IN THE GARDEN
plants such as dog rose, field maple ( Acer campestre ), hazel ( Corylus avellana ), spindle ( Euonymus europaeus ) and honeysuckle ( Lonicera periclymenum ) can provide year-round horticultural interest, bearing a succession of flowers through spring and summer, and fruit through autumn and winter. This has the added bonus of providing food and shelter to a host of native invertebrates, mammals and birds all year round. If you have the luxury of even more space, you might select an English oak, which is known to support 2,300 species of large mammals, birds, bats, beetles, ants, butterflies, moths, fungus, lichen, liverworts and mosses. Mutual benefit Here at the Botanic Garden, we grow approximately 8,000 species of plants from across the world, including a large number of native species – both common and threatened. Highlights include drifts of delicate cow parsley ( Anthriscus sylvestris ), the aquatic bogbean ( Menyanthes trifoliata ), bird cherry ( Prunus padus ) and a personal favourite, devil’s-bit scabious ( Succisa pratensis ). Not only do these add to our floral displays, but they also contribute to the biodiversity of the Botanic Garden. While domestic gardeners may not be able to emulate a spring display of naturalised bluebells or cowslips on a large scale, many native species can be easily included in our gardens. The key to growing them is ensuring that the conditions in your garden replicate the habitat in which native species grow. By adding native plants, our gardens become more than just attractive spaces – they become living, breathing parts of the wider landscape, quietly supporting the wildlife that depends on them.
Gardening jobs for June
1. Plant out the last of your tender perennials and annuals once the risk of frost has gone. 2. Hoe beds and borders to keep weeds in check. 3. Water new plantings to ensure that they establish well, but use water wisely. 4. Cut back dead flower heads and foliage to encourage later flowering.
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK JUNE 2026 79
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