your garden and of course the interest makes all the hard work worth it doesn't it!?
Lovely photos of your current flowers and the blackcaps, Higgy. When my son comes back with the camera, I'll try to get some as well - flowers only, since I haven't got blackcaps this year. The milder winter here so far has meant fewer migrants.
There's quite a difference in the time it takes for Spring to get here from Somerset!