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Produce => Wildlife forum => Topic started by: davholla on December 18, 2016, 15:42:30
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I have no flowers from Sep to March and therefore no insects visiting my garden.
I want to get some hanging baskets and put some good native plants in the them
A) I live in the South East
B) Some will be in full sun others in heavy shade. Any ideas (I don't have any space to plant any more plants in the garden
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Native plants are not necessarily the best for attracting insects looking for pollen and nectar and you will have few customers anyway between late autumn and early spring. The best plants may not necessarily be suitable for baskets.
You can try plants such as buddleias (if you dead head so they keep flowering), asters, ivy and sedums, to attract insects later in the season. In case there's a warm spell and some insects are about, plant crocuses, winter aconites and climbers such as winter honeysuckle and winter clematis. I find early bumblebees are attracted to my snowdrops and early flowering hellebores are worth a try.
The other thing to consider is bundles of hollow stems hung in sheltered spots for insects to hibernate in and/or lay eggs in spring.
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Thank you, which of the options would be best for deep shade?
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I would also look at using primroses and winter flowering pansies , the other early flowering thing was wallflowers but do not think they would do well in baskets.
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My choice would be winter flowering heathers, my lot are in full bloom now (but not in baskets)
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NO suggestions for deep shade in winter. The whole point of winter and spring flowering plants is that they do it when the leafless overhead canopy allows maximum light levels through and to take advantage of early flying insects which will naturally seek sun for warmth.
You need to put your baskets in sunshine for winter then move the plants to a shadier spot fro the summer.