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There are many hardy and half-hardy annuals that can be grown for cut flowers. Many attract bees and butterflies and some species can be dried, for use in long-lasting displays.Sow hardy and half-hardy annuals between March and April in small pots

it's not legal, but I'm not aware of anyone being prosecuted for it.I attended a wildlife gardening conference recently, where one of the speakers, Jan Miller, author of Gardening for Butterflies, Bees and other benificial insects gave a presentation

-shaped flowers. When planted alongside carrots, its strong scent confuses and deters the carrot root fly, which can normally smell carrots from up to a mile away.Garlic chivesLavender, Lavandula angustifolia attracts a range of pollinators, including bees

was distracted by an extremely industrious bee working away at a particular blossom on one of their apple trees. Intrigued and a little captivated by this particular bee's tenacity she marked the spot with a piece of ribbon.As summer turned to autumn, the fruit

the pathways made from broken glass and brick pieces. But its message was inspiring: you can put almost anything to good use.The Global Stone Bee Friendly Plants Garden proved that not all bee-friendly plants are 'weeds'; they can be striking, ornamental plants

's head fritillary, crocus, grape hyacinth and allium, to name a few. The wonderfully named hairy-footed flower bee is particularly fond of grape hyacinths.Last year’s late arrival of spring was hazardous for many insects, especially some bumblebee queens

-like-bugs-any-bugs-at-all sort of detached scientific curiosity. There is a bit of that. But mostly, it is because if we have a good year for wasps, we also have a good year for so many other insects. It’s all tied in to their seasonal emergence behaviour.Unlike bees, which can

Just outside the back door is a lanky tuft of Veronicastrum virginicum. It's a good bee flower, with honeybees and bumbles visiting often. And this is the third year in a row that we have had a fasciated flower on it.I remember, very clearly

with some wood, landscape fabric and pond liner, and transformed the dead space on my shed into a wildlife oasis.High up above our cities, green roofs provide a refuge for endangered black redstarts, wild bees, butterflies and other insects, giving them a

(Joe-pye weed)Useful websites for wildlife gardeningGardeners' World wildlife blogsMake a bee hotelMore plants for beesWildlife gardening tipsButterfly Conservation Trust