THEY’RE THE BEES’ NEEDS!
Reap the rewards by filling your plot with insect-loving shrubs and plants
OUR insect population is crashing. You may not regret that when aphids wreck your roses or caterpillars munch the brassicas. But gardens need insects, not just for pollination, but for many other reasons. And with widespread habitat loss in the countryside, insects increasingly need our gardens.
Along with other invertebrates, insects are crucial for sustaining the diversity of life.
Bees pollinate most of our flowering crops. Other species recycle nutrients and many help to control pests.
Insects can be fascinating, too. Most of us love to see butterflies settling on flowers, or watching dragonflies skim over ponds.
So if we make our gardens insect-friendly, we do ourselves a favour, as well as helping all wildlife. Small adjustments to your planting could make huge differences. The best flowers for pollinators are often the prettiest, so everyone benefits. But if we go further than growing nectar-rich flowers, our gardens will become even more diverse.
Creating a wild area attracts wildlife. You can do that by leaving part of the lawn unmown or having an unkempt corner. A modest log pile will encourage centipedes and ground beetles — both efficient pest predators. Even in tiny gardens, growing a potted lavender or installing a small bee ‘hotel’ could help to attract beneficial insects. VAST numbers of plants attract and sustain pollinators. You’ll find lists of the best varieties at the Royal Horticultural Society website, rhs. org. uk. They’re arranged season by season to help you plan your planting.
Summer is a time of plenty, so bees are easy to please. But keeping your garden bug-friendly all year-round needs a little planning. The loudest buzz in our garden at present comes from red valerian, foxgloves, pinks and early cranesbills.
Bees, butterflies and moths are also foraging in our mini-meadow where bedstraw, scabious and knapweeds are flowering.
A little later, lavenders, penstemons and dahlias will keep the bees busy. But when our buddleias bloom from mid-July, we expect masses of butterflies by day and moths after dark.
In late summer, butterflies such as Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma need to feed before hibernating. Honey bees must also stockpile before they slip into winter torpor.
An autumn garden should, therefore, carry flowers to November. Late examples include single-flowered dahlias, perennial asters, tall sedums and purple verbena bonariensis.
When feeding ceases, many insects need cover for hibernation. So don’t cut back dead plants or your borders before early spring. Tidiness can kill.
FLOWERS FOR BEES WINTER CHEER
LIFE begins to stir soon after Christmas, so plant winter heathers and early-flowering bulbs. Snowdrops, aconites and crocuses are great for early bumble bees and bring winter cheer.
You can order bulb catalogues now, from suppliers such as Johnny Walkers, bulbs.co.uk or jparkers.co.uk.
Plant little bulbs as soon as possible after delivery and place some in your sunniest spot. These will be the first to open, during a mild spell.
Ivy is the most wildlife-friendly plant of all. Dense evergreen growth ensures safe cover for little creatures. November flowers provide nectar for insects and the berries are nutritious for winter birds. But ivy is invasive and must be controlled.