Join the flutter with British Garden Centres for the Big Butterfly Count

AS the Big Butterfly Count is now running until:- 10 August 2025, British Garden Centres is encouraging gardeners to create nectar-rich gardens that attract and support butterflies throughout the summer and beyond. With a diverse range of plants readily available in garden centres across the UK, gardeners can easily transform their outdoor spaces into thriving butterfly havens for this year's count. British Garden Centres have put together some tips to get your garden a flutter with butterflies and pollinators alike.

Butterfly friendly plants...

Get ready for the Big Butterfly Count with our selection of plants that not only add colour and texture to your garden but also provide essential nectar and pollen for butterflies...

Scabiosa: - Scabiosa, also known as the pincushion flower, Scabiosa is beloved by butterflies, making it an ideal candidate for a wildlife garden. It is drought tolerant and thrives in well-drained soil, making it suitable for dry gardens. It also makes excellent cut flowers, lasting up to 10 days in arrangements, and its dried seed heads add texture to bouquets.
Sunflowers:- These are a stunning and cheerful addition to any garden as their large, pollen rich flower heads attract a wide range of butterflies and bees with their sunny yellow blooms. Sunflowers are easy to grow from seed or as young plants and thrive in full sun, making them a perfect summer focal point.
Cosmos:- Another excellent choice for butterfly gardens with these bright, daisy like annuals that will bloom profusely throughout summer and come in shades of pink, white, and red. Their open flower structure allows butterflies to easily access nectar, and they flourish in sunny borders or containers.
Echinacea:- Also known as coneflowers, these are perennial favourites for attracting butterflies such as red admirals and peacocks. Available in many different colours, Echinacea produce large, daisy-like flowers with large central cones packed with nectar, which will bring pollinators flocking. They prefer sunny, well-drained positions and will flower from mid to late summer.
Asters:- These perennials bloom well into autumn, providing vital late season nectar for butterflies preparing for winter. Their beautiful flowers are loved by butterflies and come in shades of purple, pink, and white, creating a beautiful, naturalistic display.
Salvia:- Available to plant now, salvias are hardy perennials that produce spikes of nectar rich flowers in blues, purples, and reds. Salvias are loved by butterflies and bees and do well in sunny, sheltered spots with their long flowering period ensuring a steady supply of nectar throughout summer.
Dianthus:- Dianthus is excellent for butterflies because its bright, open flowers produce abundant nectar and pollen, attracting pollinators for a long flowering season from spring to autumn. It has a sweet, spicy fragrance which is often compared to cloves or cinnamon and helps lure these insects, supporting biodiversity in the garden. Look for varieties with more open flower shapes, like Pink Kisses and Flutterburst, that are especially favoured by butterflies.
Verbena bonariensis:- Verbena is a tall, wiry perennial with clusters of small purple flowers that attract butterflies from midsummer to autumn with its lilac flower heads. Its delicate stems add height and movement to borders and are perfect for natural style gardens.
Agastache:- Much like Salvia, Agastache offers spikes of fragrant pink, blue or purple flowers that butterflies find irresistible. It thrives in sunny, well-drained soil and is drought-tolerant, making it a practical choice for low maintenance gardens that want to attract pollinating insects.
Sedum:- Butterflies and bees love this succulent perennial that blooms in late summer and autumn, providing crucial nectar when many other plants have finished flowering. Its flat topped flower heads are easy for butterflies to land on, and its drought resistance makes it ideal for sunny, dry borders or rockeries.
Geraniums:- These are hardy, low maintenance plants that produce nectar and pollen, attracting butterflies throughout the summer. They fill gaps in borders and thrive in both sun and partial shade and also look good in containers and window boxes.
Butterfly friendly herbs:- Many common garden herbs are also excellent for butterflies. Lavender remains a top pick for its abundant nectar and strong fragrance, which also helps deter pests. Catmint produces long lasting flower spikes that attract butterflies repeatedly through the season, while thyme, oregano, and rosemary offer smaller flowers that provide additional nectar sources.
Butterfly friendly shrubs:- Hebe is a compact, hardy plant with spiky flowers in shades of white, pink, and purple blooms from summer into autumn and is a magnet for butterflies and other pollinators. Honeysuckle is another excellent choice, with its fragrant flowers full of nectar that attract butterflies and moths.
Ivy:- is often overlooked, but is vital for late season nectar, and it blooms in autumn when few other plants flower, supporting butterflies preparing for winter. Ivy also provides berries that feed birds, enhancing garden biodiversity and keeping feathered friends with a nutrient source in colder months.

Join the Big Butterfly Count 2025, which runs until to 10 August 2025, the Butterfly Conservation and British Garden Centres invite everyone to participate in the Big Butterfly Count by planting butterfly friendly flowers and spending 15 minutes counting butterflies in their garden or local green spaces. It's free and is a fun way to get outside and connect with nature whilst collecting important scientific data at the same time. Research by the Butterfly Conservation also shows that counting butterflies for just 15 minutes reduces anxiety by 9%. To join the Big Butterfly Count and submit your sightings, visit:- the website:- BigButterflyCount.Org.

Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres, said::- "For the Big Butterfly Count, we've made it easier than ever for gardeners to support these vital pollinators. Our centres are brimming with top quality plants that butterflies adore. By choosing just a few of these, you're not just adding beauty to your garden; you're directly helping to boost butterfly populations. Come in and let us show you how simple it is to make your count a successful 1!"

Discount of up to �3,750 on electric cars set to slash costs for thousands

DRIVERS across the UK will soon enjoy discounts on dozens of new electric car models after the Transport Secretary announced a �650 million grant scheme worth up to �3,750 per car, putting more money back in working people's pockets as part of the:- 'Plan for Change' and making owning an electric car a reality for thousands.

Supporting the manifesto commitment to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by:- 2030, the �650 million Electric Car Grant (ECG) will back UK and other manufacturers, with eligibility dependent on the highest manufacturing sustainability standards. Discounts up to �3,750 will be available at the point of sale for new eligible electric cars priced at or under �37,000.

Drivers will start to benefit from discounts as soon as manufacturers successfully apply for their zero emission cars to be part of the grant scheme from 16 July, with funding available until the 2028/29 financial year.

With drivers citing upfront costs as a key barrier to adoption, the grant will narrow the upfront cost between:- petrol and electric vehicles, giving thousands more drivers access to savings of up to �1,500 a year in fuel and running costs compared to a petrol car. The discount means that zero emission cars are now cheaper to buy and run than ever before, and comes on top of preferential tax rates, delivering real savings for working families.

Owning and buying an electric vehicle (EV) is becoming cheaper, with two in five of used electric cars sold at under �20,000 and 34 brand new electric cars available from under �30,000.

Standing firmly on the side of British drivers, this latest investment is part of the Government's major plan to support motorists, including a record:- �1.6 billion invested to tackle potholes and freezing the fuel duty at:- 5p, until spring 2026, saving the average motorist:- �50 to �60 over the year.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:- "This EV grant will not only allow people to keep more of their hard-earned money; it'll help our automotive sector seize one of the biggest opportunities of the 21st Century. And with over 82,000 public chargepoints now available across the UK, we've built the infrastructure families need to make the switch with confidence. This is our Plan for Change in action. We're backing British drivers, British jobs and British growth."

This latest scheme builds on the Government's major �63 million package to support at home charging for households without driveways, transition NHS fleets to electric, and create thousands of chargepoints at business depots across the country.

In total the Government is investing:- �4.5 billion to turbocharge the switch to EVs, securing Britain's position as a world leader in electric vehicle adoption while helping put more money in people's pockets. Today, the UK is already a global leader in the transition to zero emissions driving, with the largest EV market in Europe in 2024 and sales up a 5 on the previous year.

The latest update also comes as the UK hits over 82,000 public chargepoints nationwide; with one added every 30 minutes; giving peace of mind to drivers that they will be able to charge conveniently at home, work or on longer journeys.

This latest move comes alongside the:- Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, which requires manufacturers to sell increasing percentages of zero emission vehicles each year. Recent changes to the mandate give industry the:- certainty, stability, and support they've been asking for, alongside crucial trade deals with the US, India and the European Union following the recent global economic headwinds.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said:- "Within weeks, discounted cars should start appearing at dealerships across the country. And, as the biggest savings will be given to cars with the strongest:- �green' manufacturing credentials, drivers will be picking models that are not only better for their wallets, but better for the planet too. This is further welcome news following last week's announcement about more funding for pavement gully charging solutions that will enable those without driveways to charge an EV at home. Together, these initiatives should mean more drivers than ever start benefitting from the lower costs of running an electric car."

Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK said:- "This announcement is brilliant news; for drivers and for the UK's transition to electric vehicles. With a commitment to invest �6bn through to 2030, the UK's charging industry has rolled out infrastructure ahead of demand to ensure that when drivers switch the network is there to make charging as convenient as possible. There are now 82,000 public charge points and a new one goes in the ground every 29 minutes on average. Hot on the heels of the weekend's announcement on measures to support charging, including:- meeting ChargeUK's calls for improvements to signage on main roads, todays package is another vital boost to the charging industry, helping it invest with confidence."

Dan Caesar, CEO, Electric Vehicles UK said:- "A targeted incentive program is a significant step forward in encouraging consumers to buy battery electric vehicles, and to make them more accessible. While battery only EVs are much cheaper to buy and run than most realise, surveys show that cost misperceptions are the primary reason for hesitance. A generous grant, of this nature, gives a new group of interested buyers, that might have thought that going electric was beyond them, a gentle nudge into what is great tech. More than 9 out of 10 battery EV drivers will never revert, and there's a reason for that."

John Lewis, CEO, char.gy, said:- "It's encouraging to see the Government stepping up to support consumers in making the switch to electric vehicles. This move brings us closer to a future where driving electric is accessible to everyone; not just the privileged few. Combined with the introduction of the price cap and the additional funding for on-street charge points, we can get more affordable cars on the road and more people enjoying the benefits of EVs. The outcome will be cleaner air for all and more cash in the consumer's wallet as they enjoy the long-term savings of driving electric."

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Join the flutter with British Garden Centres for the Big Butterfly Count

Discount of up to �3,750 on electric cars set to slash costs for thousands