Flowers for pollinators.

towerhouse, I did a similar thing with dead, dried out Japanese knotweed stems. Worked a treat.

jess, it's usual to have frogspawn in february. That's their spawning time right across the UK. I think I said elsewhere that we had frogspawn in our pond in Oxfordshire by 17 Feb or thereabouts every year. Same now in Argyll. Rosemary, on the other hand, doesn't usually flower until much later in the spring, especially as it is essentially a Mediterranean plant. Perhaps there are genetically modified cultivated versions that flower earlier.

Hoverflies are often out on snowdrops.

Seen quite a few ladybirds.maybe they've overwintered in my Ladybird Hotel

but are they the demon harlequin invader ladybirds???

I am still living in hopes of frogspawn Bagitha. We are a bit above sea level here and are still having frosts. I keep peering hopefully into our pond and the one across the way from whence i rustled the frogspawn last year.
Not a lot of it around here generally though. We went on a long walk last year, checking out ponds, with little sign of any.
newts now, we have them. Apparently greater crested is common as muck in the arc between Oxford and Cambrige. And if any of them would like to come and play in my garden they are very welcome.

Ah yes, newts. We had about seventy in our tiny pond in Oxfordshire. Not crested ones, I hasten to add.

It's strange that you haven't got frogspawn yet. Ours seems to have survived the ice on the pond and everything. amphibians do seems very common around here though. Maybe it's the wet climate they like.

The first of our daffodils began to open today, bird cherry buds have burst, and hawthorn. Getting there. All we need now is sunshine.

My friend two fields away makes her boys walkmin front of the car when she drives up their track after dark. They have to rescue the toads that would otherwise be squashed under the wheels and put them in the hedges. Good nature training for them.

Absolutely. It would be good for girls too methinks. On all kinds of levels.

also the Buterfly bush..! cant just think what its called..a few weeks ago..I saw a dwarf version wish I ahd kept the leaflet now..as we only have small garden...ohhhhhh is it a Budlia?? something like that..I knows its a mauve colour....

Yes, jess, but she only has boys. They do quite well, all things considered .

Buddleia - yes, it's attractive to butterflies. I wish I'd had dwarf versions as mine are far too big and need drastic pruning. The very dark purple one is my favourite. Something like dark knight?

I used to share a backyard with a buddleia. Bloody buddleia as it was known. Those rampant ones good on railway sidings I always think. It took years but eventually it gave up the will to live.

I remembered another one for bees. Stachys - Lambs ears. Grey and fuzzy groundcover in the winter. Pale pink spikes in the summer. Not really a floral display but the bees appreciate it.

Today the bees were very busy on my winter flowering honeysuckle.

Have you sent for your free seeds for flowers attractive to bees?
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/bee-seeds

Thanks, Maniac. Sent for and shared on email.

Elecampane these are tall grow up to 5/6ft with huge leaves and insignificant yellow dandelion type flowers which attract bees etc. I bought mine as small plants over 20 years ago from Cheshire Herbs (I think).