What can we grow for wildlife and for us?
Q We moved into our new-build home and have slowly been turning our rectangle of grass at the back into a garden for us and local wildlife. Please could you suggest some wildlife friendly, shallow-rooted evergreens & perennials, which would work against a very warm south-facing wall.
Lucy Duffy, Donnington, Telford
A You will have such fun doing this! I suggest that you plant the following, which will attract birds and insects throughout the year:
Q Small flowering and berrying shrubs:
Berberis wilsoniae: Evergreen, coral-red berries; red and orange autumn colour.
Abelia ‘Confetti’: Scented white blooms.
Buddleja ‘Adonis Blue’: Fragrant blue flowers from July to August.
Caryopteris ‘Kew Blue’: Dark blue flowers in late summer.
Chaenomeles ‘Geisha Girl’: Apricot blooms from March to April.
Choisya ‘Goldfingers’: Soft yellow fingered leaves, fragrant white blossom.
Cotoneaster ‘Coral Beauty’: Bright orange fruits in autumn.
Lavender ‘Munstead’: Dark blue flowers from July to September.
Border perennials
Anthemis ‘Daisy Bee’: Sunny yellow daisies for most of summer.
Aquilegia ‘William Guiness’: Maroon blooms with white tips from May to June.
Campanula ‘Blue Clips’: Bright blue cupshaped blooms from June to August.
Coreopsis lanceolata ‘Walter’: Yellow, red-centred flowers.
Geum borisii: Intense orange blooms.
Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’: Mahogany-red daisy flowers.
Sedum spectabile ‘Brilliant’: Bright pink blooms from September to October.
Bright orange cup-shaped blooms
