Welcome To Wildlife Gardening Plant of the Month

January	Hedera (Ivy). Helix varieties are a good choice for the wildlife garden because they attract a large range of insects. The leaves give shelter to overwintering butterflies and food for emerging caterpillars. The plant provides nesting sites for wrens, sparrows and blackbirds. The berries are eaten by resident birds and winter visitors. Autumn flowers supply nectar for hoverflies, holly blue and tortoiseshell butterflies.
February	Viburnum Winter flowering varieties attract insects at this time of year when other flowering shrubs are few and far between. Summer flowering varieties attract hoverflies and their attractive berries provide a good food source for birds.
March	Berberis (Barberry). A valuable wildlife plant with stunning yellow flowers in spring. The mass of berries last well into winter and provide food for resident and visiting birds. The spiny leaves give good protection for nesting.
April	Clematis. Montana types soon produce a dense tangle of stems for nesting birds. 'Elizabeth' and 'Odorata' are excellent scented varieties. Macropetula and tangutica types develop attractive, fluffy seedheads which are popular with birds.
May	Cytisus (Broom). A useful wildlife plant with colourful long lasting spring flowers which are excellent pollen providers.
June	Lavendula (Lavender). Evergreen summer flowering shrub with grey green aromatic foliage. The flowers are particularly attractive to meadow browns, late broods of whites and bees. Flowers going to seed are a favourite of goldfinches.
July	Buddleia. Shrubs grown for their beautiful fragrant summer flowers, particularly attractive to red admirals, brimstones, commas, tortoiseshells, whites and peacocks.
August	Lonicera (Honeysuckle). Many varieties are useful for their fragrance, nectar and berries particularly periclymenun 'Belgica' and 'Serotina'. Fragrantissima and standishii are winter flowering varieties. The fragrant flowers attract hawkmoths and bees. The stems provide popular nesting sites and the bark is taken by birds for nest building. Autumn berries are eaten by birds.
September	Sedum. Spectabile varieties have lovely pink, crimson or purple flowers in autumn. Most insects flock to the flowers in search of nectar. Later, the seedheads will be flocked by goldfinches. Earlier in the year, the bracts around the stem form a water reservoir which attracts insects and small birds.
October	Chaenomeles (Flowering quince). Autumn fruiting quinces are popular after fruit-fall by ground feeding birds. The red, pink or white spring flowers attract bees and butterflies.
November	Pyracantha (Firethorn). Evergreen summer flowering shrubs grown for their foliage, flowers and fruits. Clusters of small white flowers appear in early summer followed by orange, red or yellow fruits. Birds often choose red first through orange to yellow.
December	Ilex (Holly). Evergreen shrub grown for their foliage and fruits. An excellent habitat for nesting birds because of the protection against predators. The berries provide food for resident birds, visiting fieldfares and redwings.