Early flowering insect attractors

[Lords and Ladies]

I decided last year to knock most of the vegetable growing on the head and instead use the sunny side of the garden to attract butterflies and other insects. Far more attractive, less effort and life is too short to worry about slugs I thought.

So over the last six months I've planted a buddleia, asters, blue spirea, scabious, wall flowers, hebe, globe thistles, various alliums and nettles. The garden is a small terrace back garden in a fairly built up area, not ideal butterfly territory but we'll see.

All sounds good so far, but today I looked at the sunny side of the garden and there's really no colour there. Not a flower to shake a stick at now the witch hazel blooms have dropped off.

The buddleia, asters, hebe and blue spirea (<-Caryopteris a great insect plant) in particular are all late flowerers and the rest also still have a long way to go.

The only things I have flowering at the moment are primulas, cowslips, marsh marigolds, hardy cyclamen...that's it I think. All of which are on the shady side and not attracting much of anything. There is an ornamental current in flower, hanging over from nextdoor, but there isn't much activity on that either.

I know that aubrietas are in flower now but I'm really not sure I like them and I'm not sure how great they are at getting the bugs in either.

I did have a look around a couple of nurseries in Sheffield this afternoon looking to see where the insects were and the best candidates seemed to be the heathers and this chap -> Arabis blepharophylla aka Wall Cress, an evergreen perennial alpine (which I tend to pass by) but this one was in full flower and a real favourite with the bumble bees so I bought one.

Anyway, I'm wondering what you guys have in flower at the moment that are bringing in the insects? Is anyone else growing Arabis and having success with it?

All thoughts, gratefully received.

[GuyF]

At the moment there are quite a few flowers around in the garden. I've got a Forget-me-not plant by the pond, I'm not sure which species it is but it is wild. I really like it, it's got a beautiful blue colour and it's attracting bees and yesterday a bee-fly. Also, Celandines have been getting Brimstones and Primroses seem to get quite a few bumble-bees. I've been seeing more butterflies around but I don't know what they're feeding on, they never seem to land!
Guy

[Hornbeam]

Violets and celandines seem to be attracting bees and bee flies. Forget-me-nots, dandelions and berberis are blooming well though I haven't seen bees on them yet. I have lots of primroses, cowslips, oxlips and snakeshead fritillaries in the damper soil of an old orchard - plenty of brimstones, peacocks and an orange tip passing through today. Before long, red and white campion and dames violet will really attract insects. Various members of the hawkweeds are a magnet for hoverflies

[brainfarmer]

which ever plant mix u get wont compensate for the british weather and given the ups and downs of temperature this year weve had frog spawn at xmas and a coldish march. u can only try to plant for an average year ( whatever that is). we like to think we can encourage wildlife but they will only be there if the general weather conditions permit.

[Kayleigh]

The native pussy willow near me has lots of bees and the Erica ( heather) gets lots of bees on early in the season and the hyacinth bulbs.

[Susie]

Pulmonia (lung wort) is another good one and seems to be a favourite of the bee flies around here.

I bought some more catmint today, which is almost in flower, and I know that the insects adore it. It is second to only lavender in my books.

I don't have any (yet) but I imagine that comfrey can't be far off blooming.

The roadside edges are full of cuckoo flower (lady's smock) around here - that is a really pretty sight.

[aeshna5]

As Kayleigh mentions Sallows are marvellous for nectaring insects + don't forget about the night shift- on a mild night go out with a torch + look for moths feeding on it. These native shrubs can get large for a small garden, but respond well to coppicing to make them manageable.

At Kew today there was a huge (much taller than me!) white flowered heather, Erica arborea, swarming with bees (bumbles, honey + solitary), hoverflies a queen wasp + a Peacock. Lovely honey scent to it.

[balkantrek]

I agree about Pulmonaria. I have a lot in my garden here in Kent and it seems a "hive" of activity at the moment for various species of bee.

[Susie]

Is that why you are waxing lyrical about it, honey?

[goosey]

lords and Ladies that is such a shame after all the thought and hard work you have put in to attract insects and butterlies. I had that trouble last year and the year before where everything was moreless green untill May. Last Autumn though I planted lots of bulbs which would flower between February until May and by then some of the perenials will have started to kick in. All the bulbs I planted had a benefit or a specific use. This year there is loads of colour and plenty of insects - not many butterflies I must admit but it has made a real difference. I also have a terrace house in a built up area and a small garden (yard) and it only took three years to totally change it for the better, so keep going it will all come together.,
These are the bulbs I planted:-
Chionodoxa, winter aconite, snow drops,Tulips Talpa, Tulips Fusilier, Snakes head fritillaries,Iris reticulata and Crocuses.