Trees!

[badgerwatcher]

Having discovered, in spite of trying to do everything right, that my carbon footprint is about a size nine, I have decided the answer is to plant trees!
So I've just purchased a witch hazel, a victoria plum, a sweet cherry, a weeping willow, a pyracantha, two wysteria, an olive, an abutilon and mahonia, the last few of which are shrubs, really I suppose.
Does it count if they're non-indiginous?
I'm very excited as I've never had room for trees before.

[Gill Catton]

Native trees are usually better as they support more tiny insects that in-turn feed the birds and small mals etc. However, the plum and sweet cherry and willow are related to native versions and probably support a similar range of species, and the plum and the cherry in particular produce fruit and flowers good for lots of wildlife and the pyracantha's good and spikey - safe for nesting birds and produces berries that birds will eat in the autumn / winter. So these are still good choices. I'm not familiar with all of them though not being much of a gardener (yet ).

as for carbon footprinting - I haven't quite got my head around that just yet.......
planting good plants can't be a bad thing though it seems to me

[badgerwatcher]

I'm trying to plant good stuff for the wildlife, Gill, but I'm treating myself to a few things too, like the witch hazel, which I've always wanted. It's the rusty coloured one, and is beautiful!

[UB4 gardener]

the mahonia is a good nectar source for flies, bees & butterflies that might come out of hibernation during warmer spells in winter.

[Susie]

I bought my first tree to go in the garden the other day, an Alder Buckthorn. Hopefully when it is big enough it will support Brimstone caterpillars as it is their only food source.

[badgerwatcher]

Oh yes, hopefully, UB4 Gardener. I've already got some good stuff in flower, so I thought I'd try and get a few more winter flowering things. The mahonia smells nice too. I've also just got a Sarcococca Hookeriana, which I'd never heard of, but it is in flourishing perfumed flower, so I hope that will be a good wildlife plant too.

[Susie]

I've got a big Sarcococca Buxaceae in pot by the front door and the smell is wonderful. I've never heard of your one, Badgerwatcher, is that a new variety?

There is a witch hazel in the back garden which has been smothered in flowers since mid December, which is heavenly too. On the few mild sunny days we have had there have been quite a few flying creepy crawlies on that so it is one I would recommend for this time of year.

I am sure Jaki (Garden Carpet) will tell you what a draw for insect life her plum tree is - she gets so many Red Admirals nectaring on them, the lucky sausage! The birds will love the cherries too.

All round I think you have made some good choices there.

[Susie]

Whoops!

[badgerwatcher]

I've never heard of Sarcococca, before, Susie. I just bought it because it smelled so amazing.
And the witch hazel is Jelena, with orange flowers.
And I'd never thought of plum trees attracting anything except wasps, so I'm pleasantly surprised!
I've obviously picked some good ones, more by luck than judgement!
What's Alder Buckthorn, Susie? Is it an Alder, or a Buckthorn, or something else? They are two trees I love.

[Susie]

This is quite a good link that will tell you more about the Alder Buckthorn. It has some quite interesting medicinal uses as well AlderBuckthorn

Yes, you did make some good choices. I think fruit trees are under rated with regard to wildlife. If you don't use pesticides then you should get a whole host of creepy crawlies on them from spring through to autumn and then if you leave some of the fruit on it will feed the birds through the late autumn/early winter.

I've never grown a plum tree (I plan to get one) but on the pear tree at my last house I used to love watching speckled wood butterflies nectaring on the over-ripe fruit as well as wasps and flies.

I'd never heard of Sarcococca before last year when I happened to smell it by chance. I asked what it was and took a bit to put in a vase when I got home. One flower stem made my kitchen smell wonderful for over a week. After the week I ripped it up into bits, took a few of the seeds off and stuck it all in a pot and to my surprise the cuttings and the seeds grew. Unfortunately most of the small plants died in a hot spell back in the summer but I managed to nurse three back to life and have still got the tiny little plants growing away quite happily. The only trouble is that they grow so slowly, so I bought myself a great big one which I have put by the front door so I can enjoy the fragrance and hopefully when there are bees around they can enjoy the pollen.

I plan to make a little corner specifically as a winter pollen source for bees. I have a Mahonia, a Witch Hazel, some Hellebores and the Sweet Box cuttings will go in to join them when they are big enough.

[badgerwatcher]

Hi Susie,
Thanks for the link. Very interesting, and the only other herbal remedy against lice that I've come across, the other being delphiniums, specific to head lice. (Well, you never know when the world might end, and if there were only a few survivers, that's a lot of headlice each!)
I never used pesticides. I tend to think that the maggot of a fruit tastes the same as the fruit anyway, if that's all it's ever eaten, although that view upsets a lot of people!
I'll have a go with cuttings from the sarcococca. It's lovely.
And I adore hellebores, don't you? We have loads of the big burley one, think it's argutifolius, already in the garden, and I've now got more, white and deep purple, so I'm delighted.
The mahonia is still flowering happily in spite of the snow.
And my snow drops survived.
I'm so pleased you're enjoying your new garden.

[Brachystegia]

Originally Posted by badgerwatcher

I tend to think that the maggot of a fruit tastes the same as the fruit anyway, if that's all it's ever eaten

Excellent thought! My Portugese and Italian friends have always laughed at the British sqeamishness with fruit-eating grubs. Extra protein with your sugars!

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by UB4 gardener

the mahonia is a good nectar source for flies, bees & butterflies that might come out of hibernation during warmer spells in winter.

True enough and also supports winter aphids, good for ladybirds having trouble sleeping in the winter. As are hellebores.
What's UB4 doing out West (or rather, further west than Heathrow)?

[Susie]

Originally Posted by badgerwatcher

I never used pesticides. I tend to think that the maggot of a fruit tastes the same as the fruit anyway, if that's all it's ever eaten, although that view upsets a lot of people!

Teehee. I agree totally.

I can't understand why some people are so squemish either

Good luck with your cuttings, mine took really easily.

Paul, what other plants apart from Hellebores are good for ladybirds?

[Lammergeier]

Originally Posted by Susie

I bought my first tree to go in the garden the other day, an Alder Buckthorn. Hopefully when it is big enough it will support Brimstone caterpillars as it is their only food source.

I'm new to this forum but it seems to be just the thing i'm looking for... some really good discussions and a nice relaxed atmosphere.

Have just got 4 small Alder Buckthorn to plant either side of a Buddleja... Brimstones are not unheard of this far north (Edinburgh) although very uncommon, but many insects are heading north with the milder winters (as are birds) so I am planting in optimism for the future (together with Ivy along the fence). The added benefit with this over Buckthorn is the lack of thorns, If you have small children about etc it can be a bit tricky planting a lot of native hedge species such as Buckthorn, Hawthorn, Blackthorn and the various scrambling roses. Although rich in biodiversity they are not kind to inquisitive little fingers. Do you still have room for more trees? If you want native but unusual try Wild Service Tree ( a close relative of Rowan) as it is quite scarce now in the wild, does not get huge and produces tasty pear shaped berries for the birds, as well as clusters of white flowers popular with bees and hoverflies.

[Dan Salter]

Im going to have to plant a tree tomorrow to stop this being an all lady affair? ( But i must say well done girls ! )

[Lammergeier]

I'm a bloke!!!

[Dan Salter]

Ah well done mate...saved me a job tomorrow

Incidentally...I like your name , I have seen lammergeier ( spelling?) On my treks through the himalayas in Nepal and Tibet ! Amazing birds

[Lammergeier]

Same here, in Dharamsala. Did a trip of Northern/Central India. Jaw droppingly awesome birds. Impressed by the Himalayan Griffons too...

[nightshade]

Just a quickie,May issue, Computer Shopper has some plant databases
Deeproot plant base wild plants and garden plants
Garden planner

[badgerwatcher]

I am delighted to discover that I have a tree covered in catkins at the moment, hiding behind a shed. I suppose it's hazel, as I don't know what else has catkins?
(It's not alder, sadly. I must get one, having completely converted my partner to their delicate lacey beauty.)

[Hornbeam]

Lots of trees have catkins: Hornbeam, willows, alder, poplars, aspen, birch, oak, walnut...

[badgerwatcher]

Do they? These are the pollen covered fluffy yellow caterpillar hanging type.

[Lords and Ladies]

I'm a fan of the witch hazels too (mine's the yellow one). Great winter colour and nicely scented. Though I've not seen any insects visit it.

You may have trouble with the Abutilon, badgerwatcher. Some are hardier than others but my understanding is it's really more of a houseplant in this country. No doubt others with prove me wrong .

It should do fine in a large pot outside in summer and brought indoors over winter. Though the flowers have a habit of falling off when moved. They're quite easy to take cuttings from so you could take a backup cutting to keep indoors.

[badgerwatcher]

I've decided to keep the Abutilon in the sunroom, Lords and Ladies, along with the olive. They seem very happy there, with the bromelliads and orchids, which are jubilant! Oh, and the banana palm, which is quietly contented.