The wildlife garden
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June Don't let butterflies flutter.by! The butterfly border caters for bees and hover-flies as well as butterflies - creatures which not only look and sound nice but also help with pollination and pest control. Here are a few pointers: • Choose a sunny site with well-drained soil. • Choose a wide variety of species. • Aim to create a long flowering season - at least May to September - to encourage overwintering species to stay. Michaelmas daisies are a perfect choice for the early autumn border. • Buddleja really is the butterfly bush! Paler varieties such as the hybrid "Lochinch" and the yellow variety Buddleja x Wcycriana are the preferred choices. • Herbs - good for you and your butterflies! Hyssop, lavender, rosemary and sweet marjoram are particularly good. |
Food plants for caterpillars • Nettles - for peacocks, red admiral, comma, small tortoiseshell and painted lady. • Buckthorn for brimstone. • Honesty for orange - tip. • Nasturtiums (yes, and cabbages!) for the whites. • Bird's-foot trefoil for common blue. • Holly, dogwood and ivy for holly blue. • Native grasses cater for lots of the brown butterflies - ringlet, meadow brown and gatekeeper, for example. Meadows Meadows are ideal habitats for both butterflies and caterpillars. The best time to sow a meadow is in the autumn - details in the next Wild Cornwall. Other jobs to do this month Now's a good time for weeding out unwanted species, but remember -dock, thistle, bindweed and couch grass should not go on the compost heap if you want to be rid of them. |
July Think water conservation Here are just a few ideas to save water in the garden: • A soak once a week is better than a shower every day! • Avoid a sprinkler if you possibly can - it uses a huge amount of water, much of which evaporates before it can do any good. • Water in the evening or early morning. • After watering, keep it in! Apply mulch to plants -newspaper, cardboard or old carpet are ideal. • Grey water recycling - use washing-up and washing machine water on your garden (be sure to use environmentally friendly detergents). • Collect run-off from your home, sheds and greenhouses. Ask your local council if it provides reduced-cost water butts - many do. |