ENGLISH HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera periclymenum)
A fragrant, pretty native climbing plant that supports many species.

Warm evenings are coming and the strong beautifully scented trumpet flowers of the honeysuckle call out to everyone wild around that its party time.

Nectar rich in summer, full of berries in Autumn and providing shelter throughout it is an absolute charmer for wildlife. There are many honeysuckles that are not native and some have escaped the garden into our countryside. So try and by English honeysuckle and watch wildlife get loved up with it!

Honeysuckle is a woodland species but will grow in gardens and weave its magic over fences, hedges and up walls. Among its fans is the white admiral butterfly (which is in decline) and bumblebees, with pollinating moths love it at night, which helps as bats as they love a moth meal!

Birds including thrushes, warblers and bullfinches, eat the berries when they ripen in late summer and autumn. Dormice also rely on honeysuckle for both shelter and food. They use honeysuckle bark to build nests for their summer young, but also eat the sweet, nectar-rich flowers as a source of energy.

In a nutshell, if you are looking to help wildlife in your garden, a native honeysuckle is a winner. Growing it along a fence with a trellis around 14 cm away from the fence and you will create an fantastic habitat for birds too!

This tip post is brought to you by the Much Wilder Marlow campaign, inviting the community to make a PLEDGE to help build a much needed corridor for wildlife across Marlow.

A PLEDGE just takes a couple of minutes, check it out here https://forms.gle/MtnF63K3ohckcCJd9

#MuchWilderMarlow