Monday 23 November 2015

Plants for pollinators in autumn


Flowering on the plot and in the garden in October and November:

Actaea simplex Atrropurpurea Group (Bugbane) 
Ageratina altissima "Chocolate"
Aster frikartii "Monch" 
Aster cordifolius "Little Carlow" 
Aster novae-angliae "Barr's Pink"
Catmint (Nepeta mussini)
Coreopseris verticillata
Cosmos "Sensation Mixed" and "Pied Piper"
Dahlia "Redskin" 
Echium "Blue Bedder" 
Evening primrose 
Helianthus "Lemon Queen" 
Ivy
Marjoram (Origanum marjorana) 
Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot, bee balm) 
Monkshood
Nicotiana "Lime Green"
Perovskia "Blue Spire" (Russian sage)
Phacelia tanacetifolia (second crop)
Rose Campion
Rudbeckia "Marmalade"
Scabiosa atropurpurea "Oxford Blue" 
Sedum
Snapdragon 
Verbena bonariensis
Wallflower "Bowles Mauve" 

Much of what has been flowering over the summer continues into autumn of course but some plants save their glory for this time of year, amongst them actaea, ageratina, monkshood and ivy.

From my observations I'd say that the favourite for the bees at this time of year has been the cosmos and dahlias, until the frost finally finished them off at the end of November. And an important food for butterflies is the rotting fallen fruit in the orchard so it's just as well I'm too lazy to tidy it up.



 Dahlias are popular with the bees at this time of year...

...as is the cosmos.

Aster novae-angliae "Barr's Pink" flowers in October...

...as does monkshood...

...and Ageratina altissima "Chocolate".

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