When this information is shared with like-minded gardening friends in conversation, a general picture of local population numbers emerges.
Repeat the exercise on a national scale as the www.bigbutterflycount.org is currently doing over a three-week period until August 8, and we shall all see what the national butterfly situation is.
In a good year we can welcome ten different butterfly types to this garden, and if you add the night-time activities of moths, it all becomes a magical experience.
One recent evening, as I stood near a group of valerian (centranthus) flowers, the latter were in an acrobatic feeding frenzy. It was a wonderful spectacle to watch.
They are immediately attracted to what I call helipad-type blooms that offer a flat landing surface covered with small inviting flowers. Yarrow (achillea) is currently showing in a range of colours.
Verbena bonariensis and the blooms of autumn-flowering ice plant (Sedum spectabile) are of similar structure. In between come…
