Plants for nature

Hi all,

I've recently moved into a property out in the country near york, my garden is always full of birds but i'd like to grow some plants that provide food for them to feed on (not just my feeders!). I would also like to attract butterflies, does anyone have any suggestions what to buy or propogate?

 

I would recommend planting Hawthorn. The birds love the berries on this plant. Also this plant will attract insects, providing more food for birds. As for butterflies, the cone flower plants in my garden are often surrounded by butterflies.

 

I got for Bee's and birds

Pyracantha
Buddlieas
Ceanothus
Cotoneaster
Mahonia
Hebe
Honeysuckle
Wild Ivy
Toadflax
Foxglove
Holly

 

Also more plants for butterflies: blackfoot daisy, beebalm, azaleas, hollyhock!!

 

Thanks all, its going to be an exciting year figuring out whats growing in the garden, we have hundreds of bulbs coming up at the moment its a mature garden (about 30 years) previously lived in a new build with nothing but soil so this is just great!!

I hope to eventually have a nice berry crop and maybe i'll attract some waxwings in the future (the bird in my profile pic)!

 

You'll need to talk to Bilbo about Waxwings, he can't get away from them I've still never seen one

 

Viburnum Opulus, berries for the birds and flowers for insects and butterflies.
Verbena Bonariensis always covered in butterflies here.
Eryngium also another favourite of butterflies and bees.
Sedum late food for butterflies
Teasel for the goldfinches

 

.........And don't forget Sunflowers!

 

Trees and shrubs that provide food for the birds;
Hawthorn, blackthorn, rowan, elder, alder, bird cherry, wild cherry, birch, dog rose, guelder rose, cotoneaster, crab apples, mahonia, ivy (when mature), pyracantha, leycesteria and there are many more.

For the butterflies, try and leave a patch of nettles in a corner that catches some sun for food and egg laying habitat. Flowers will include anything that is rich in nectar and flowers well from mid summer and in to the autumn such as buddliea, asters, sedums etc

Hope this helps a little

 

Yeah and now I have a new camera where are they ??

 

Maybe they flew too close to the sun?

 

Valerians a good plant for butterflies too, a couple ofriends of mine have been lucky enough to have hummingbird hawk moths visit theirs.

 

For birds - pyracantha, hawthorn, rowan.

 

well in our own garden i think the five most popular with the birds, butterflys/bee's ect would have to be......
1) Holly (little insipid looking flowers but last year in particular we had loads of those very aptly named 'Holly Blue Butterfly's') visiting it. plus berries for the birds)
2) Cotoneaster (does be smothered in flowers for bugs & plenty of berries for the birds)
3) Buddleia (the flowers are like magnets for winged creepy crawlies...its not called "Butterfly Bush" for nothing ye know)
4) Pyracantha (again lots of flowers for the bugs & berries for the birds)
5) Calendula/Marigolds ( butterfly's/bee's always seem to make a bee line for these for some reason...excuse the pun )


we have lots more but these do seem to be the favourite's

we had one last year on one of the Buddleia's, my mum & i were convinced it was an actual Hummingbird