STUNNING SEED HEADS

1. WILD ANGELICA Angelica sylvestris A daintier purple-suffused version of garden angelica, its flowers are rich in nectar, attracting soldier beetles and hoverflies. Mice feed on the ridged brown seeds.

2. GREAT REEDMACE / BULRUSH

Typha latifolia A wetland plant with brown seed heads like fat cigars, its seeds and the tiny moth caterpillars that live in the plump heads are eaten by bearded tits, stonechats and reed buntings.

3. OLD MAN’S BEARD / TRAVELLER’S JOY

Clematis vitalba Scrambling over trees, wild clematis flowers attract bees and hoverflies. The food plant of several moth species, goldfinches feed on its seeds and the fluffy seed heads make excellent nest material.

4. POPPY Papaver rhoeas

Field poppies can lie dormant for decades before springing to life in disturbed soil. Their pepperpot seed heads scatter tiny black seeds, food for ground-feeding birds, such as sparrows and dunnocks.

5. KNAPWEED Centaurea nigra

Overlapping bracts create brown papery seed heads like small pine cones, giving the other common name of ‘hardheads’. Goldfinches descend in flocks to feed on this striking plant of verges and wasteland.

6. TEASEL Dipsacus fullonum

With an impressive winter profile, this tall architectural plant has bristly seed heads that are irresistible to goldfinches. Blue tits forage among them for insects.

7. HONESTY Lunaria annua

A cottage garden favourite, honesty has purple, sometimes white flowers in spring followed by moon-like seed cases that last all winter. Bullfinches feed on its flattened circular seeds.

8. WILD CARROT Daucus carota

Host to a wide range of insects when flowering, its ripening seed heads curl inwards creating a beautiful cup. Spiders overwinter in this bowl and mice nibble on the spiny ridged seeds.

9. COMMON REED Phragmites australis

Reed beds are important wetland habitats that have a wild beauty in winter. Ruffled by wind, hoar frost defines every feathery seed head.