GROW THIS WEEK’S FREE SEEDS!
Blue echiums are a magnet for pollinating insects
IF you want your garden to be a haven and larder for wildlife, this week’s free seeds from Mr Fothergill’s are an important addition. Echium vulgare ‘Blue Bedder’, also known as viper’s bugloss, is a member of the borage family. Its nectar-rich spires of brilliant blue flowers rise to 18in (45cm) and are a magnet for pollinating insects.
In autumn, small garden birds will also flock to feast on its nutritious seeds.
I sowed mine in a sunny border where they will flower in late summer. I have also saved some seeds to sow in the autumn, as they are hardy annuals and will lie dormant through winter and germinate next spring.
As well as sowing Echiums, I planted out a variety of home-grown seedlings. They had been hardening off in a cold frame where they were attacked by slugs and snails, so I decided to let them take their chances in a flower bed. So far, with lots of protection, they are growing well.