Search - Articles

Heliotropum arborescens 'Butterfly Blue' x 4Nemesia caerulea x 4French lavender, Lavandula stoechas x 440cm plastic-coated wire basketMulti-purpose compostWool basket liningSlow release fertiliserWater-retaining gelPlace a layer of wool or alternative lining in the bottom

round. Also, many attract bees, butterflies and other insects, providing a valuable resource for our native wildlife.Raise cut flowers from seed in small pots or modular trays during spring, and the cut-flower plants will be ready to plant out in May

Friday, Saturday and Sunday just past were fabulous, and as the sun burned down it was a thrill to see so many insects still about. A very late speckled wood butterfly was fluttering about the allotment, along with a last few large whites. A huge

of butterflies.Pear 'Fondante d'Automne': one of those annoying pear trees whose fruits are always too hard - except for the perfectly ripe ones that are snaffled by squirrels. However, I'm sure that as it gets bigger there'll be enough to go around

host of fabulous cultivars of B. davidii. Among my favourites are B. davidii 'Royal Red' and B. davidii 'White Cloud'. They'll all grow to the height of about 4m and will attract clouds of butterflies.

Dulwich). All ichneumons are parasitic, laying their eggs in a wide range of insects, but especially moth and butterfly caterpillars. The venom injected at the same time contains an immunosuppressant, preventing the immune system of the host insect from

problem: the hazel (unlike many plants) cannot fertilise itself, so needs to find another tree. How to disseminate pollen from one tree to another? Many plants use insects — bees, wasps, moths, butterflies or ants — while others draw on the services

that expired in 2004 (coincidentally the year that I had a garden there). The new festival is near St Albans and is on the site that, eventually, will play host to Butterfly World. The festival runs until September and features gardens built by such illustrious

(apart from a friendly pigeon), and I doubt there will be until I have grown sufficient foliage (and bought the all-important plum tree) for them to hide in. And it’s going to be a butterfly and bumblebee haven – full of single-flowered, nectar rich

There's a park near me. It's a great place to escape the urban sprawl. There, I've spotted eight species of bumblebee (including a winter buff-tailed colony), plus honey, solitary and feather-footed bees. I've also seen butterflies, great spotted