We are pleased to find that a growing number of you are keen to support the wildlife in your garden, and are specifically seeking plants that will encourage bees and butterflies to feed on their nectar and pollen rich flowers. The well documented decline in bee numbers over recent years has thankfully increased support for these very important pollinators on which the cropping of most fruit and many vegetables, in particular, rely.
Of course there’s still a long way to go, and as every little helps, perhaps spare a thought for our little friends when you’re next deciding how to fill a spot in the garden. Bee and butterfly loving plants include Buddleja, Callicarpa, Ceanothus, Cotoneaster, Daphne, Delphiniums, Escallonia, Heathers, Hebes, Honeysuckles, Kolkwitzia, Lavender, Leptospermums, Leycesteria, Lupins, Prostanthera, Pyracantha, Rosemary, Sambucus, Sedum, Skimmia, Syringa, Verbena Boriensis, Borage and Viburnums. - Generally speaking, the darker the flowers, the more attractive they are to bees and insects.
