The Natural Garden

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The Natural Garden A hub for natural gardening - letting nature take the lead.

The Natural Garden is a hub that will help us to create ecological and functional garden spaces that support nature and connect to the wider environment.

Beauty in benign abandonment at Centre for Alternative Technology and some views from the top of the site.
09/09/2026

Beauty in benign abandonment at Centre for Alternative Technology and some views from the top of the site.

Lovely small copper this morning in the field on some hogweed.The caterpillars feed on broad-leaved dock, common sorrel ...
10/07/2026

Lovely small copper this morning in the field on some hogweed.

The caterpillars feed on broad-leaved dock, common sorrel and sheep’s sorrel.

Just goes to show that these common, often maligned plants, especially dock, support huge amounts of beautiful insect species. Dock also supports 59 macro moths.

09/07/2026

wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) recorded to support 117 insects including the parsnip web worm moth.

Go to YouTube - The Natural Garden (Weeds That Feed) to see more!

Link in bio

PLANT PHYTO. POLL. TOTAL Linaria vulgaris 25 10 35 Triticum aestivum 78 ...
08/06/2026

PLANT PHYTO. POLL. TOTAL
Linaria vulgaris 25 10 35
Triticum aestivum 78 10 88
Holcus lanatus 65 38 103

Yellow toadflax, common wheat and Yorkshire fog all growing together and looking good I think. The toadflax was planted but the other two have got themselves there on their own. At first I had the feeling that I probably ‘shouldn’t’ like wheat growing in my garden as it’s a fairly new introduction. It does though remind me of my childhood and fields of wheat blowing in the breeze, in this case a romanticised version of nature that can imprint itself on us when growing up. It is, however, on looking, recorded to support: 88 insects. Way more than I expected. Actually nearly 3 times as much as is recorded for the native yellow toadflax..

Common wheat (Triticum aestivum):
88 insects, 78 of those being phytophagous or plant eating. Including 8 moths.

Yorkshire fog grass (Holcus lanatus)
Is recorded to support:
103 insects, 65 plant eating. Including 9 butterflies and 3 moths.

And yellow toadflax is recorded to support:
35 insects, 25 phytophagous, including 1 butterfly and 6 moths.

Mouse-eared hawkweed looking great at the moment and supporting 37 insect species - 35 of those are pollinators, includi...
31/05/2026

Mouse-eared hawkweed looking great at the moment and supporting 37 insect species - 35 of those are pollinators, including 6 bees and 6 hoverflies..

Just saw this guy cruise into a tree this morning! Super special moment!
30/05/2026

Just saw this guy cruise into a tree this morning! Super special moment!

Great day out yesterday with Alistair Driver - ex director of Rewilding Britain, now amongst other things, senior adviso...
29/05/2026

Great day out yesterday with Alistair Driver - ex director of Rewilding Britain, now amongst other things, senior advisor to the organised by ! Learned a lot! But I’m still bird deaf!! 🤦‍♂️

Mullein moth Loving the water figwort (Scrophularia auriculata)!
29/05/2026

Mullein moth Loving the water figwort (Scrophularia auriculata)!

Mullein moth Loving the water figwort (Scrophularia auriculata)!
29/05/2026

Mullein moth Loving the water figwort (Scrophularia auriculata)!

Who says native plants can’t be ornamental? The flower of this Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) is exceptionally beautifu...
26/04/2026

Who says native plants can’t be ornamental?

The flower of this Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) is exceptionally beautiful.

And is recorded to feed 12 insect species (5 plant eating and 7 pollinators)

Including the caterpillars of the Light Knot Grass moth.

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