Next month the third Oderings School Garden Show opens. Here at Oderings we can’t wait to see what wonderful creations will emerge from each primary school.
Swan plants are in hot demand this Summer, everyone wants the happiness of watching a caterpillar turning into a beautiful butterfly especially children, there’s something so fascinating about it and not to mention is very educational as well.
There are two types of swan plants available at Oderings, swan plant ‘asclepias physocarpa’ and swan plant silky.
Silky has stunning red, gold and deep scarlet flowers which look great in flower arrangements. The other variety has amazing swan like seed pods which develop at full maturity. They are fun for children to float on ponds, and again educational.
Swan plants are relatively fast growing and do best in full sun and a well-drained position. They can get to 2 metres tall, and to help protect those caterpillar are best planted in a sheltered spot.
The speed in which Caterpillars munch through the plants is often underestimated. It takes them no time at all so our top tip is to save a few plants. Plant them away from the caterpillar covered plants and throw a net over the top to prevent butterflies from laying on them. This way you’ll have a constant source of food and the caterpillars won’t starve.
Please be careful though especially with children as swan plants are poisonous if ingested, so it’s a good idea to get kids to wear gloves and supervise them.