THE original name for this article was going to be ‘Bob bravely begs to bring back big beautiful British butterflies by buying bountiful blue buddleja butterfly bushes’. Apologies for the alliteration – and what’s worse, it’s not very good advice.
It all started when I found myself shouting abuse at the TV when a well-meaning but naïve presenter was promoting Buddleja davidii as “good for butterflies as they’re rich in nectar”. Which, indeed, they are. The problem is we do not really need more flowers for butterflies – what we really need is more suitable foliage for butterfly caterpillars.
Esta historia es de la edición July 29, 2023 de Amateur Gardening.
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Esta historia es de la edición July 29, 2023 de Amateur Gardening.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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To dig or not to dig?
Should we be carrying out a full dig on plots now? Bob considers the pros and cons of the 'autumn dig' debate
The box ball blues
As if his beleaguered box hadn't already taken a beating, Toby now has to deal with some hungry box caterpillars
Save your own seeds
Masterclass on: seed saving
Strange sightings
Three unusual insects turn up in Val's garden in one day
A bolt from the blue!
Cornflowers are perfect for garden and vase
Winter moth prevention
Ruth shows you how to avoid maggoty tree fruits
Create a winter container
There are as many options as in summer
Lightweight gardening tools
AS well as being good for our mental health, gardening is also great exercise.
Autumn price round-up
AG finds better bargains in lesser-known brands
Rudbeckias
Rudbeckias are ideal for sunny summer patios and borders, with some able to survive our coldest winters
