Plants for Pollinators
Learn all about what plants are best for Pollinators here!
Planting Guide: What to Grow, When to Sow, and Who Will Enjoy!
Ever wanted to know what to plant for your favourite species of bee? Or to know when to plant a pollinator friendly plant? Use our Planting Guides to help!
Click on the buttons below to download your guide. If you need a guide in black and white only, please select 'BW' option.
Planting for pollinators
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Many flowers are attractive to bees, with different types of bee varying in their preferences. In particular, long-tongued bumblebees such as Bombus hortorum tend to favour deep flowers, and of course short-tongued bumblebees such as Bombus terrestris prefer shallow flowers. Sometimes short-tongued bees rob deep flowers by biting a hole in the side of the flower so they can reach the nectar.
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In general herbs and cottage garden perennials are good, and annual bedding plants are best avoided (because they have been intensively bred and have often lost their rewards or become so mishapen that insects cannot get in to them – also, many have been drenched in insecticides).
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The following is a list from Dave Goulson-Guaranteed to attract bumblebees to your garden. Star ratings (*) are from 1 to 5, and reflect his view of how attractive they are to bees.