I grew it from seed in 2021, found that bees weren't interested and they got very floppy so I decided I didn't like it and I dug it up. This year the place where I dug it up from is back full of achillea! I don't have the heart to pull out successful plants so I let it do its thing, but I think I am going to get tough and pull it all out again.
It's so interesting that the plants that are always touted as top ten bee (pollinator?) plants appear to be pretty rubbish.
I guess it's also to do with what we notice using the blooms. Lots of microlife or night-life might be appreciating it. It's also to do with the local hierarchy of plants close by and what they are offering. I have sedum in but rarely see any creatures on them. Rozanne - planted abutting - wins out over all it seems - though I am not examining micro-life.
I have just put some in on a plot for pollinators. I do hope something is finding it useful.
Cultivated varieties of achillea will self seed reluctantly in my garden and tend to be short lived. 2-3 seasons at most. Achillea ptarmica on the other hand is an invasive pest that spreads using underground roots and is I think similar to rack in habit. It was a favourite of Gertrude Jekyll apparently who must have been either pretty handy with the weeding fork or had someone to do the menial stuff so wasn’t bothered. It’s a great pity because I really like it.
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Not the best quality pic but only planted in April this year....
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.