There has been a lot on the news this year about the hard times ahead for bumble bees.  We can all do our bit to help, they  need flowers throughout the Spring and Summer (March-Sept), and these need to be the right kinds of flowers.  Instead of planting bedding plants and all the hard work that goes along with them, why not try growing traditional cottage garden flowers and native wildflowers. Many of these thrive and look superb in the garden. They are also easy to grow, generally being hardy and much more resistant to slugs and disease. Bumble bee species differ in the length of their tongues, and as a result prefer different flowers, so it’s important to grow a range of different things.

There are lots of plants to choose from, so why not start to plan your garden so that you encourage the humble bumble bee.

March – April

Apple, Bluebell, Broom, Bugle, Cherry, Erica carnea (heather), Flowering Currant, Lungwort (Pulmonaria), Pear, Plum

May – June

Alliums, Aquilegia, Birds-foot trefoil, Bugle, Bush vetch, Campanula,Ceanothus, Chives, Comfrey, Cotoneaster, Escallonia,

Everlasting Pea, Everlasting wallflower, Foxglove, Geranium, Honeysuckle, Kidney Vetch, Laburnum, Lupin, Monkshood, Poppies, Raspberries

July – September

Black horehound, Borage, Bramble, Buddleia, Cardoon, Catmint, Cornflower, Delphinium, Heathers, Hollyhock, Hyssop, Knapweed, Lavender, Lesser burdock, Marjoram,

Mint, Penstemon, Polemonium, Purple loosestrife, Red bartsia