The Pickerings Pasture Wildlife Garden Unable to make this telephone friendly
This is the current list of the plants and shrubs The Friends of Pickerings Pasture have planted in our newly created wildlife nature garden, which came into being in May this year. As with all gardens ours will evolve and no doubt the plants within will alter by nature or design, so we’ll try and keep our list up to date as the seasons come and go.
It is hoped that our wildlife nature garden will be well received not just by our wildlife but also by the reserves visitors and members of the local community. We see it as an opportunity to explain the benefits, to all, of wildlife gardening and habitat creation, perhaps inspiring some to go home with new ideas and give their patch a new look.
The Friend’s idea is to put in mainly native British, wildlife-friendly plants. Planned for year round interest for our onlookers and the creatures that will use it, we aim to use some plants that may be unfamiliar, that may not be seen regularly in neighbourhood gardens; plants that beside being attractive to look at, are beneficial to wildlife whether it is for their nectar/fruits, as a larval/caterpillar food plant or simply provides them with a safe home.
Annual plants are plants with a life cycle that lasts only one year. They grow from seed, bloom, produce seeds and die in one growing season
A Biennial plant is a flowering plant that takes two years to complete its biological lifecycle. In the first year the plant grows leaves, stems, and roots and then it enters a period of dormancy over the colder months. It flowers in its second year.
A Perennial plant is a plant that lives for more than two years.
Look for * for some additional comments on plant choice
It is hoped that our wildlife nature garden will be well received not just by our wildlife but also by the reserves visitors and members of the local community. We see it as an opportunity to explain the benefits, to all, of wildlife gardening and habitat creation, perhaps inspiring some to go home with new ideas and give their patch a new look.
The Friend’s idea is to put in mainly native British, wildlife-friendly plants. Planned for year round interest for our onlookers and the creatures that will use it, we aim to use some plants that may be unfamiliar, that may not be seen regularly in neighbourhood gardens; plants that beside being attractive to look at, are beneficial to wildlife whether it is for their nectar/fruits, as a larval/caterpillar food plant or simply provides them with a safe home.
Annual plants are plants with a life cycle that lasts only one year. They grow from seed, bloom, produce seeds and die in one growing season
A Biennial plant is a flowering plant that takes two years to complete its biological lifecycle. In the first year the plant grows leaves, stems, and roots and then it enters a period of dormancy over the colder months. It flowers in its second year.
A Perennial plant is a plant that lives for more than two years.
Look for * for some additional comments on plant choice
PLANT LISTINGS
SHRUBS & CLIMBERS
All of our shrubs have been planted along the fence line. It is hoped in time, as they mature, they will provide additional protection for the enclosed garden. A lot of our shrubs have spines or prickly leaves and offer excellent safety to sheltering and nesting birds. Nearly all our shrubs, as well as providing nectar, form berries or hips in autumn, a vital food source for our resident and incoming winter migrant birds and other wildlife.
All of our shrubs have been planted along the fence line. It is hoped in time, as they mature, they will provide additional protection for the enclosed garden. A lot of our shrubs have spines or prickly leaves and offer excellent safety to sheltering and nesting birds. Nearly all our shrubs, as well as providing nectar, form berries or hips in autumn, a vital food source for our resident and incoming winter migrant birds and other wildlife.
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Alder buckthorn
Berberis Buddleia, The butterfly bush. Cotoneaster Dog rose Gorse Holly Honeysuckle (grown up wigwam 2) Laurel Mahonia Mallow Privet Pyracantha, firethorn Spindleberry |
* Larval food plant of Brimstone
* Berries for birds * Berries for birds * Berries for birds. Larval food plant for several moths. * Berries for birds. Larval food plant for Holly Blue butterfly * Nectar attractive to hawk-moths * Winter nectar plant * Nectar from the scented flowers is very attractive to butterflies and moths * Berries for birds * Larval food plant of Holly Blue. Loved by various moths. |
ANNUALS
Our annuals were grown from seed, either directly onto the beds, as in the case of a wildflower mix we scattered near the gate and pond or propagated earlier at home by members and transplanted when young plants. This process will be repeated in spring, although it is expected some of these plants will have self seeded the area.
Our annuals were grown from seed, either directly onto the beds, as in the case of a wildflower mix we scattered near the gate and pond or propagated earlier at home by members and transplanted when young plants. This process will be repeated in spring, although it is expected some of these plants will have self seeded the area.
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Annual convolvulus
Annual cornflower Broadbean (Grown up wigwam 1) Calendula Marigold Field Poppy Honesty, Lunaria Nasturtium (Grown up wigwam 1) Nicotiana alata Sunflowers |
* Larval food plant of Green-veined White. Translucent seed heads popular with dried-flower arrangers. * Larval food plant of Small, Large and Green-veined White butterflies. * Attractive to many moth species. * Hugely popular with bees and hoverflies. A great seed source. Easy to grow. |
BIENNIALS & PERENNIALS
These plants are planted throughout the garden. Some are specialised for certain areas such as the bog plants who like water retentive soil.
These plants are planted throughout the garden. Some are specialised for certain areas such as the bog plants who like water retentive soil.
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Alchemilla mollis, Lady’s mantle.
Aquilegia Brooklime (In pond) Centaura Montana Comfrey Common dog-violet (In grass) Cowslip Dames violet - Sweet rocket Erigeron- fleabane Eryngium- sea holly Evening primrose Various ferns Foxglove . Gladioli Green Alkanet (Bog garden) Gypsywort (In grass) Hemp Agrimony Hornwort (In pond) Hosta Iris (Bog garden) Jacobs Ladder Knapweed Lady’s smock - cuckoo flower (Bog garden) London pride – saxifrage Lungwort Marsh Marigold (Bog garden) Pickerel Weed (In pond) Pink Cranesbill Purple loosestrife (Bog garden) Purple toadflax Ragged robin (Bog garden) Red campion Red Valerian Reed mace (In pond) Scabious Sedum spectabile - The Ice plant Sedum species (Living roof on bug hotel) Soft rush (In grass) Stachys officinalis Teasel Verbena bonarensis – Water avens (Bog garden) Water forget-me-knot (In pond) Water lobelia (Bog garden) Water mint (Bog garden) White campion Wild marjoram Winter pansy Winter viola Yellow oxeye daisy Autumn 2019 Nettle patch Dandelion PICKERINGS PASTURE LOCAL NATURE RESERVE Mersey View Rd, Halebank, Widnes WA8 8LP |
* An excellent nectar source. * Very attractive to all bees. Soaked leaves make good, if stinky, natural plant food. * Larval food plant of Orange-tip & Green-veined White butterflies. * Attractive to many moths and night-flying insects. * Very attractive to bees. * Late summer nectar for butterflies, moths and other insects. * Damselflies lay eggs on it. * Popular with bees, butterflies and in autumn goldfinches feed on seed heads. * Larval food plant for our Orange-tip and Green-veined White butterflies. * Early spring nectar source for bumblebees. * Larval food plant for our Small Elephant Hawk-moths. * Early nectar source for bumblebees. * A favourite food plant of the marvellous Hummingbird Hawk-moths * Very popular with bees and butterflies. * Late summer nectar source for butterflies and bees. * An excellent nectar source, seed for goldfinches. * An excellent nectar source. * Essential, but keep under control. * Larval food plant for Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock & three moth species. All year nectar plant for a wide variety of insects. * A gold star early nectar plant for many insects, which flowers over a long period. (Neither are planted in our garden as there is so much around at Pickerings Pasture.) http://www.thefriendsofpickeringspasture.org.uk/Pickerings Wildlife Garden |
