Butterflies and Buddleias

Discussed together because they go together like nothing else in the garden. In August and - September butterflies give the garden an added dimension whenever it is sunny, & although there are other plants good for them the Buddleia and Sedum Spectabile are by far the best.

1.  It is well worth the extra few pounds to buy named varieties over self seeded plants.

2.   Grow at least one, more if you can, to have flowers for a longer period.

3.   Most make tall shrubs or small trees but all can be kept low by pruning.

4.   They are easy to grow & need no special soils & are specially good on clay and chalk.

5.   It is well worth deadheading especially early flowers.

The best varieties for B. flies are the Davidii types - Nanhoo Blue - earliest to flower. Neatest flower & foliage. Blue, orange eye. Pink Delight - early. Large thick flowers. Pinky mauve, very good.

Lochinch - Pale silvery grey foliage & Large pale blue flowers. (Species) Royal Red - Mid season, very good deep reddish purple.

Black Knight - Stunning colour, rich dark purple.

Dartmoor - Later flowering. Very large blowsy flowers. Panicles made up of panicles. Bridal Wreath - The whites are very attractive to B'flies but are lax growing & die poorly.

Butterflies and Caterpillars (Larvae) need different plants so both must be present in an area.

PLANTS TO GROW IF YOU WANT TO ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES & HELP THEM SVRVIVE:-

 

Best Butterfly food I2lan,ts:-

Good garden

Some of the wild flowers

 

 

larval food lliants:-

essential as

Aubrietia

 

Angelic

larval food 12lants:-

Alyssum saxatile *

Buckthorn

 

Buddleia. All varieties *

Cardamine & Charlock

Many Crucifers e.g.

Candytuft

 

Dog & Sweet Violet *

Lady's smock & brassicas.

Daphne lilac

Fennel

 

Forget-me not

Foxgloves

Umbellifers e.g.

Aubrietia,

Heliotrope

Garlic & Hedge mustard

Milk Parsley & Wild Carrot

Hemp agrimony *

Golden Hop *

 

Hyssop, & Apple mint.

Gorse & Heather

& Legumes e.g. Lucerne &

Lavender *

Honeysuckles

Bird's foot-trefoil

Lobelia & Marigold

Ivies &, Holly *

Bramble

Michaelmas daisy

Ribes *

Clover

Marjoram *

Rock Rose

Docks & Sorrel

Primula

 

Mignonette

Many grasses.

Red Valerian *

Prunus

Kidney Vetch

Sedum Spectabile *

Salix (Willows)

Thistles

Scabious *

 

Sorbus

Stinging Nettles

Sweet Rocket *

Spindle bush

 

Sweet William

Tropeolum Spp.

 

~-

 

 

Verbena bonariensis

(especially good = bold*)

 

Only in very exceptional circumstances is it justifiable to use any garden chemical to kill caterpillars. and even then they should be used with great care & only on the specific target. Most do little damage & can be picked off. A few chewed leaves of common plants are a small price to pay for butterflies & moths.


(Sue Lord 2000)