bees
"To Bee or not To Bee?" Garden Design
This is not a particularly good time to be a bee.
Their habitat and food sources are under threat. Gardens make up a significant percentage of the green space in the UK. If we all remember what bees need we can make a significant contribution to their survival. As they say ‘every little helps’.
Bees basically need food in the form of nectar and pollen, water, shelter and somewhere to breed safely. Only honey bees live in hives, other bees just need a small nook which will keep them warm and out of the rain.
It is perfectly possible to have a bee friendly garden that is tidy, formal, contemporary or low maintenance.
When designing a garden the principles of structure, texture, movement, height and colour need to be considered. Creating a garden that has year round interest is also important. The same principles hold true when designing a garden that will attract and benefit bees.
Colour and scent are probably the two most important factors when planning planting for bees. Simple flower structures are best so that they can gain access to good supplies of nectar and pollen. Double flowered cultivars are often impossible for a bee to get into and, if they do, will frequently have little or no food for them. Planting in groups is good design practice and this is also helpful for bees since they do not have to travel very far to get from one food source to another. Leaving perennials that have finished flowering to stand into the winter will also give overwintering bees somewhere to hide.
Our changing weather means that bees can now be seen as early as February and as late as November.
Single flowered snowdrops, winter aconites, hellebores and mahonia are really good winter food sources. Use spring flowering cotoneaster, foxgloves, euphorbia, heathers and geums. During the summer all you need to remember is the rule about single flower structures. Herbs are really good as are any members of the daisy and carrot families. Autumn flowers include Japanese anemone, asters, ivy and single flowered dahlia varieties.
When you are next out buying plants keep an eye out for the RHS ‘Perfect for Pollinators’ symbol which will guide you to plants that attract bees or look at the season by season plant lists on www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Sustainable-gardening/Plants-for-pollinators
Colette Charsley colette@charsleydesign.com
01803 722449 | 07774 827799
