Planting for Pollinators

I always thought planting for bees and butterflies was a bit of an oxymoron. Surely flowers and pollinating insects were made for each other? My suspicions were confirmed recently when I attended a fascinating Flora Locale course. I was informed that flowers and their pollinators did, unsurprisingly, evolve together. Flowers evolved to attract pollinators and the insects evolved to suit the flowers. It should not be possible to plant an insect pollinated flowering plant without attracting its natural pollinating insect.

So what happened? Well, we decided that the flowers generously provided by Mother Nature weren’t good enough for us. We wanted bigger flowers, different colours, more petals and many other changes to the original design. In the process of breeding these ‘improved’ plants we often lost original features that attract pollinators. For example, plants with a double flower do not attract pollinators as the second ring of petals reduces the space for the nectaries at which pollinators like to feed. 

Red Admiral buttefly sipping chive nectar

What’s more we went plant-hunting all over the world and imported plants that cannot be pollinated by our native pollinators. These exotic plants are often bird pollinated, for example the climber campsis (trumpet vine) is pollinated by hummingbirds. These plants can be a no-go area to our native bees and butterflies. Not always, however, it depends on similarity of the flower to our native plants. Lavender, which comes from the Mediterranean, is very popular with our native bees.

So what to plant for our native bees, bumblebees and butterflies? Recent publicity has made us all aware of how critical these insects are to our own welfare. According to the charity Buglife, one out of every three mouthfuls of food depends on pollinators. Luckily, it’s not at all complicated. British wildflowers, or their near relatives, are the best, but not only option. Flowers with similar shapes to wildflowers are just as good, as long as they don’t have double flowers.
 If you want to attract a variety of pollinators a variety of flower shapes and flowering times are important. Bees can appear as early as February so early starters like snowdrops are important. Some flower shapes, such as saucer shaped eg geraniums, daisies, scabious and umbellifers eg cow parsley, appeal to a wide range of pollinators while tubular and lipped flowers, eg foxgloves, are more specialist, appealing to bumblebees. North American perennials such as monarda and rudbeckia are good for extending the season.
  Yellow, purple and pink flowers are attractive to pollinators but they can’t see red, although they sometimes are attracted to ultra-violet markings that we can’t see. Food for all life stages is important. So caterpillars should be catered for as well as butterflies. Plant groups of the same flowering plant, not singles. Bees and butterflies like to have a good feed in one area rather than having to fly long distances to find food. This is also a good rule for planting design in general. Odd numbered groups of at least three have much more impact than single, lonely specimens.

Bee enjoying a snack from the non-native Cosmos flower

Above all – don’t use pesticides! Even if you don’t kill the pollinators immediately they build up a lethal level of toxin over a period of time. The general decline of the honey-bee has been linked to pesticides which depress their immune system so they are susceptible to a mite, as well as habitat destruction.

So creating a garden full of buzzy bees and pretty butterflies is relatively straightforward and very rewarding. After all – it’s gardening as nature intended!

www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Sustainable-gardening/Biodiversity-and-the-gardener

www.butterfly-conservation.org