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.
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