Spring is sprung…

…the first in a series of blogs written by Buglife Development Officer, Beth Barber, celebrating the seasonality of our gardens.

Day-time temperatures are rising and now that spring is officially here, it’s time to turn attention to some wildlife-friendly garden tasks.

Spring is an excellent time to be sowing nectar-rich wildflower seeds such as Borage, Cornflower and Yarrow, but before you go rushing for the seed catalogues take a moment to wander around your garden and assess any ‘volunteer seedlings’ that have appeared, particularly if you left seedheads standing to provide shelter for invertebrates or feed the birds over winter. Chances are that if you grew native plants such as poppies, Field Scabious or Teasels last year, or non-native but nectar-rich species such as Nasturtiums, Love-in-a-mist or Poached Egg Plant, you will have a host of seedlings already in situ. Neighbouring gardens also contribute to this natural bounty which may or may not be welcome depending on the state of your neighbour’s garden!

Volunteer seedlings can be thinned out or transplanted to more desirable locations once they are large enough to handle. Gardens are managed spaces rather than pristine habitat and it is perfectly acceptable for the gardener to have some design input!

While you are assessing what is already growing in the garden remember to look out for beneficial ‘weeds’ such as dandelions, nettles, White and Red Dead Nettle, clovers and Viper’s Bugloss. If you have space to leave a few of these growing wild in your garden, they all provide excellent sources of nectar for pollinators.

If you can’t resist the lure of the seed catalogues, try to buy at least some native species supplemented by non-natives to extend the flowering season into autumn such as Michaelmas Daisy and chrysanthemums. Note that non-native species may be half-hardy or tender so you may need to delay sowing these for a few weeks until nighttime temperatures rise too. Remember to avoid double-flowered varieties because these are of limited use for many of our invertebrates. If you want to attract a wide range of pollinators to your garden choose lots of different flower shapes and colours, including white and pale flowers for nocturnal insects. There are lots of lists of nectar-rich seeds and garden plants available online to help guide your selection. Most herbs and some vegetables, for example peas and beans, also flower prolifically and provide a great source of nectar for pollinating insects while also providing a delicious crop of home-grown veggies. Win: win!

Make sure that you buy peat-free compost and, if you are planning to buy container-grown plants in addition to seeds, try to buy British-grown specimens. Many non-native species of invertebrates have been imported accidentally in potted plants and they may out-compete or predate on native species.

If you have a lawn the good news is that you can avoid the pressure to start mowing and let it grow longer, safe in the knowledge that you are benefitting the wildlife in your garden. As the season progresses longer lawns provide shelter and a moisture-rich cooling effect for many species. You will probably also notice some additional colour in your garden as nectar-rich dandelions, clover and daisies make an appearance.

Spring is a great time to renovate and restock bug hotels, or even to create new ones if you have space in your garden: see our guides to building a bug hotel or creating a bee hotel. And all creatures big and small need a source of water so perhaps think about burying a shallow dish or bowl half-filled with pebbles if you don’t have space for a garden pond.

Finally, don’t forget to take some time to sit and enjoy your wildlife-rich garden. You’ll be amazed how many different bugs are enjoying it too.

 

---

Main image credit: Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) on Nepeta (Cat Mint) © Claire Pumfrey