Buddleja, pulmonaria and heather are among the top plants for wildlife according to a new survey carried out by the Wildlife Gardening Forum.
Top plants for wildlife
The group asked volunteers around the country to score a wide range of garden plants. They found that butterflies were drawn to buddleja before anything else, justifying its common name of ‘butterfly bush’. Second-best for butterflies was tall, airy Verbena bonariensis. Bumblebees, though, prefer greater knapweed and the round-headed Allium sphaerocephalon; while honeybees like heather and borage. Solitary bees adore pulmonaria and lamb’s ear; while hoverflies enjoy fennel most, followed by ivy and solidago.
Some plants often recommended as being good for pollinators, however, did not score well in the survey: bugs ignored primroses and pot marigolds, for example.
“The results confirm that what is also good for bumblebees, for example, is quite different from the preferred flowers for butterflies,” said Adrian Thomas, who organised the survey.
Buddleja at our garden centre
You’ll find these and many other nectar-rich plants to attract wildlife to your garden right here at the garden centre - ask our knowledgeable staff for advice on the best ones for creating a vibrant wildlife-friendly garden. Add bird feeders, bug hotels and perhaps a pond and your patch will be buzzing with life all year round!