Plants for Pollinators

At The Bedford Estates Bloomsbury, we look after three honeybee hives. Because of this, we have become more aware of the need to adapt our gardens’ schemes to include more plants that are useful to pollinators and wildlife. We are developing new areas with planting that will provide a long season of forage (nectar and pollen) for pollinators. When choosing plants it’s worth bearing in mind these general pollinator preferences:

• Yellow, Pink, and Purple flowers are always preferred
• Open, flat headed flowers: Japanese anemones, Asters, Geraniums
• Plants with lots of small flowers: Scabiosa, Nepeta, Thyme, Persicaria, Achillea
• Choose a variety of plants with different flower types and sizes as pollinators can have specific requirements due to their long or short tongues
• Select plants and bulbs to flower throughout the year as pollinators can be active on any sunny days winter or summer