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Crown Vetch and Perforate St. John's Wort

edev08edev08 Posts: 56
in Wildlife gardening
In my wildflower garden, are these two additions be good for pollinators? @Buttercupdays and others who often talk on this type of subject.
Grow wildflowers in your garden

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  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    I don't have either of these, though I have endemic  kidney vetch and meadow vetchling which pop up and surprise me in different places. The vetches seem to be important for bees, but in fairly species specific ways, and I couldn't find much info for crown vetch, which is less common in the northern half of the country.
    The  flower shape of the St John's wort looks as if it should be good for pollen, but the 'foxy' smell suggests it is aiming to attract insects other than bees.
    What I have noticed though is that nearly all the wild flowers that grow here, even ones that look quite insignificant like lesser willowherb, attract lots of insect attention, so I think that anything you can grow that will be good for diversity will be good for your pollinators too.

  • edev08edev08 Posts: 56
    Thanks @Buttercupdays I found that reply really good , here (Upland Calderdale, West Yorks) we have: 
    Meadow Vetchling
    Bush Vetch
    Wood Vetch
    Common Vetch 
    Tufted Vetch
    Crown Vetch

    I have just been out for a walk and seen hundreds of bees on Crown Vetch so I think that sums it up!

    I'm going to look for a different plant then St Johns Wort now to put in my garden.

    Here is where I got the St Johns Wort idea from:                           

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/pdf/conservation-and-biodiversity/wildlife/plants-for-pollinators-wildflowers.pdf
    Grow wildflowers in your garden
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