Common valerian

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Susie

I can try.

Thanks Susie, would be doing my a favour if you could, the reason i ask is, it's 1 plant of not come across but one lot of seed I'll be sowing near to Tufftie's stream when the time comes. Any photo's I have seen (Not on WAB I happen to add ) have not been particularly good, so I believe!

Cheers

Jez

[Susie]

And you think mine would be better? lol. Don't hold your breath if you are expecting decent photos. I'll give it a bash anyway when they are in flower, especially if it is for Tufftie. They're a week or two off I reckon at the moment.

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Susie

And you think mine would be better? lol. Don't hold your breath if you are expecting decent photos.

Very modest of you Susie but we've all seen your photo's so you can't fool anyone here!

[Susie]

I took a quick snap when I was out today. There was masses of this plant and despite being told that it likes a damp soil this was growing quite happily on a very steep, dry, chalk slope!



The flower in my garden has been in bloom for a couple of weeks but I still haven't got around to taking a picture of it.

It does smell quite sweet but so far it hasn't proved to be exceptionally good. I have had a small white feed on it once to my knowledge but not a lot else. The astrantia "roma" which is next to it is constantly alive with insects on the other hand.

[grymalkyn]

Originally Posted by Susie

I know that lots of us grow red valerian but does anyone else grow our native common valerian, Valeriana officinalis? Is it a good wildlife attractant?

Yes, I do. we use the flowers in biodynamics as well as them being super for the insects, hoverflies love it as well as bees and butterflies. and the scent is gorgeous too. It's tall, back of border stuff. Or grow it in a hedge if you have a rough mixed one, that's its natural place, or one of them.

I've also got Centranthus ruber, and some ruber Alba the white false valerian, all round the garden - a real thug but very attractive and also good for insects.

[grymalkyn]

Originally Posted by cwilk

This used to grow in my previous garden - it seemed to prefer the dampish borders and would spread onto the (rather soggy) lawn given half a chance - runs like creeping buttercups.
I dug it all out after I read that it attracted cats!

It doesn't attract my cats . And it grows in dryer soil as well in the damp, does very well. It's the juice you make from it that cats really like, when we're using this for the compost preps the cats do get a bit wild

[Susie]

Mine is fully in flower now and it is pretty and it does smell nice but apart from that I wouldn't give it house room from what I have seen so far. It doesn't seem to be attractive to anything!

I keep thinking that it must be good for something, with those tall stems and mass of tiny flowers it reminds me a lot of vebena bonariensis, so I will give it a year or two and see what happens.

Thanks for your reply grymalkyn, I am always interested to read how people have got on with plants in their gardens and you give me hope that this flower may be good in the end.