Kitchen Garden Forum

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-47698294

I am growing a lot more native wild flowers in my garden to try and help and our local farmers are also planting flowers in the field margins and set aside land, it all helps. I notice my Snakeshead Fritillaries are out now.

I'm certainly going to sow a patch of bee friendly, wild flowers this year....every little will help.

We had lots of bees and butterflies during fabulous February mainly on the heather bed, ericas are fantastic for early insects. We get lots of different species of bumble bees, I don't think the problem is as bad away from intensive farming. I grow sweet peas, climbing annuals and flowers for cutting and drying in the vegetable area so it is buzzing all Summer and the rest of the garden has lots of stuff they like including a wild flower area (mainly dog daisies) and quite a few buddleia bushes.

I put a sticky board up were we sit and have a drink down the plot we seemed to have an infestation of blue bottles I noticed on the third day it was up we had quite a few hover flies which I know are pollinators
I removed the board the minute I found them

I let flowers self sow around the plot & have designated flower beds as well. The self sown poppies started growth very early this year so I found myself covering them as the bees love them.

Having read this thread I will definitely finish clearing the border under our magnolia tree, which is in full sun, and plant lots of annual seeds, poppies, and some wild flowers. I saw this done at Calke Abbey last summer and the effect was amazing and lasted all summer. Apparently they mix varieties of seed and sprinkle the seed very thickly.

Someone has recommended Red Valerian to attract butterflies, particularly humming bird hawk moths.

I’ve got a little gardening whatsapp group with some old school friends and I’m posting them all a wildflower envelope to get them to do their bit. I figure that’s five more people helping out

Now what a brilliant idea that is, MattW......

I think I have posted this before but ,last year I found a couple of packets of aldi wild flower seeds my wife had left lying around ,I borrowed them and scattered them on a very narrow bit of soil up against the fence down the plot when I say narrow it varies from six to ten inches ,I never covered the seeds just left them were they landed what a show of wild flowers we had they grew to eight feet tall ,amongst them was poppies ,sunflowers , princes tails I think they were called I've a photo on my phone but it does not do it justice

last year I found a couple of packets of aldi wild flower seeds my wife had left lying around ,I borrowed them

Things one borrows are usually given back, Robo, but you actually enhanced the borrowings - I like that!