Gardening for bees
Three routes to chemical-free plants in your garden.
Organic Nurseries
Buy plants, bulbs and seeds from Organic nurseries.
Take cuttings
Take cuttings from family & friends who you know & trust to garden organically.
Plant from seed
Preferably organic seeds, however the seed husk is unlikely to retain more than trace residue.
Top 10 plants for pollinators
Visit or list of organic nurseries to top up your garden with some of our top 10 for pollinators.
Lavender
Lavender is a classic bee plant and a fantastic plant for every garden for many reasons. When in flower it looks and smells wonderful. It's a great source of nectar for butterflies and bees. It's semi-evergreen so it has a structure and a presence through the winter.
Borage
Borage flowers are particularly attractive to bees – after a bee has visited a flower it refills with nectar within two minutes, making borage a great pollinator-friendly plant for a small garden.
Foxglove
Many foxglove flowers are dappled, which is Nature's way of attracting bees; their infrared vision picks up the patterns and alerts them to the nectar inside.
Allium
Alliums are some of the most majestic and stately plants, giving height and depth to your borders. With many varieties listed as a 'Perfect for Pollinators' plant by the RHS.
Verbena
Tall Verbena Attracts Butterflies and Other Pollinators. Sprinkle the airy purple blooms of Verbena bonariensis among plants to create a pollinator garden that will last through the hot, dry summer.
Cosmos
Cosmos areone of the best annual bedding plants for bees. They have a fabulous, simple, open flower that provides easy access to its nectar for all flying insects.
Salvia
Their aromatic, resinous foliage makes them very resistant to browsing deer and rabbits. Their nectar-rich flowers attract a wide range of pollinators including honey and native bees.
Calendula
This plant will provide nectar and pollen for bees and the many other types of pollinating insects.
Penstemon
This plant will provide nectar and pollen for bees and the many other types of pollinating insects.
Buddleja
Buddleia is an attractive plant with a lovely scent and beautiful purple, pink, yellow or white flowers. In July and August garden butterflies such as the Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma often visit Buddleia flowers in large groups – it is clearly a favoured nectar source.
Nectar-rich flowers attract aphid hungry hoverflies.
Companion planting
Some strong scented plants actively deter pests, for instance by growing garlic between rows of potatoes they serve as pungent bodyguards to the potato plant.
Sit down with cup of tea to enjoy the video, original video source: GrowVeg.co.uk run by Growing Interactive, a UK-based company founded in 2007, providing the most innovative garden planning apps.
When buying plants for your garden remember...
Just because the label says ‘RHS plants for pollinators’ does not mean the plant is free from pesticide, systemics can remain in every cell of the plant and persist in soil for up to 4 years.
Only introduce plants to your space that you know are pesticide free.
Systemic insecticides are known to remain in soil and every cell of a plant for up to four years. Ensure the plant and soil in the pot are organic, otherwise you could inadvertently poison the very pollinators you are trying to protect.