By Ladybird31
South Yorkshire,
United Kingdom 
This is my first season of planting my wildlife garden up and at the moment i am concentrating on attracting bees and butterflies.... i only have a very small plot so am limited to the amount of plants i can use. So, do i have to cluster the same plants together in twos or threes or can i put one specimen of each plant together so i can put a larger variety in my flower bed?? I have taken the single specimen route so far but not getting many bee or butterfly visits :(
5 Jul, 2011
Answers
Multiples are usually recommended for design purposes--the bees and buterflies don't really care, though one plant is going to be a little less attractive than a pasture full! I would be patient, sometimes it takes the pollinators a few weeks to discover the new bounty, especially if you are away from a rural area, or the garden has high walls and/or hedges.
6 Jul, 2011
single flower forms are better than double ones and some wild flower forms are also more 'natural'. I can send you seed of wild scabious in the autumn if you'd like some. I have this plant and it makes a nice clump of lilac flowers that the bees etc adore.
Annual plants like limnanthes, night scented phlox, borage are good doers, grow quickly and attract plenty.
I would be tempted to put them in, in 2's especially if they are small plants, you can always thin them out later.
6 Jul, 2011
thanks guys....iv had a think and have decided to try and clump a few choice plants such as daisys and lavender together- and dot some single specimens around inbetween these and see how that gos.
I live near a fabulous piece of wild scrubland packed with all sorts of things bees love so hopefully they will be tempted soon :)
thankyou seaburn girl that is a lovely offer of seeds and i would be very grateful for them ! x
6 Jul, 2011
remember to ask for them in september as i have a memory like a seive :o)
7 Jul, 2011
Nepeta is a good one for butterflies
7 Jul, 2011
i would try and get as many different flowers as possible . butterfly bushes are a pierce of cake to grow and stinging nettles are good but probably know good for a small plot . the thing is different insects have different reasens and objectives for there needs even trickery and sex . theres a flower that looks like a female and smells like one . there are some flowers that are in symbioses (excuse my spelling) with peticuler insects . you get long trumpet like flowers that rely on birds with very long beaks or insects like a humming bird moth that love honeysuckle but need there exceptionly long tongue to reach the pollen . i believe red flowers in the wild have know smell if unbred bye human hands etc . the more flowers the better i say . id also if you can ofcourse put a small natural pond in there as drink is something every importent to insect,bird and human alike including an area abourt 2 inches deep as birds love to bathe . then you have the knock on effect of predetor and prey . i hope i could hekp take care bye for now x.
6 Jul, 2011