Regardless of the size of your garden, there are numerous plants and shrubs available to enhance your outdoor space and attract wildlife throughout the year.
To entice these beautiful creatures such as colorful butterflies and buzzing bees, consider incorporating specific plants into your garden.
Ceri Thomas, the Editor of Which? Gardening, emphasizes the aesthetic and wildlife benefits of shrubs in your garden. Proper selection can draw in, safeguard, and provide refuge for wildlife, transforming your garden into a natural sanctuary.
With a background in horticulture and extensive experience in editing gardening content, she has curated a list of top native and non-native shrub varieties to support the wildlife in your garden all year long.
“Summer offers an opportunity to observe nature flourishing, but it’s essential to actively care for wildlife,” she explains. “Flowering plants attract small insects, which serve as vital food sources for birds.”
“You can further assist by refilling bird feeders and offering fresh water for hydration to support wildlife.” Explore the insights from the expert below.
Describing certain plants as “native to New Zealand” and highly favored in gardens, she highlights the benefits of Hebes. “Hebes are excellent at attracting various insects, including pollinators like bees and hoverflies. Additionally, their evergreen foliage offers excellent shelter for small birds year-round. These shrubs are typically compact and low-maintenance, needing only occasional trimming in late summer for neatness.”
During June and July, elders, commonly found in hedgerows along ditches and fields, thrive. These hardy plants produce vibrant flowers in early summer, which transition into berries, serving as a food source for birds in the following months.
Another recommended shrub for gardens is the Buddleja globosa, also known as the ‘orange ball tree’. In contrast to wild buddleia, this variety is easier to manage in your garden. Renowned as the ‘butterfly bush’, it is ideal for attracting butterflies during the day and bees and moths at night. Prune the stems to 45-60cm in March for robust growth and a profusion of flowers. The orange type grows slower than the purple variety, so it is advisable to prune it after flowering while leaving longer stems in winter to protect insects and wildlife.
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