Plant combinations of UK native species

There are lots of plants native to the UK that you can grow together to create beautiful combinations. In doing so, you’ll be supporting native fauna that rely on these plants for food, shelter and to reproduce.

Love wildflowers? Take a look at 10 UK native wildflowers to grow. And in this short video, Frances Tophill shares her five favourite wildflowers and reveals why they are so special to her:

Discover some of our favourite plant combinations of UK native species, below.

Red campion, yarrow and cornflowers

Try combining perennials red campion (Silene dioica) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium) with annual cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus) to create a nectar-rich buffet for pollinators. Take a look at this nectar-rich container display to create.

Wildlife hedge

This wildlife hedge is planted with robust native plants like blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), hazel (Corylus avellana) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). Wildlife hedges are immensely beneficial to native birds, insects, mammals and amphibians.

Corn cockle and field maple

Field maple (Acer campestre) is attractive to lots of native species, including aphids. In turn, this will attract plenty of aphid-eating insects like ladybirds and hoverflies, as well as birds. Here it’s planted with white-flowered corn cockle, Agrostemma ‘Alba’.

Sea kale and sea thrift

This pairing of sea kale (Crambe maritima), an edible perennial, and sea thrift (Armeria maritima) is ideal for coastal locations – both grow along the UK coastline.

Crown vetch and field scabious

Butterflies, bees and other pollinators will thank you for this combination of crown vetch (Coronilla varia) and field scabious (Knautia arvensis). Both grow best in full sun with well-drained soil.

Ragged robin and cow parsley

Try combining the frothy blooms of cow parsley, here Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’ with ragged robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi). Cow parsley is an annual that will readily self-sow, while ragged robin is a perennial that grows best in moist soil.

Foxgloves, nettles and cow parsley

This low-maintenance combination is ideal for a shady spot, where you can leave the plants to take care of themselves. They’ll provide pollen and nectar for pollinators and food for native caterpillars.

More ways to support native wildlife

• Create a wildlife pond
• Create a wildlife bog garden
• Choose native plants for wildlife ponds
• Build wildlife shelters
• Create dead wood habitats
• Grow plants for bees
• Plant wildflowers
• Make a beetle stack