episode 198 | show notes & advice
episode description
Butterflies and bees can only thrive in a garden with a ‘living buffet’ to which they can flock, which is why biodiversity is the hot topic for Sarah and Arthur in this latest episode of grow, cook, eat, arrange.
Reflecting on a year in which pollinators have struggled and needed particular support, they share the best plant varieties for bringing a much-needed buzz into your gardens, and discuss why night time pollinators ought not be forgotten.
In this episode, discover
- Sarah & Arthur’s absolute favourite flowers for creating a biodiverse haven
- The importance of late-flowering plants, providing pollen at crucial times when late-emerging pollinators may need it most
- The often-overlooked night time wildlife that also benefits from biodiverse gardens
- Arthur’s newfound tip for keeping slugs away from your greenhouse
links and references
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Pots
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Veg
Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook | Sarah Raven
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Episode 198 advice sheet
Noticeably lower insect populations, and the importance of late flowering plants (1:30)
This year’s been atypical for many gardeners, and one which highlights how important it is to have succession in the garden. Late-flowering varieties keep bees buzzing around your garden at that time in the year where pollen is less abundant - single dahlias like ‘Sarah Raven’, ‘Totally Tangerine’ and ‘Lou Farman’ are outstanding for this.
Which plants have attracted butterflies and bees at Perch Hill (4:00)
We’ve kept a keen eye on the flowers that butterflies and bees have flocked to in recent months at Perch Hill, and Sarah & Arthur run down some of the standouts which always bring a buzz.
Arthur’s particularly keen on the idea of creating a ‘natural buffet’ for insects and birds with the likes of Panicum ‘Frosted Explosion’ and Hydrangea ‘Hot Chocolate’, while Sarah lauds the long-flowering Buddleias, as well as another notable Dahlia ‘Blue Bayou’.
New varieties and considering other pollinators (11:30)
At Perch Hill Sarah and the garden team have been trialling plenty of flowers, and some of the incredible newcomers which are remarkable for pollinators are Succisella inflexa, which is constantly covered in bees, and Gillia lectantha too.
Another consideration for your garden is for the wildlife that’s active at night - bats are generally a positive sign of biodiversity, and they’re pollinators too. They’re also sensitive to environmental changes, so their presence is a welcome sign of a biodiverse space.
Dealing with slugs (16:30)
Arthur finishes up with a novel method of protecting your greenhouse seedlings from slugs, by creating a moat from cinnamon. It turns out that slugs are repelled remarkably well by cinnamon, making it a culinary alternative to Nemaslug, which Sarah’s also seen success with at Perch Hill.
