Species

 Description

Bird’s foot trefoil       Lotus corniculatus       

A very useful plant in the wildlife garden, larval food plant of the common blue butterfly and attracting the adults to its nectar. Suitable for meadows, in short grass or wildflower rockery.  Perennial.                                                  

Cowslip                          Primula veris                            

Familiar and much loved scented wildflower, suitable to naturalise in grass for a spring meadow effect.  Seed needs period of cold before it will germinate.  Perennial.

Cornflower                   Centaurea cyanus                 

Annual wildflower that will seed into bare ground from year to year.  Loved by bees and common blue butterflies.  Goldfinches will visit the seedheads in the autumn. Not suitable for a meadow.

Corn marigold        Chrysanthemum segetum           

Another annual with bright yellow flowers.  Visited by bees and hoverflies for its pollen.  Not suitable for a meadow.

Dropwort                           Filipendula vulgaris                  

A lovely wildflower that prefers a well drained dry soil.  Very similar to its relative meadowsweet, but without the scent. Suitable for a meadow in dry soil. Perennial.

Field poppy              Papaver rhoeas               

Bright red annual poppy which will seed around the garden from year to year.  Loved by bees and hoverflies. Not suitable for a meadow.

Field scabious          Knautia arvensis        

A tough, pale mauve perennial wildflower, flowering well into the autumn months.  Suitable for a meadow area or in the flower border.  Good for butterflies.

Foxglove                        Digitalis purpurea          

Foxgloves prefer light shade, but will grow in sunnier places.  Excellent in the flower border under a tree.  Bumblebees love them.  Biennial.

Greater knapweed   Centaurea scabiosa  

A good meadow flower, long lasting and a good insect attractant.  Many butterfly species will visit it for nectar.  Perennial

Lady’s bedstraw       Galium verum   

A lovely spreading wildflower that is good for moths.  Suitable for a meadow in fine grass, and prefers a well drained soil.  Perennial.

Meadowsweet         Filipendula ulmaria         

Meadowsweet prefers a damp or heavy clay soil that does not dry out too much in the summer.  Good in damp soil beside a pond, or in a wet meadow.  Beautiful scent.  Perennial.

Moon daisy                      Leucanthemum vulgare          

The moon daisy, or ox eye daisy, flowers in early summer, and attracts some of the early summer butterflies to its nectar.  May seed very freely in some soils especially where there is bare soil.  Perennial.

Musk Mallow              Malva moschata        

The musk mallow is a perfect wildflower to add to a herbaceous border. Pink flowers over a long period in summer, attracting bees and bumblebees.  Perennial.

Purple loosestrife        Lythrum salicaria 

Purple loosestrife prefers a damp soil and will seed itself around the edge of a wildlife pond.  The spikes of purple flowers appear in mid summer and attract bees.  Perennial.

Ragged robin                    Lychnis flos-cuculi     

Another plant for damp or heavy soils, the ragged robin is delicate and attractive.  Happy on the pond edge or in a bog garden as long as the soil does not get too dry. Flowering in early summer. Perennial.

Red campion                  Silene dioica

A plant for light shade, under a hedge or beneath trees such as silver birch.  A good plant to attract moths.  Easy to grow and will self seed well.  Perennial.

St John’s wort        Hypericum perforatum         

Masses of bright yellow flowers in mid summer, St john's wort is a good bee plant.  Will grow in most soils in sun, or a little shade.  Perennial.

Teasel                               Dipsacus fullonum              

Teasels need some space, as they can reach five or six feet.  Lovely for the back of a border, or in a wilder place in the garden.  Excellent for attracting bees, butterflies, hoverflies and goldfinches.  Biennial.

Toadflax                                Linaria vulgaris                 

Toadflax is a sweet little wildflower, but can spread quickly in bare soil.  Best grown in short grass.  Perennial.

Vipers bugloss             Echium vulgare

A lovely biennial wildflower for bees and smaller butterflies such as skippers.  Will self seed once it is established in a free draining soil.

White campion                   Silene latifolia

White campion will grow in light shade or full sun, in grass or an the border.  Attracts moths and will seed itself in the right conditions.  Perennial.

Wild marjoram            Origanum vulgare  

Wild marjoram is a plant that no wildlife gardener should be without.  It attracts the smaller butterflies in great numbers, especially gatekeepers and common blues and masses of bees.  Can be used in cooking (origano).  Perennial.

Wild pansy                   Viola tricolor           

The sweet little wild pansy can behave as an annual, biennial or short lived perennial.  It will self seed in the border, or in a rockery or scree garden.  Bees will visit the flowers, which may appear in many months of the year.

Cornfield mix for 5 square metres -cornflower, poppy, corn marigold, corncockle, corn chamomile

This bright mixture of annual wildflowers will attract a wide range of insects.  It will self seed from year to year where the soil is disturbed in the autumn.  Sowing instructions included.