Wildlife gardening - butterfly borders

The priorities here are shelter and sun, and since many of the flowers attractive to butterflies are clump-forming or shrubby, they are ideal for the flower border. Perennials can be inter-sown with many attractive annuals for a striking display as attractive to you in both scent and colour as it is for your butterfly population!

Plants to choose (NB - many plants not native to Cornwall)

• Aubretia Aubretia deltoidea
• Buddleia Buddleja davidii 
• Cat nip Nepeta mussinii
• Red valerian Centranthus ruber
• Michaelmas daisies Aster novi-belgii
• Ice plant Sedum spectabile
• Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis
• Sweet marjoram Origanum majorana
• Wild thyme Thymus serpyllum

As important as the flowering nectar-rich plants are the caterpillar food plants. Once you have attracted adults to the flowers you want them to stay, so a clump of nettles planted into an old bottomless bucket or tub (to prevent it taking over) and a bramble patch are important constituents of a butterfly area.

Other important foodstuffs for caterpillars are grasses, so if you are able to create a perennial meadow as well as a butterfly border you have, if you'll pardon the expression, killed two birds with one stone.

Another vital consideration is  chemical pesticides. Be aware that if you are using them to kill harmful pests you will be killing caterpillars too. Try to look for alternatives where possible.

• Wildlife gardening
  • The wildflower meadow
  • Pond and wetland areas
  • Woodland

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