Woodland

English Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)

about

Bluebells are probably one the most well known wildflowers found in the British Isles, sometimes carpeting whole woodland floors in early spring with brightly coloured flowers, which appear April-May.

Bluebells are an important nectar source in early Spring for native British butterflies such as the Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) , Orange-tip (anthocharis cardamines)and Pearl-Border Fritillary as well as other insects such as bees.

The native British Bluebell has become rare in some parts of the country due to cross pollination with the less colourful Spanish Bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) creating hybrids, and the loss of ancient woodland habitat.

Brimstone Nectaring on Bluebells in April

Native Bluebells or Non-Native?

It is important that when buying and planting bluebells in the garden or elsewhere, that native species like “Hyacinthoides non-scripta” should be used, rather than the Spanish variety.

One of the easiest ways to tell Native bluebells apart, from the non-natives and Hybrids species is to look inside the flowers at the pollen on the anthers, to ensure this test is truly accurate, it is best to catch them just as they begin to bloom.

Native English bluebells should have light creamy coloured Pollen on the anthers, any differences in colour such as light blue or a pale Green it is non native, also differences in colour, scent and shape of the flower are good indicators.

How to Grow

Bluebells are best planted and will thrive, in moist well drained soils, rich in organic matter in the dappled shade of deciduous trees or hedgerows.

Prior to planting add plenty of garden compost or well rotted manure to improve the soil, this will also help to ensure that the bulbs remain moist throughout the year.

Native English Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)

When planting, you can randomly scatter the bulbs across the planting area for a more natural look, then plant at a depth of about 10cm in the soil. For a more uniform look place 10cm apart.

During the warm summer months, the bulbs should be kept moist until they are fully established, it is also very important to let the foliage die back naturally.

When Did Bluebells become Protected?

In the UK the native Bluebell was first protected under the wildlife and country act 1981 making it an offence, to remove or sell the bulbs and seeds, taken from the wild, this was later enforced again in 1998.

Buying English Bluebells

Buying English Bluebells from a Reputable Nursery, ensures they are cultivated from renewable stocks, it is also best to buy them “in the green”. Buying bulbs in “in the green” offers a much higher success rate of the bulbs flowering in the Spring, than buying dry bulbs.

For more information and availability Click Here to visit Thompson & Morgan

Blubells carpeting floor in deciduous woodland

Bluebells carpeting floor in deciduous woodland

Photographed: 10th April 2010,April 22nd 2011 April 2014 in South Lincolnshire

Common Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)

A fast growing climber, Honeysuckle is seen by many as a traditional garden shrub, often seen in gardens growing up a trellis or trailing over walls and fences.

Honeysuckle flowers generally appear from June-August and vary in colour from creamy white, pink, red and light yellow. They are mainly trumpet shaped, and give off an unmistakable sweet scent, most noticeable late evening and at night.

The flowers are followed by bunches of red berries which ripen in Autumn and are often eaten by wild birds during the winter months.

Native Honeysuckle

Probably the most popular variety of honeysuckle is Lonicera periclymenum (Woodbine) a native species which grows wild in woodlands and hedgerows throughout Europe.

It is deciduous (loses leaves in Autumn) with particularly fragrant light yellow flowers flushed with pink/purple and may grow to a height of 5-6m.In Britain wild honeysuckle can sometimes be seen growing up trees in woodland, spreading amongst hedgerows, and other plants using then for support.

The leaves are grey – green and oval shaped.

Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) red berries

Common Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) Woodbine in flowering in Woodland, growing amongst Blackthorn and Wild Privet

Honeysuckle for the Garden

Honeysuckles grown specifically for the garden can vary in that, some are deciduous others are evergreen and semi-evergreen. The flowers also can be trumpets or funnel shaped, often forming clusters, although some can occur in pairs depending on the species. Traditionally scented, some Honeysuckles can also have little or no scent, but make up for this with masses of spectacular flowers.

Quick Information

Name: Honeysuckle (Lonicera. Sp)
Family: Caprifoliaceae
Height: May grow up to 5m if supported.
Position: sun or semi shade
Care: Feed or water if needed, prune or shape if required in Winter or Spring
Wild Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) is the primary food plant for the caterpillar of a rare British woodland Butterfly the White Admiral (Limenitis camilla).
Photographs: 8th – 15th August 2010

Popular Garden Honeysuckle and Varieties

Honeysuckle ‘Scentsation’
(Lonicera periclymenum)

Lonicera periclymenum, Common Honeysuckle, Woodbine yellow trumpet flowers

Honeysuckle ‘Scentsation’ Lonicera periclymenum

Pale yellow and ivory flowers from midsummer to September, and a powerful sweet perfume, make Honeysuckle ‘Scentsation’ a delightful garden climber. It is a great plant to let trail over a garden wall, or train up a fence or trellis. After flowering the glossy red berries are an attractive food for garden birds in late summer

RHS Perfect for pollinators: Yes
Type: Hardy Shrub
Colour: Pale yellow and Ivory
Flowering Period: July, August, September.
Position: sun or semi shade.
Great For: scented gardens, woodland garden, Fences and Walls

Available in a range of pot sizes from 3 ltrs, for more information find it here at Thompson & Morgan

Honeysuckle ‘Belgica’
(Lonicera periclymenum)

Honeysuckle 'Belgica' a colourful flowered sweet scented climber

Honeysuckle ‘Belgica’ a colourful sweet scented climber

A hardy climber Honeysuckle ‘Belgica’ has sweet scented flowers that begin white and gradually turn yellow with rich red streaks. Early Dutch Honeysuckles usually flower early summer and often follow up with a second flush of blooms in late summer, September to October. The glassy red berries that are loved by garden birds.

RHS Perfect for pollinators: Yes
Type: Hardy Shrub.
Colour: white, yellow, red.
Position: sun or semi shade.
Growing and Aftercare: Easy
Soil: Moist, well drained – Most types

Available in a range of pot sizes from 3 ltrs, for more information find it here at Thompson & Morgan

Honeysuckle ‘Halliana’
(Lonicera Japonica)

Lonicera Japonica Halliana (Honeysuckle)

Lonicera Japonica Halliana is an evergreen Honeysuckle that produces masses of creamy white and yellow very fragrant flowers, all spring and summer. Also known as Japanese Honeysuckle, Honeysuckle ‘Halliana’ is a vigorous climber and will rapidly make it’s way up a trellis or wall, plant in the garden near windows or doors to fully appreciate the wonderful scent.

Also known as: Japanese Honeysuckle
Type: Full Hardy climber
Planting Position: Full sun to partial shade
Flowering: May to September
soil type: Most well drained
Height: 600cm
A great plant for attracting wildlife to your garden

See more information about Honeysuckle ‘Halliana’ Click Here to Visit Jersey Plants Direct

Honeysuckle ‘Dropmore Scarlet’
Lonicera x brownii

Honeysuckle ‘Dropmore Scarlet’

A robust climber with long, red and orange trumpet-shaped flowers that continue to bloom from July through to September. Although unscented, Honeysuckle ‘Dropmore Scarlet’ makes up for this with masses of colourful flowers, vigorous growth and semi-evergreen blue-green foliage, ideal for hiding an unsightly area of the garden like a wall or fence, or trailed through a large mature tree.

Type: Hardy shrub
Colour: Orange and red (Scarlet Trumpet Honeysuckle)
Flowering: July, August, September
Planting Position: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil Type: In fertile, moist, free draining soil.
Height and Spread: 4m (13′), 2m (7′).
Ideal For: Wildlife garden, Cottage garden, walls and trellis

For More Information on this climber you can visit Thompson & Morgan Here

Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni)

about

The most unusual looking of all British butterflies the Brimstone Butterfly can sometimes be seen as early in the year as February, although it is mostly seen May-June after emerging in late spring from its winter hibernation.

The male Brimstone is an unmistakable Bright Yellow Butterfly, when seen in flight, the female is similar in size and shape but much paler in colour sometimes mistaken from a distance for the Large White Butterfly.

where

The Brimstone butterfly can be found in a broad range of habitats such as open woodlands, parks and gardens mostly on bright sunny days.

Its most unusual wing shape, gives the Brimstone the perfect camouflage from predators when nectaring or hibernating.

Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni)

Quick Info

Family group: pieridae – Whites
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Status: UK resident
Caterpillars feed on: Buckthorn and Alder Buckthorn.
Adult Nectar Plant: Dandelions, Knapweed, Teasils, Spurge Laural (Daphne laureola)
Wingspan: approx 60mm
Photographed: 7th August 2010
Location :

Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-album)

The Comma Butterfly is quite distinctive in appearance, its bright orange and brown colouring and unusual jagged wing shape make it quite easy to identify even from some distance.

Widespread across England and Wales, Comma Butterflies can often be seen in woodland clearings, on open rides, hedgerows and maybe even in the garden. They can be seen on the wing from early March to September, often in a sheltered sunny spot basking in the warm sunshine.

The males are often quite territorial and may be seen patrolling a section of hedgerow or woodland path sometimes quite boldly making their appearance known to other male Commas.

The Comma may also make an appearance on quite cool days with intermittent sunshine, sometimes resting hardly noticeable wings closed in the subdued sunlight, taking flight at even the slightest disturbance heading upward to find a safer perch.

Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-album)

Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-album) in garden on leaf

Upper-wings: are orange with dark brown markings. Under-wings are mottled browns with a small white comma shape marking, from which it gets its name.

Comma Quick Info

Family Group: Nymphalidae – Browns
Wingspan: approx 45mm
Caterpillars feed on: Stinging Nettle (urtica-dioica), Hops and Elm.
Adults Nectar on: Bramble flowers, Ripe Blackberries, Ragwort
Adults Nectar in the garden on: Buddleia (mostly-yellow or White!), Rudbeckia
Photographs: Top right – Left – June 2011.
Location: My garden, and out on a local walk.

Brambles, Butterflies and Blackberries

Brambles is often a name referring to the native blackberry bush, a thorny perennial plant that can often be seen growing wild amongst hedgerows and in gardens and woodland. It is able to tolerate even poorest soil types, and if left unchecked, often spreads, covering large areas of ground.

Its distinctive growth of long ‘biennial stems’ also known as Canes, these are covered along their length in sharp spines or thorns. In late Spring/early Summer stems of white petalled flowers appear from the canes attracting many species of butterflies, and other insects like hoverflies and bees.

Comma Butterfly feeding on ripe Blackberries

Comma Butterfly on ripe Blackberries

The blackberry is one of a group of more than 350 different species found around the world, these include raspberries, cranberries and loganberries.

There are also many hybrid varieties available specifically for the garden, some of which like ‘Black Diamond’ and ‘Black Pearl’ even have thorn-less canes.

Bramble Blackberry (Rubus spp.) flowers on bush

As the flower petals fall away first signs of the green fruit begin to appear, growing in size during the summer and turning from red to black when fully ripened in the Autumn.

The blackberries when ripe attract butterflies, wild birds, small mammals and humans, although newly grown plants don’t produce flowers or fruit until their second year.

Ripe and ripening wild Blackberries

Green veined White Butterfly (Pieris napi)

about

A widespread and common butterfly, the green veined white can be found throughout the UK, similar in size and appearance to the Small White but with noticeable green veined markings on the under-wings.

Green-veined White Butterfly (Pieris napi) – Female on yellow Ragwort Flower

The Green-veined white butterfly can be seen flying from early May-September emerging in as many as three broods during the year. The green veined markings on the under-wings darken with every new brood throughout the year, turning from green to dark grey.

Green-veined White Female

Green veined White Butterfly (Pieris napi) male

The females are more easily recognised from the males, during the summer months when the wings are closed, by the cream coloured tips on the fore-wings and cream hind-wing.

Its many habitats include Meadows, Woodland Rides, Urban Gardens, Parks and Hedgerows.

Quick Info

Name: Green veined White (Pieris napi)
Family Group: Pierinae – Whites.
Habitat: sunny areas in Meadows, Woodland Rides, Gardens, Hedgerows, Parks and urban Areas.
Wingspan: Approx 45-50mm
Photographed : 22nd April /10 July
Adults seen feeding on wildflowers like: Greater Knapweed, Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum), Daisies, Lesser celandine, Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), Cranesbill
Location: South Lincolnshire

Silver-washed Fritillary Butterfly (Argynnis paphia)

A bright orange butterfly, found mainly in open woodland across the south and south west of the UK, in areas where it’s primary larval food Plant the Common Dog-Violet (viola riviniana) grows, although recent observations suggest colonies are moving Northwards.

Seen from mid June-August, the male silver-washed fritillaries are often first to appear, around a week before the females, adult butterflies spend some time in the tree tops sunning and feeding on honeydew from aphids, although during spells of warm weather they will often descend to warm sunny areas to nectar on Bramble flowers, Knapweed, wild marjoram quickly moving from flower to flower.

Silver-washed Fritillary – Female

Family Group: Nymphalidae
Wingspan around: 60mm
Larval Foodplant: Common-dog Violet (viola riviniana)
Adults Nectar on: Aphid Honeydew, Brambles, Knapweed, Wild Marjoram, Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)
Photographs of Male and Female, 14th-23rd June 2011, Bedford Purlieus.
Photograph of female under-wings August 2010

Silver-washed Fritillary Butterfly, Male on Brambles flowers

Silver-washed Fritillary (Male)

Getting it’s name from the distinctive silver streaks on the underside of the wings, the Silver-washed Fritillary is the largest of all the Fritillary species found here in the UK, it is also a strong fast flyer with a wingspan around 60mm. The male is bright orange with black or dark brown stripes and spots on the upper wings, the female is similar in size and markings although slightly duller in colour.

Silver-Wash Fritillary Butterfly - Female- Underwings

Underside of the wings

Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum).

A tall and robust willdflower, Hemp Agrimony is a herbaceous perennial plant, with long narrow leaves and large clusters of small light pink or purple flowers, that appear (early Autumn) July to September.

In the Wild

Widespread across England and Wales, Hemp Agrimony is most commonly found growing in the wild in wet or damp areas of open woodland, on river banks and in ditches, it often attracts Butterflies, Moths, Bees, Hoverflies and many other insects .

In the Garden

Hemp Agrimony can make a great architectural border plant, and is a perfect addition to a wildlife garden. It will grow in most soil types, preferring moist well drained soil and will tolerate a mixture of sunshine and shade.

Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) Light pink or purple blooms

Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) clusters of small Light pink or purple flowers

A patch Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) flowering in local woodland

Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) flowering in August in open woodland

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To get Hemp Agrimony in the garden this year, 1 litre pots sizes available, for more information Visit Thompson & Morgan here

Hemp Agrimony Information

Name: Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)
Group: Asteraceae
Type: Perennial
Height: around 1.5m spread 1.0m
Flowering: July to September
Position : sun to semi-shade.
Butterflies regularly seen visiting this plant : Red Admiral, Holly Blue, Peacock, Large Skipper, Green- veined White, Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia).
Propagation: Seeds or Root division, mulch in spring
Cultivated Varieties : Eupatorium maculatum ‘Atropurpureum’.
Photographed: 25th August 2011

Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae)

A small rare butterfly, the Brown Hairstreak spends most of its time fluttering round high in the tree tops of a chosen Ash tree, often referred to as the Master Tree.

Most active on warm sunny days, both the male and female Butterflies may occasionally come down lower to nectar on bramble or other flowers, although the female is the most likely the one to seen close up, as she flies around to find a suitable site to lay her eggs.

Upper-wings are brown with orange patches on the fore-wings, under-wings orange/brown with two white lines or streaks.

Brown Hairstreak Butterfly female with wings open

Population Status

The Brown Hairstreak is a priority species for conservation, due to continued habitat loss. The use of mechanical hedge cutting or flailing in late summer and Autumn damages hedgerows making them unsuitable for the female butterfly to lay her eggs, also cutting away previously laid eggs that will hatch in the following spring.

Quick Info

Family Group: Blues (Lycaenidae).
Habitat: Found along the edges or in open areas of woodland or hedgerows in areas where Blackthorn or sloe is found growing in abundance.
When: July to October.
Where: Localised mainly in Southern and Central England.
Size: Around 40mm.
Larval Food Plant: Only Blackthorn (prunus spinosa) and other prunus species.
Adult Nectar Plant: Aphid Honey dew found on Ash trees, Bramble
Photographed: 8th September 2012, Chambers Farm Wood, Lincolnshire

Ringlet Butterfly (Aphantopus hyperantus)

A common and widespread butterfly found throughout most parts of England, Wales, Ireland and the southern counties of Scotland

Ringlet Butterflies can be seen from late June through to the end of August, in habitats such as damp Woodland rides, Hedgerows and Meadows, often in sunny sheltered areas with dappled shade, and tall grasses.

The under-wings are a mid brown with a number of distinctive small circular eye spots. The upper-wings are dark brown with a white fringe.

Ringlet Butterfly (Aphantopus hyperantus) with wings open on Bramble leaf.

Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) with wings open

Ringlet Butterfly (Aphantopus hyperantus) with wings closed showing under-side

Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) with wings closed showing under-side

Quick Info

Family Group: Nymphalidae, Browns
Habitat: Grassy, sheltered areas, with some dappled shade such as woodland clearings and rides
Wingspan: Around 48mm.
Adult Butterflies feed on: Wild Marjoram, Thistles, Common Ragwort, Bramble Flowers, Cow Parsley
Caterpillars feed on: Grasses like Cocksfoot and Couch.
Photographed: 29 June 2010.
Location: Barnack Hills and Holes.

Older Entries

about

Native Bluebells or Non-Native?

How to Grow

When Did Bluebells become Protected?

Buying English Bluebells

Native Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle for the Garden

Quick Information

Popular Garden Honeysuckle and Varieties

Honeysuckle ‘Scentsation’(Lonicera periclymenum)

Honeysuckle ‘Belgica’(Lonicera periclymenum)

Honeysuckle ‘Halliana’(Lonicera Japonica)

Honeysuckle ‘Dropmore Scarlet’Lonicera x brownii

about

where

Quick Info

Comma Quick Info

about

Quick Info

In the Wild

In the Garden

Hemp Agrimony Information

Population Status

Quick Info

Quick Info

Honeysuckle ‘Scentsation’
(Lonicera periclymenum)

Honeysuckle ‘Belgica’
(Lonicera periclymenum)

Honeysuckle ‘Halliana’
(Lonicera Japonica)

Honeysuckle ‘Dropmore Scarlet’
Lonicera x brownii