MCV: August Newsletter

Wild flowers at home…

This is a time of year to enjoy your garden. There are yellow gifts from nowhere. My beds are benefiting from plenty of tall and shapely fennel which is very popular this time of year with lots of different kinds of wild 

bees and wasps and other insects whose names I don't know. I am very grateful to wild fleabane which flew in a few years ago and is now spreading. The same applies to evening primrose. It helps to memorise what the spring showings of these look like so you don't weed them. These three plants perk up the beds when so much is already over.

Marjoram is coming into its own, another plant very popular with insects, requiring no work except protection from clumsy weeding. Its colours are subtle (aka a little restrained) but the bees don't mind.

My viper's bugloss, such a winner for insects during June and July, is nearly over (early this year?) so I have cut them right down in hope of some late flowering shoots. Again, keep the trowel away from very young plants, which look rather like young evening primrose. Leave both!

Do you have grandchildren coming during the holidays? Take them on a creepy crawly hunt in your garden. Dragon and damsel flies, maybe a toad, the small brown butterflies whose names I haven't learnt. You might find some nests. Dig up a couple of superfluous 'weeds' such as the ones mentioned above for them to take home and plant in their own bit of their parents' garden.

How about taking part in the Big Butterfly Count?  Click here to visit the website which will give you help with identification and if you want to take part in the survey you can.

Enjoy your garden!

To find out more about Milford Conservation Volunteers, please visit;

www.milfordcv.org