LyndaMarshallcDec 5, 2022
My Wildlife Allotment
I like #plants with nice seed heads in #winter and planted quite a lot of them on my allotment. Some of my favourite seed heads at the moment are Echinacea purpurea which will last until the end of winter, Telekia speciosa which look great on cold sunny days, the spiky seed heads of Eryngium such as E. variifolium, and many of the grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis.
Dec 5, 2022 at 12:19pmWeb
Show threadMe, hereDec 5, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment generally speaking, how much sunlight do all do these need? I like them too but we have a ton of shade. Thanks!
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 5, 2022
@markggarcia The Echinacea and Telekia can cope well with half-shade, especially the Telekia can grow in deeper shade with just a few hours of sunshine, the other two need sunshine. There are not many plants with good seed heads for shade, most like the sunshine as they come from open areas such as grasslands and steppe habitats.
Show threadMe, hereDec 5, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment Thanks!
Show threadSimon PaynDec 5, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment Yes! We need to normalize winter seed heads in gardens and allotments.
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 5, 2022
@simonpayn Agree! I hate the advice to cut everything down in autumn and put the garden to bed, how awful! People are missing out on all the beauty a winter garden can offer, you just need to plant the right plants 🙂 Also wildlife cannot live in a garden which is too tidy, they love a certain messiness where they can hide and find food.
Show threadSimon PaynDec 5, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment Right. I think it's part of our job to educate people as to what is beautiful. I'm creating a naturalized garden around our office building here in Canada next year - it's in a prominent spot, so will be interesting to see what people say. I will put up interpretive signage - that will help.
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 5, 2022
@simonpayn Yes as long as you explain what are you doing and why most people will understand and don`t see it as a mess. Also growing the right plants which age gracefully helps. And having some structure in the planting such as straight paths, clipped low hedges etc makes it look more intentional. Here at work we have mown grass strips around wild areas which looks good as well.
Show threadKaren BethanyDec 5, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment that bottom left pic looks just like the burrs my dog brings home every time he’s left to play on his own 😂😂😂
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 5, 2022
@KarenBethany 🙂 Just hope they are less spiky!
Show threadLaura GouldDec 5, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment Beautiful ❤️ oh that light!!!
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 5, 2022
@JizoGarden Thank you :-) Autumn and winter light is the best I find, already looking forward to the next few days which are supposed to be frosty and sunny, great weather for taking photos 🙂
Show threadKimDec 5, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment they are lovely pictures 🥰
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 5, 2022
@scousekim Thank you 🙂
Show threadNaturalRadical ✌🏻Dec 5, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment bee balm still standing. Interesting to hear what self seeds well in different climates I hope my #Echinacea reproduces! The Campanula certainly did. Yes, the birds love the seeds. I consider mullein stalks to be bird feeders and leave them in the wild areas.
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 5, 2022
@NaturalRadical Yes the Monarda is still looking good here as well, I grow M. fistulosa as it does better here in dry summers. Mullein stalks look good as well, some collapse early but others still standing tall. All good for birds :-) Also good is teasel seed heads which I leave to self-seed in certain areas, goldfinches love them.
Show threadNaturalRadical ✌🏻Dec 5, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment I think this is m. fistulosa - I just moved it from a friend’s garden. Do you use yours for tea? I just started getting more of it and was unsure when and what parts to harvest for tea.
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 5, 2022
@NaturalRadical I don`t really drink tea so have not used mine for that purpose. I suppose you harvest the leaves as they have the strongest scent, I have read that you can use the flowers as well to add some colour to the tea. You can use them fresh or dry.
Show threadJan McCartneyDec 5, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment The bones of the garden.
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 7, 2022
@macca_jan Yes 🙂 Only truly appreciated in winter when everything has gone to sleep.
Show threadCLMDec 6, 2022

@MyWildlifeAllotment soooo lovely
my faves too

#SeedHeads

Show threadC_BDec 8, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment These are wonderful!
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 9, 2022
@lensandpedals Thank you 🙂
Show thread_maleficentgirlDec 10, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment @Juliefaithmcmurrayart oh schau mal @whh_ks 🤩 📸
Show threadAnn JarvisDec 10, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment Yes anything with seeds are a good source of food for birds. Might look a untidy garden but I am not worried about what people think
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 12, 2022
@oldbiddy The trend is towards not tidying up the garden for winter now and helping wildlife + have more interesting looking gardens :-). So no need to worry, the people who tidy their gardens up too much are actually not going with the times. I love seeing all the seed heads and grasses, it looks beautiful now with the frost. Would be such a boring wildlife-unfriendly space if I would have cut everything down.
Show threadJohn MeeDec 10, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment @irolita Beautiful images.
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 12, 2022
@johnmee @irolita Thank you 🙂
Show threadLinda Sgoluppi ArtistDec 12, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment I collect hedgerow plant heads etc in winter to draw. Quite often I don't know the names of the plants but just love the way they look. You have some lovely ones. #HedgerowPlants #SeedHeads #Drawings
Show threadMy Wildlife AllotmentDec 12, 2022
@lindasgoluppiart Really pretty, I love your drawings. There is so much beauty in nature, you just need to see it.
Show threadClément 🍹Dec 31, 2022
@MyWildlifeAllotment cc @tempogrigio