Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings. Plants for wildlife-friendly www.naturalengland.org.uk gardens © Natural England 2007 ISBN 978-1-84754-020-1 Catalogue code NE29 Written by Steve Berry. Designed by statusdesign.co.uk Front cover image: Herbaceous border. Jim Foster/Natural England www.naturalengland.org.uk Plants for wildlife-friendly gardens This leaflet lists some of the many For example, highly bred double- garden plants which can help to attract flowered varieties produce little or no wildlife to your garden. While plants pollen or nectar and so are not of that occur naturally in England – native interest to bees, butterflies or other species – do have more to offer some pollinating insects. forms of wildlife, recent research has Cowslips. Paul Glendell/Natural England seriously challenged once- conventional view that native flora is always best. It is now clear that many cultivated varieties and exotic plants are also good for wildlife, provided that their flowers are not too complex. Please note Garden plants should never be planted changing the composition of the out in the wild and, similarly, wild soil. Various introduced aquatic plants should never be dug up to be plants have caused even greater planted in the garden. havoc, and it has so far proved Digging up wild plants is illegal. It is impossible even to prevent their also usually pointless as many will further and highly damaging only thrive on poor soils and will spread. not flourish in gardens. Introducing cultivated plants into the wild has Do take great care, therefore, and caused severe problems for native never risk introducing garden wildflowers – and their associated plants into wild areas. Discarding wildlife – and is still doing so. the results of weeding over the Rhododendron now smothers huge garden fence – for example, into areas of woodland in England (and adjoining allotments, woodland, Wales) and is extremely hard – and railway land or wasteland – is expensive – to control. Similarly, the irresponsible. All unwanted plant fleshy-leaved Hottentot fig material should instead be Carpobrotus edulis has invaded composted. The Natural England cliffs in Devon and Cornwall where booklet Composting and peat-free it forms dense stands, out- gardening has further details. (See competing native species and even Further information, page 14.) Cottage garden. Paul Keene/Avico Ltd Cottage garden. Paul 2 3 Trees and shrubs Large trees Ash Fraxinus excelsior Beech Fagus sylvatica Cherries Prunus avium and P. padus Elm Ulmus procera Oaks Quercus robur and Q. petraea Small-leaved lime Tilia cordata White willow Salix alba Medium/small trees Alder Alnus glutinosa Apples Malus spp. Field maple Acer campestre Several bird species are fond of firethorn berries, and blackbirds may nest in this shrub. Holly Ilex aquifolium Chris Gibson/Natural England Other shrubs for Pears Pyrus spp. Rowan Sorbus aucuparia nectar, pollen or fruits Silver birch Betula pendula Plants to site under These following plants are especially Yew Taxus baccata trees or in shady areas attractive to insects or provide food Honeysuckle flower. for birds and other animals. Plants for hedges Derek Ratcliffe/Natural England The following species flower early A combination of shrubs and before trees are in full leaf, and will do Bodant viburnum climbers can make attractive hedges Climbers and well in areas that become shady later Viburnum x bodnantense of great benefit for wildlife, as well in the year. Californian lilac Ceanothus spp. as providing a functional boundary. ‘scramblers’ Creeping cotoneaster Beech and holly can also be effective Climbing brambles Rubus spp. Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta Cotoneaster frigidus when used to make single species fruticosus group (including various Bugle Ajuga reptans Firethorn Pyracantha spp. hedges. cultivars and hybrids, eg loganberries, Daffodils, including wild daffodil Himalayan honeysuckle Shrubs suitable for hedges tayberries etc). Narcissus pseudonarcissus Leycesteria formosa Blackthorn Prunus spinosa Climbing roses Rosa spp. especially Foxglove Digitalis purpurea Japanese quince Buckthorn Rhamnus catharticus wild species such as dog rose R. Lily of the valley Convallaria majalis Chaenomeles japonica Cherry plum Prunus cerasifera canina and field rose R. arvensis Lords-and-ladies/cuckoopint Arum Laurustinus Viburnum tinus Elder Sambucus nigra Ivies Hedera spp., including common maculatum Lilac Syringa vulgaris Guelder rose Viburnum opulus ivy H. helix Primrose Primula vulgaris Mahonia Mahonia spp. Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna Honeysuckles Lonicera spp., including Sweet violet Viola odorata Mock orange Philadelphus spp. Hazel Corylus avellana the native L. periclymenum Wood avens Geum urbanum Serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis Wild clematis/Old man’s beard Privets, including wild privet Yellow archangel Lamiastrum Warning. Some species of cotoneaster (eg C. Ligustrum vulgare Clematis vitalba galeobdolon horizontalis) are invasive and not recommended. 4 5 Wildflowers Native wildflowers for borders Harebell Campanula rotundifolia Please note. Any native plant with a Herb-robert Geranium robertianum simple, open-structured flower is Lady’s bedstraw Galium verum likely to attract pollinating insects. Marjoram Origanum vulgare Especially attractive are the flowers of Meadow cranesbill the daisy family (Compositae), the Geranium pratense cabbage family (Crucifers) and the Oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare carrot family (Umbellifers). In addition, Primrose Primula vulgaris members of the huge family of Red campion Silene dioica Labiates, which includes mints and Spiked speedwell Veronica spicata deadnettles, are also recommended. Tansy Tanacetum vulgare The following list is therefore only Teasel Dipsacus fullonum an indication of the huge variety Toadflax Linaria vulgaris of wildflowers you could plant in White campion Silene alba your garden. Wild thyme Thymus drucei Yellow loosestrife Lysimachia vulgaris Agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria The poached-egg plant may attract various Chicory Chichorium intybus species of hoverfly. Chris Gibson/Natural England Chives Allium schoenoprasum Common mallow Malva sylvestris Common poppy Papaver rhoeas Corncockle Agrostemma githago Cornflower Centaurea cyanus Corn marigold Chrysanthemum segetum Cowslip Primula veris Dame’s-violet Hesperis matronalis Dandelion Taraxacum officinale Devil’s-bit scabious Succisa pratensis Field scabious Knautia arvensis Foxglove Digitalis purpurea Germander speedwell Veronica chamaedrys Goldenrod Solidago virgaurea Great mullein Verbascum thapsus Greater knapweed Centaurea scabiosa England Wild thyme. Peter Wakely/Natural 6 7 Cultivated plants for borders Drought-tolerant Jerusalem sage Phlomis russelliana Marjoram Origanum vulgare and its Grecian windflower Anemone blanda plants garden form ‘Aureum’, golden marjoram Angelica Angelica archangelica Myrtle Myrtus communis Aubretia Aubretia deltoidea Climate change is now a reality. Some Onion Allium christophii California poppy parts of England in recent years have Rock-roses Helianthemum spp. Eschscholtzia californica received a lower level of annual Sea-hollies Eryngium spp. Candytuft Iberis sempervirens rainfall than Jerusalem, while spring Sun-roses Cistus spp. Christmas rose Helleborus niger and summer hosepipe bans may Winter savoury Satureia Montana become a regular feature in the east Cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus Sea Holly. Chris Gibson/Natural England Evening primrose Oenothera biennis and south-east at least. It makes sense, Fleabane Erigeron spp. therefore, to select plants which, once Forget-me-not Myosotis spp. established, can withstand long French marigold Tagetes spp. periods without being watered. Many Globe thistle Echinops ritro of the following species originate from Grape hyacinth Muscari botryoides South America, the Mediterranean or Hollyhock Althaea rosea the Middle East and are well-suited to Honesty Lunaria rediviva dry soils in full sun, as well as Ice plant Sedum spectabile providing for the needs of garden Marsh marigold Caltha palustris. Lenten rose Helleborus orientalis Paul Glendell/Natural England wildlife. Michaelmas daisy Aster spp. Perennial cornflower Phlox Phlox paniculata Argentinean salvia Salvia argentea Centaurea montana Poached-egg plant Calamint Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta Perennial sunflower Limnanthes douglasii Cardoon Cynara cardunculus Helianthus decapetalus Purple coneflower Chile black scabious Scabiosa Paul Glendell/Natural England Echinacea purpurea atropurpurea Red valerian Centranthus ruber Crimson clover Trifolium incarnatum Snapdragon Antirrhinum majus Crocus Crocus tommasinianus Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis Escallonia Escallonia spp. Ponds and marshes Spring crocus False dittany Ballota acetabulosa Water is important for wildlife. Even a Crocus chrysanthus and hybrids Giant dead-nettle Lamium orvala small pond or boggy area can attract Sweet alyssum Lobularia maritima Giant echium Echium pininana birds, insects and other animals. It Sweet bergamot Monarda didyma Giant scabious Cephalaria gigantea also creates an interesting feature in Sweet William Dianthus barbatus Golden-drops Onosma spp. itself. The Natural England leaflet Tobacco plant Nicotiana affinis Honeywort Cerinthe major and C. Garden ponds and boggy areas: