Discoveries at a nursery

 

Small Tortiseshell on a Verbena plant

I visited a local nursery yesterday. Seeing is believing they say and in my mind theres no alternative to it but to see things for yourself no matter how much you read in books or magazines or even online. It was a real eye opener as far as butterfly friendly plants were concerned. 

I witnessed many small tortiseshells looking like they were at a feast. I didn't see any other breed of butterfly whatsoever while I was there and apart from bees and insects the tortiseshells had it all to themselves.I began to observe what plants attracted them. There were tall deep blue verbena plants and lots of wallflowers. There was also a healthy looking sedum bush in a plummy off pink colour. While the wallflowers and verbenas were covered in visitors the sedum didn't have a single butterfly or bee for that matter visiting it that I was witness to. 

Whether thats just down to tortiseshells preferences or the fact like my own three hydrenga bushes at home you cannot always believe what you read I just dont know.I nearly forgot to mention that on the road leading to the nursery are three or four heavily fenced off fields. They seem home to what can only be described as forests of budleia plants growing wild. The budleias are at least 8 or 9 feet tall so have obviously been there some time. 

What I wouldn't give to explore in there with a camera.  I in the end having set out to buy a sedum I instead settled for several wallflowers.  

Small Tortiseshell feeds on a wallflower

 The colours available were amazing with reds, yellows, purples, whites and a beautiful creamy yellow. They were so attractive to the tortise shells they were actually landing on them to have a quick feed even as I carried mine to the checkout. I decided against the verbenas as while the flowers looked fine the leaves seemed afflicted with something which turned them black and wizzened. 

I assume September is not a good time of year to see these plants at their best. While that put me off the butterflies just kept feeding away on the verbena blooms. I had my camera and was able to grab some nice pictures of the visit which I subsequently posted on my flickr page.