Maybe I am being a bit thick here but what is it exactly that you are trying to say ? You are obviously concerned about bio diversity and wildlife - as are many of us who use this forum. You obviously also prefer to grow plants which please you whether they are considered "native" to the UK or not. As has already been explained "native" is a rather contentious issue depending on how far you wish to go back. Imagining a garden which contained only natives ? What era are you starting from and why exclude fruit and veg ? At the risk of repeating myself ( and perhaps sounding rather bossy too ? ), it is up to you to be responsible, do your research and act according to your ethics. To keep rattling on , changing your mind from one minute to the next will just drive you round the bend and result in you growing something in your garden, ripping it out and starting the whole process again with no real idea of what you are trying to achieve. Get local advice and enjoy your garden
Native Ivy flowers in november/ December and grows in all directions. Most pollinators are hibernating in the winter. If you want to grow plants useful to wildlife, grow plants that produce berries or hips. I don't know whether pansies meet your criteria but they flower all winter and get visited by the odd bee that gets tempted out on a warmer day.
What pollinators are you expecting to see in the depths of a UK winter?
There are very few … most will either be hibernating or will have reached the end of their lives at the end of the summer and will be replaced by the next generation the following spring.
There’ll be a few solitary bees and an over-wintering Red Admiral or two appearing on a sunny day perhaps … they’ll be visiting ivy blossom in November and early December then the hellebores, snowdrops and aconites will be in bloom. Then there’ll be Dog’s Mercury, Ground Ivy and the first of the primroses ..,
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
There's no point worrying about insects/moths/butterflies that don't exist where you live. Have you checked that first? No point trying to attract something that doesn't survive or breed in your location to start with.
Maybe gardening just isn't for you though. The endless worry and analysis paralysis about plants just prevent any enjoyment of it, so maybe another hobby would be better. Either grow stuff you like [that suits your location/climate] and learn how to maintain them correctly, or don't have a garden. Simples.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
No don't worry, if it's not a problem it's not a problem. I'll grow what I like, once again do not trust advice from Americans, they have an entirely separate climate to ours. I live in Southern England so White Admirals are a thing but I can't be the only one who is growing Lonicera periclymenum (there's some at the front, I want to put Japonica at the back) so the base is covered. I live in an area where there's a lot of abandoned/unmaintained garden so there's a lot of wild material for butterflies etc to work. I'll just grow what I like for now on and not worry about nature, some plants are better than no plants.
Just remember … there’s lots of sources of nectar for adult butterflies … what they’re really short of are the specific host plants for their larvae … many of them can only use one or two specific types of plant … they’re the plants that are in short supply … without the caterpillars there can be no butterflies 😢
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The issue is here is that people prefer to please themselves rather than help nature and then complain and ask for pity when its too late. Obviously the horticulture sector doesn't want you to only grow native plants as they'll lose money and business, this reminds me of other issues in the world where this was the case and now some of us are trying to clean up their mistakes (when it should be all of us). In the long run, the naturalists are more likely to be right here, I'd rather support wildlife than to stroke my own or other people's ego.
It's not just the horticultural sector though. There is a body of actual research about the positive role of ornamentals within a garden setting. As far as I'm aware this is not covertly funded by Dobbies Garden Centre, it's real legitimate research.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Posts
You are obviously concerned about bio diversity and wildlife - as are many of us who use this forum.
You obviously also prefer to grow plants which please you whether they are considered "native" to the UK or not. As has already been explained "native" is a rather contentious issue depending on how far you wish to go back.
Imagining a garden which contained only natives ? What era are you starting from and why exclude fruit and veg ?
At the risk of repeating myself ( and perhaps sounding rather bossy too ? ), it is up to you to be responsible, do your research and act according to your ethics. To keep rattling on , changing your mind from one minute to the next will just drive you round the bend and result in you growing something in your garden, ripping it out and starting the whole process again with no real idea of what you are trying to achieve.
Get local advice and enjoy your garden
I don't know whether pansies meet your criteria but they flower all winter and get visited by the odd bee that gets tempted out on a warmer day.
the following spring.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Maybe gardening just isn't for you though. The endless worry and analysis paralysis about plants just prevent any enjoyment of it, so maybe another hobby would be better. Either grow stuff you like [that suits your location/climate] and learn how to maintain them correctly, or don't have a garden.
Simples.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.