Despite the recent wintry weather, the gardeners amongst us will
be turning our thought to the new growing season. Here are some
ideas for encouraging bees and other pollinating species into your
plot.
Grow a range of plants for year round planting and flowering;
Avoid plants with double or multi-petalled flowers, which insects
find hard to enter;
Avoid using pesticides on plants which are in flower;
Provide nest sites for wild bees: here is
some advice on
encouraging bumble bees to nest.
Here is a selection of plants for year round
flowering:
Winter- Clematis cirrhosa-Spanish travellers joy, Crocus
species-Crocus ( winter flowering), Salix aegyptiaca-Musk
willow;
Spring-Acer platanoides-Norway maple, Geranium species-Cranesbill,
Pulminaria species-lungwort;
Summer-Campanula latifolia-Native plant bellflower, Knautia
arvensis- field scabious, Nicotiana sylvestris-Flowering tobacco
plant;
Autumn-Arbutus unedo-Strawberry tree, Fatsia japonica- Japanese
aralia, Anemone hupehensis-Chinese anemone.
There are so many beautiful plants out there for us and our
pollinators to enjoy. Check out the
RHS website for lots
more info!
Esther Mann