Brits warned of what to do to draw useful bugs forward of autumn
Pollinators will be looking for a new source of energy soon as summer flowers grow tired – and your garden could become their lifeline
Sedums are rich in nectar, much needed by pollinators as summer draws to a close(Image: David McNie)
As summer winds down, you might be noticing your borders looking a bit tired – but there is something experts recommend you do now to revive gardens ahead of summer.
In an article offering guidance on optimising gardens ahead of the upcoming season, BBC Gardeners’ World advises filling gaps with late-flowering perennials now, a move sure to encourage beneficial pollinator insects to visit your plants.
For that job, sedums – succulent plants with fleshy leaves – are remarkably useful, particularly at this time of year, since they work as a crucial nectar source for insects, since summer blooms are now starting to fade, and pollinators will rely on these final feeding opportunities to build up their energy to prepare for winter.
Sedums – also known as Hylotelephium – produce flat, nectar-rich flowerheads that are great at attracting bees and butterflies.
And to make your garden look even better, you’re spoilt for choice in their variety – most popularly Autumn Joy, known for its striking colour transformation as the season progresses, from soft pink to deep bronze.
Autumn sedums are beautiful even when they’re done flowering(Image: David McNie)
Another perk is that sedums are as low-maintenance as plants get, thriving in sunny spots with well-drained soil. For the best results with them, the BBC also suggests cutting one in three stems back to the ground in late May, to prevent the plant flopping open in the middle later.
According to the BBC guidance, they look even better if grouped together in front of a border or planted alongside ornamental grasses.
And when they’re done flowering, sedums still keep their beauty. From spring onwards, they display fleshy green-grey foliage, or even purple in some varieties. The dried flowerheads can even look interesting covered in frost in winter.
To achieve the insect-attractor effect, you can also plant Echinacea – or coneflowers – which bloom into open, daisy-like centres beloved by bees, or asters and Michaelmas daisies, which are great at attracting smaller insect helpers and hoverflies.
If you’re after colour to brighten up the rainy days ahead, Verbena bonariensis will give you tall purple flower clusters that butterflies are sure to visit throughout early autumn.
