How can I find my old pictures?

[Purplemaniacs]

I have got a couple of newly cleared borders to plant. I am intending to use perennial plants rather than annuals.

 

I wondered what plants you would include.

 

They are both sunny borders.

 

Trying to get the house and garden sorted this year.

 

Chrissie

 

[Cat tails]

I love buddleja, purple strife and aquilegia. All easy plants that are self seeding. Buddleja keeps its leaves in winter and you just cut back completely in spring.

[mullethunter]

I love aquilegia (grannies bonnets) too. And I’d always put loads of bulbs under everything to give early colour. Then maybe Japanese anemones for late flowers. And if there’s anything for them to climb up I love everlasting peas.

 

For more shrubby things depending on how much space you have there are some beautiful hydrangeas with sort of pyramidal white flowers.

 

Buddleia are lovely and the insects love them but they’ll take over if you don’t keep them in check. And although hebe are also loved by the bees I wouldn’t recommend them because it seems impossible to stop them being leggy.

 

Edited to add my favourites are snow drops and tulips. But ask me next week and I’ll probably say something different!

[Cat tails]

Regarding snow drops: once got to interview a snow drop expert and the best thing you can do is plant them while they are in flower instead of bare bulbs.

 

Buddlejas can get big, but they are easily trimmed and very forgiving in that too.

[Luvachicken]

I love aquilegia (grannies bonnets) too.!

 

I was going to suggest these too as they are also one of my favourites

Sweet peas though are my most favourite.

 

I know antirrhinum are annuals but they are lovely and bees love them. They are also pretty good at seeding all over and sometimes the plants go from year to year.

 

Forget-me-nots are another of my favourites although again, not a perennial.

 

Pulmonaria are perennial and definitely a bee magnet

[Valkyrie]

Penstemons - the old varieties like Garnet are quite hardy. I have some in flower - even now! - in the front garden. Good for bees, but not scented. Also still flowering (been in the garden nearly 4 years now and not stopped flowering at all - it should have a break - but it hasn't - is erysimum Bowles Mauve aka perennial wallflower. Again not scented but brilliant for bees and butterflies. Then perhaps a spirea - a good one to have would be varieties with coloured leaves or even two coloured flowers on the same plant - mine is white and pink. Of course it all depends on the soil. If it's acidic you could add blueberries - pretty bell flowers and yummy fruit!