Purple dead nettle, Lamium purpureum. Though similar to a nettle in appearance, it is not related, doesn’t sting and is a member of the Mint family. The flowers may be produced throughout the year, including mild weather in winter. This allows bees to gather its nectar for food when few other nectar sources are available. It is also a prominent source […]
Mallow, Malva. This plant is one of the earliest cited in recorded literature. Horace mentions it in reference to his own simple diet: “Me pascunt olivae, me cichorea, me malvae” (“As for me, olives, endives, and mallows provide sustenance”). Lord Monboddo describes his translation of an ancient epigram that demonstrates malva was planted upon the graves of the ancients, stemming from […]
Cyclamen, Cyclamen hederifolium. Wild Cyclamen is native in Europe and the Mediterranean and has escaped from gardens and naturalised in many areas across southern Britain. It prefers dappled shade or an undisturbed woodland setting where it will quickly spread, but it will grow in full sun. Rosy pink flowers from August to December. Dark green ivy-like leaves mottled with pale silvery-green. […]
Creeping thistle, Cirsium arvense. Other names include Lettuce from hell thistle and Cursed thistle. It forms extensive colonies via an underground root system. Seeds have a feathery pappus which helps with wind dispersal. Seeds are important for Goldfinch and Linnet and used as a food by over 20 species of butterfly including Painted Lady. It’s an invasive species, present in the […]
Russian comfrey, Symphytum x uplandicum. Comfrey is a particularly valuable source of fertility to the organic gardener and is used as a compost activator, liquid fertiliser, mulch or potting mixture. Comfreys have been used as traditional medicinal plants in Europe for centuries. Russian comfrey can be considered as a toxic plant and some comfrey products have been banned for human […]
Buddleja, Buddleja davidii. This extremely successful shrub (sometimes referred to as the butterfly bush) is frequently seen beside railway lines, but has the ability to self seed and establish with no difficulty on brick structures such as bridges where its roots break up masonry over a quite short period of time. It is very popular with bees, butterflies, moths and […]
