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Start the year with early blooms
On mild late-winter and early-spring days, bees are foraging. Early bulbs, winter heather and spring blossom give them vital early food when little else is in flower.
Wildlife5 min read
Plants that keep bees fed all year
Bees need food from spring to autumn, not just in high summer. Here's a planting plan that feeds them all season.
Created by jflgardens.co.uk
Bees are busiest in summer, but they're out foraging whenever it's warm enough from early spring to late autumn. A garden with flowers in every season keeps them fed and, in turn, keeps your garden pollinated.
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Keep the summer supply going
From late spring to summer, a wide range of open, nectar-rich flowers — lavender, catmint, salvias, buddleia, alliums, and many shrubs and perennials — keep bees busy. Go easy on over-bred double flowers, which are often poor for pollinators.
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End the year strongly
Early autumn is a critical feeding time as bees build up for winter. Late performers like ivy blossom, autumn-flowering sedums, asters and late heathers are worth their weight in gold.
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Avoid spraying when bees are about
Pesticides, especially sprayed on flowering plants in daylight, are devastating for bees. Reserve any treatment for genuine problems, apply it late in the day when bees have stopped flying, and let the pollinators do their work.
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