Plant advice needed

[Liz]

I really love my garden and have lots of lovely plants and shrubs in the borders to attract bees and butterflies etc.
However, getting really tired of most of them being battered by the wind and rain! :(

Having to stake so many up (borage is the worst) that there will be more string and canes in the garden at this rate.

Can anyone recommend plants and shrubs which will not succumb to the Caithness weather?

[susie]

The best shrub I can recommend, that is always heaving with bees, is Escallonia. Beautiful to look at and pretty tough, no string required. Smaller Cotoneasters are great too. I suppose you have comfrey, if not do get some. Never discount whins, if you keep them trimmed they can be well behaved and bees love them. Foxgloves grown amongst bushes do very well and yet again the bees love them.

Peep at other folks gardens in similar position/area to yours, it's a great way to spot what they have that isn't flat on the floor!

We had the 26mph wind last night and it's messed up most of my 'hopeful' veg plants.

Live in Caithness, work in Caithness, love the Caithness weather!

Have a great day.

[steeko]

I would second Escallonia. What about Rosa rugosa, Fuschia magellanica Alba, Buddleia, or Weigela? Or perhaps make an alpine bed?

[Liz]

Thanks a lot both. I do have a couple of Escallonia which are young plants yet. Also have a mature weigela and have ordered some dwarf buddleia.
I appreciate your suggestions and will check them all out.

Where do your buy your plants from? :)

[susie]

Mostly I do cuttings from my own plants and shrubs. Linda at Torrisdale is an excellent source of good quality stuff and you get a splendid chat. I think it's worth asking for plants on here though. Most folk will give or swap for another. Give your area to avoid disappointment.

Do you have flowering currant? I forgot to say as it flowers early making it a great place for bees when they start to venture out. If you have gooseberries you will know that bees love those tiny insignificant flowers.

I love plants of all sizes and could get positively boring about them!

Cheerio.

[Liz]

Afraid I don't have a greenhouse to bring on cuttings susie and can't risk putting them on windowsills as have cats!

I don't have flowering currant but have a big cotoneaster hedge which makes a great shelter for the birds and the bees etc love the flowers.

You could never get boring about plants as I love them too. Just don't like it when all our hard work and money is ruined by the weather. Think we will have to take out a lot of plants and start again.
Or lupins, which did so well last year, have taken a real battering and not many left which is such a shame as the bees love them. :(

[steeko]

You could cut your lupins right down and they will give you another display later in the year. A shrub I rather like is Sorbaria sorbafolia. Rubus Benenden is good shrub.

[richardj]

Liz

One of the easiest ways to attract bees and other insects is to have a semi-wild garden area - leave the "weeds" to grow and encourage Daisy, thistles, clover, dead nettle and wild geraniums to grow. It does not need to be a very large area so your garden can still be ornamental.

For the garden in late summer I find Sedum spectabile attracts lots of bees and butterflies - google images (https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Sedum+spectabile&hl=en-GB&rlz=1T4GGLL_en-GBGB400GB400&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=JyXWU5-qJ-bI0QWLpYG4Bg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ)

[Liz]

Thanks richardj. I do have a wildflower area with lots of borage etc which the bees love. :)