Bird’s Foot Trefoil

Lotus corniculatus

This pretty little perennial is especially important to the common blue butterfly, providing nectar for the adults as well as a valuable larval food source. The pea-like yellow flowers are followed by the distinctive dark pods, which gave rise to the plant’s traditional name. Bird’s Foot Trefoil is sometimes included in forage mixes for cattle, because it withstands close grazing and repeated trampling. The vibrant yellow of its flowers was the source of a number of alternative country names, such as ‘Butter and Eggs’, most of which have long since fallen out of use.

Black Knapweed

Centaurea nigra

This tall meadow perennial is a rich nectar source, whose pink flowers attract an impressive range of native butterflies. Later in the season, its seeds provide an excellent food source for many species of garden birds. Dried stems can be used to make a stylish addition to a cut flower arrangement. Herbalists used to make an ointment from Black Knapweed, for the treatment of sores and wounds. It was also believed to cure catarrh and sore throats. In Germany, it was once the custom for unmarried people to wear Black Knapweed as a buttonhole.

Bladder Campion

Silene vulgaris

The Red & Black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata), one of Britain’s most attractive and colourful insects, is particularly drawn to Bladder Campion. The white flowers have a clove-like fragrance, most noticeable in the evening, which is also highly attractive to long-tongued moths. Though distinctively bitter, the young shoots have been used as a substitute for spring greens in casseroles, salads and stir-fries. Once a common sight on verges and rough pathways, Bladder Campion is increasingly popular in cultivated gardens.

Cat’s Ear

Hypochaeris radicata

The summer flowers of Cat’s Ear, bright yellow in colour, are a magnet for many beneficial insects, including butterflies and bumblebees, whose wild habitats are under threat. By attracting such a rich diversity of insects, the plant also provides a valuable food source for many species of garden birds, so it’s worthy of a place in any wildflower garden. The roots of Cat’s Ear can be roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee, and the tender young foliage adds flavour and texture to salads and stir-fries. Herbalists once prescribed it to stimulate the appetite.

Common Fleabane

Pulicaria dysenterica

Once commonly found in meadows and ditches, Fleabane is a spreading perennial that bears pretty yellow flowers above small, wrinkled foliage. The Romans used the plant to make wreaths and, as its common name suggests, it was used as an insecticide in medieval times, when it was mixed with herbs and grasses, and strewn on floors to suppress household odours. The herbalist Nicholas Culpeper (1616–1654) observed that: ‘The smell is delightful to insects and the juice destructive to them, for they never leave it until the Season of their deaths . . .

Common Mallow

Malva sylvestris

Prized for centuries as a versatile medicinal plant, Common Mallow has pretty, five-petalled flowers of rich lilac, strikingly veined with dark purple. It makes an attractive contribution to any wildflower planting and blooms from midsummer onwards. Among traditional herbalists, the plant was regarded as a universal remedy. As well as reducing fevers, it was seen as an effective treatment for wounds and insect bites. It was also used as an antidote for love potions, in the belief that it soothed passions, and was often added to incense mixtures to ward off disease.

Common Primrose

Primula vulgaris

Taking its name from the Latin, prima rosa (first rose), this is one of the earliest flowers to make its appearance in spring. Its cheery yellow looks especially appealing in generous drifts, and it’s perfect for woodland plantings. An old English legend has it that five-petalled flowers bestow good luck in love and marriage, and many a spring bride has taken her vows wearing a diadem of primroses. Early herbalists valued the plant’s soothing attributes. John Gerard, in his Herball of 1597, wrote that “Primrose Tea drunk in the month of May is famous for curing the phrensie . . . ”

Common Sorrel

Rumex acetosa

With a distinctively sharp flavour, Sorrel has been used as a herb and a vegetable for centuries. Rich in oxalic acid, it’s also known as Spinach Dock, and the young foliage is often mixed into salads, or puréed and added to soups. A valuable food source for several species of moths, it has oblong leaves and slender stems, and in summer it bears spikes of reddish-green flowers. Early herbalists and apothecaries attributed a long list of benefits to Sorrel – they believed it could subdue fevers, relieve itching, combat cramps, and be used as an antidote to the poison of scorpions.

Cornflower

Centaurea cyanus

Commonly found in cornfields, this pretty annual has vibrant blue flowers that are very attractive to bees and common blue butterflies. In autumn, the seeds provide a valuable food source for birds, most notably finches. It’s an increasingly popular plant for both wildlife gardens and patio containers. The Cornflower is richly steeped in legend and folklore. It was believed to protect property and discourage unwelcome visitors, and the flowers were sometimes ground to a powder for use in magic spells. Cornflower is used to flavour the Lady Grey blend of tea.

Field Poppy

Papaver rhoeas

The glowing scarlet flowers of the Field Poppy were once a common sight in cornfields, and will liven up any wildflower planting with their brilliant colour. Strongly associated with the battlefields of World War I, poppies thrive on broken ground and have been a symbol for the loss of young life since the days of the ancient Greeks. Symbolising slumber as well as death, poppies are a source of opium, which has been used for thousands of years to ease pain and induce sleep. The Greek Gods of sleep and death – Hypnos and Thanatos – were often portrayed wearing garlands of poppies.

Field scabious

Knautia arvensis

Flowering during the summer months, Field Scabious is a tall perennial generally found in dry places, and favouring chalky soils. Rich in nectar, it attracts a wide range of butterflies as well as bees and moths. In traditional folk medicine, the plant was used to treat various skin ailments including scabies, from which its name is derived. It was also used to make a green dye for wool, and the Wiltshire botanist William Withering (1741-1799), observed that it would be readily eaten by goats and sheep, but that it was “not relished by cows and horses . . . ”

Fox and Cubs

Hieracium aurantiacum

Also known as Orange Hawkweed, or Orange Paintbrush, this is an attractive perennial whose vibrant colour and abundant nectar provides a valuable resource for many species of native fly. It owes its common name to the way in which the flowers grow, in close clusters at the tip of a long stem. While it has no known medicinal or culinary uses, the flower is prized for its fiery colour, which makes a strong statement in a mixed planting. All parts of this plant exude a harmless milky sap.

Foxglove

Digitalis purpurea

Larval food for one of the most beautiful of native moths, the Foxglove Pug, this is an elegant native perennial that attracts a wide range of beneficial insects to the garden. Bumblebees are among its regular visitors. Foxglove has a long medicinal history, and is particularly associated with treatments for heart conditions. The artist Vincent van Gogh used Digitalis to treat his epilepsy. While all parts of the plant are highly poisonous, animals seem to have an innate awareness of its toxic properties and generally avoid eating it.

CAUTION: Toxic if eaten

Greater Knapweed

Centaurea scabiosa

Butterflies and bumblebees are strongly attracted to this much-loved native perennial, whose purple flowers are borne on fine, upright stems during the summer months. The seeds which form in the autumn make an excellent food source for many species of garden birds, so altogether this is a highly rewarding subject to include in a wildflower planting. In traditional medicine, Knapweed was used in healing ointments and poultices, and was also used to relieve sore throats. Mixed liberally with pepper, it was believed to restore a jaded appetite and generally increase vigour.

Herb Robert

Geranium robertianum

This charming native Cranesbill is highly attractive to insects, including at least three species of bumblebee. Valuable pollinators, bumblebees currently face an uncertain future in the wild. Herb Robert has more than 100 common names in the British Isles, and features in many folk tales and legends. Probably named for St. Robert of Molerne, a celebrated healer, the plant had numerous uses in traditional medicine and was prized for its sedative properties. “ . . . little Herb Robert, bright and small, Peeps from the bank or the old stone wall . . .”

Lady’s Bedstraw

Galium verum

The pretty yellow flowers of Lady’s Bedstraw, borne during the summer months, are strongly attractive to bees, butterflies and moths. A classic meadow plant, its dried seed heads can make a stylish contribution in a cut flower arrangement. A medieval legend has it that the Virgin Mary was forced to lie on a mound of sweet-smelling Lady’s Bedstraw in the manger at Bethlehem, since the donkey that had carried her had eaten all the other hay. From this sprang the belief that it would help to ensure a safe and painless childbirth.

Ragged Robin

Lychnis flos-cuculi

With its wet meadow habitat in stark decline, this enchanting native perennial is increasingly popular in the cultivated garden. Particularly attractive to butterflies and long-tongued bees, the dark pink, finely-cut flowers of Ragged Robin can make a delightful contribution to a wildflower planting. Centuries ago, young girls in the Western Isles would carry the blooms of Ragged Robin in their pockets, as a means of foretelling who they would marry. In the language of flowers, the plant represents passion, and is also a symbol for wit.

Meadow Buttercup

Ranunculus acris

Beneficial flies, small moths and solitary bees are all attracted to the Meadow Buttercup, whose glowing yellow, saucer-shaped flowers make a memorable sight in a mixed wildflower planting. Another notable visitor is the green and yellow leaf beetle (Hydrothassa marginata). Several species of birds use the seeds as a food source. Excessive handling of the plants can cause blisters on the skin, and centuries ago beggars were said to exploit this, using the flowers to disfigure themselves and induce the sympathy of passers-by.

Meadow Clary

Salvia pratensis

A real magnet for butterflies and bees, Meadow Clary is a woody-stemmed perennial that enjoys a long flowering season and is ideal for including in a wildflower planting. Regular dead-heading will encourage flesh flushes of flowers. A member of the Sage family, the plant was sometimes prescribed by traditional herbalists as a cure for lung complaints. Highly ornamental, it makes an excellent addition to floral arrangements, and can also be dried for use in a fragrant pot pourri.

Night-Flowering Catchfly

Silene noctiflora

With its distinctively sticky stems and its sweet fragrance, Night-Flowering Catchfly is an excellent choice for a wildflower garden. The flowers have a white, or pale pink, face and the petals are a creamy yellow on the back. As its name implies, this dainty little annual comes into its own at night, when the flowers open, and the scent can be fully appreciated. It is pollinated by several species of night-flying moths. Believed to have been brought to Britain by Neolithic farmers, it is declining in the wild but can still be found in parts of the Norfolk countryside.

Ox-Eye Daisy

Leucanthemum vulgare

Attracting a range of beneficial garden visitors, chiefly butterflies, and repelling a great many pest species because of its bitter-tasting juice, this is a much-loved native perennial that will thrive in any fertile soil. Its large, solitary white flowers are borne over a long season, from May until September. Traditionally, Ox-Eye Daisies were mixed into the bedding of farmyard animals, in the belief that their acrid flavour deterred fleas and other parasitic insects. In country medicine, the flowers were sometimes boiled to make an infusion for the treatment of chapped skin.

Red Campion

Silene dioica

Visited by night-flying moths, bees, and certain species of long-tongued flies, Red Campion is a fine subject for a wildlife garden. It also plays host to the bumblebee, whose wild habitats are currently under threat. Its cheery magenta flowers are highly ornamental, and it tends to come into bloom as the bluebell season draws to a close – planting both together is well worthwhile. In traditional medicine, the crushed seeds of Red Campion were used as a salve for snakebite, and the roots contain saponin, an effective soap substitute.

Red Clover

Trifolium pratense

Foraging bees and bumblebees will often settle on Red Clover when it is in flower, and butterflies are among its regular visitors. Famously rich in nectar, the plant also provides a food source for many important moth species as well as some small garden mammals. Game birds enjoy eating both the foliage and the seeds, so as a wildlife-friendly plant, Red Clover is enormously valuable. It has a range of medicinal applications, too, and has been proved to have beneficial effects on bloodflow. Highly prized by farmers, it takes nitrogen from the air and enriches the surrounding soil with it.

Ribwort Plantain

Plantago lanceolata

With an unusually high concentration of oil, the seeds of Ribwort Plantain are loved by a wide variety of garden birds, including finches and linnets. The plant is a food source for several attractive moth species, as well as providing valuable pollen for hoverflies. This is an ancient perennial, once common in meadows and by roadsides, and prized for its many medicinal applications. In times past, the leaves were crushed and used to treat insect bites, and the plant also featured in traditional children’s’ games.

Rough Hawkbit

Leontodon hispidus

The cheerful yellow flowers of Rough Hawkbit make a charming contribution to a wildflower planting, and play host to a number of butterflies and valuable nectar-feeding pollinators, including various species of bee. In attracting a rich supply of insects, this classic meadow plant provides a valuable food source for garden birds. Traditional herbalists once used infusions of Hawkbit to treat jaundice, and the roots used to be roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee. The young foliage can add flavour and texture to a salad.

Salad Burnet

Sanguisorba minor

Many different insects are attracted to Salad Burnet, which forms attractive clumps and performs especially well in a bright and sunny position. It has decorative red flowerheads, and the young foliage, when crushed, has a distinctive, cucumber-like taste that can enliven a summer salad. This was among the first plants to be taken to the New World by the Pilgrim colonists. Thomas Jefferson, who would later become the third president of the United States, once ordered 8 bushels of seed to plant 16 acres of cattle fodder.

Selfheal

Prunella vulgaris

An excellent source of nectar, Selfheal plays host to numerous species of butterflies as well as bees, who are perhaps the plant’s most important visitors. Smaller insects tend to be excluded by a ring of hairs that circle the inside of the flowers. Greatly prized for its medicinal properties, Selfheal has been an apothecary’s favourite for many centuries. Its antibiotic attributes have been the subject of extensive study, and extracts of the plant are still used in ointments and salves. The young foliage will add flavour and texture to a summer salad.

Small Scabious

Scabiosa columbaria

Blooming from late summer, the Small Scabious, or Pincushion Flower, is very attractive to bees and butterflies, and can thus play a valuable role in a wildflower planting. As well as providing an important food source for the Marsh Fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia), this is a charmingly ornamental plant whose subtle lavender colour will add much to an informal arrangement of cut flowers. Sometimes known as Pigeon’s Scabious, it’s especially easy to grow, and associates well with many native and wildlife-friendly varieties.

Sneezewort

Achillea ptarmica

Hardy, drought-tolerant and attractive to many species of beneficial insects, Sneezewort is an excellent addition to a wildflower planting. Bees and butterflies are especially fond of its nectar-rich flowerheads, and the stems can be cut and dried for use in floral arrangements. The plant has long been prized by herbalists, and the celebrated Elizabethan physician John Gerard (1545-1611) was enthusiastic about its many attributes. “The juice mixed with vineger and holden in the mouth, easeth much the pain of the toothache . . . ”

Teasel

Dipsacus fullonum

Bees, butterflies and hoverflies are among the many beneficial garden visitors that are attracted to the pink, nectar-rich flowerheads of Teasel. Later in the season, the seeds become a valuable resource for a diverse range of wildlife. Rainfall collects near the base of the leaves, creating tiny pools in which small insects drown and provide a convenient supply of food for birds during the colder months. Dried flowerheads are still used in the weaving trade. Attached to spindles, they gently and effectively raise the nap on woollen fabrics.

Toadflax

Linaria vulgaris

Bumblebees are especially fond of Toadflax, and are strong enough to burrow deep into the throats of the flowers in search of nectar. Long-tongued bees and butterflies are also regular visitors to this attractive native perennial. As well as having proven value to wildlife, this is a decorative plant whose ‘snapdragon’ blooms can make a stylish contribution to a floral arrangement. It is also used in homeopathic treatments for jaundice and certain skin complaints.

Valerian

Valeriana officinalis

Valuable as the larval food of several native moth species, Valerian is attractive to a number of beneficial garden insects. Its vanilla-like fragrance is also said to produce a reaction in cats, similar to that induced by Catnip. Valerian has a long and interesting history. It was a favourite medicinal herb of the Anglo-Saxons, who called it ‘All-heal’, and in medieval times the root was ground for use as both a spice and a perfume. During the First World War, tincture of Valerian was used in the treatment of shell-shock.

Wild Carrot

Daucus carota

A valued food source for garden birds, the Wild Carrot is also hugely important to a wide range of insects. Studies have shown that as many as 60 species visit it, the nectar being easily accessible to butterflies, moths, bees and useful predatory wasps, who also use it as nest-building material. This is a plant that’s prized for its ornamental attributes as well as its value to wildlife. Its delicate appearance has given rise to the common name it bears in North America: Queen Anne’s Lace.

Wild Marjoram

Origanum vulgare

Moths, butterflies and bumblebees are drawn to the nectar-rich flowers of this delightfully aromatic wild herb. It’s also valuable in the kitchen, as it’s an excellent addition to salads and summer drinks. Steeped in folklore, Marjoram is said to have received its fragrance and sweetness from the goddess Venus. In medieval times, brides and grooms wore wreaths of Marjoram to symbolise their love for each other, and it was sometimes planted at gravesides to ensure eternal peace for the dead.

Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Attractive to a wide range of beneficial garden insects, and repellent to some of the pest species, Yarrow makes a valuable addition to a wildflower planting. The white flowers and feathery foliage have significant ornamental value, as well as providing nesting material for native birds. Its sharply-flavoured young foliage made it popular as a vegetable in the 17th century. Yarrow has a long history of use by herbalists, who valued its healing and soothing properties, and one of its earliest common names was Soldier’s Woundwort.