Nature Notebook

Bumblebee © Jon Hawkins, Surrey Hills Photography

Planting For Pollinators

With spring around the corner, what will you be planting for your doorstep pollinators...

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Worcestershire Wildlife Trust @WorcsWT t worcestershirewildlifetrust G worcswildlifetrust.co.uk w The few mild days we had in early February made me want to leap outside and start gardening. I only have a small flower bed and a patio but I make it work hard for wildlife. I prune what needs pruning in the autumn and then leave the garden alone – fallen leaves, seed heads and springpruned plants offer vital shelter for over-wintering insects as well as seeds or berries for the birds.

As days start to lengthen and birds start to sing, the urge to get outside and ‘potter’ really starts to nag. Whether you’ve got window boxes or balcony pots, flower beds or hanging baskets, you can make a difference for wildlife. Where you’re planting will influence what you plant but our pollinating friends need a couple of things - a variety of plants that offer diversity of flowers for as much of the year as possible.

Insects have tongues of different lengths – some bumblebees will find it easy to reach into the deep tubes of penstemons or foxgloves whereas butterflies and solitary bees may prefer the openness of coneflowers and scabious. Choose simple flowers – single flower varieties (a pot marigold rather than a fancy marigold, for example) usually have more pollen and nectar than more ‘showy’ ones.

Plant snowdrops, crocuses, aconites, mahonia and winter heathers for winter into spring. Comfrey and lungwort are wonderful for bumblebees in early spring, followed by flowering currants and rosemary. As the seasons turn, try lavender, scabious, alliums, Stachys and buddleia (you can get dwarf varieties if you don’t have much space). Ice plants, ivy and Michaelmas daisies help our pollinators into autumn.

Don’t forget that plants are important for caterpillars too; it’s a compliment if you spot a mullein moth caterpillar munching on the leaves of your buddleia! When buying plants, check whether they’ve been grown in the UK (to minimise the chance of importing non-native wildlife or diseases) and if they’ve been pre-treated with pesticides.

One last thing to consider is what we grow our plants in. If you’re planting into containers, it’s really important to choose peat-free compost. I’ve been peat-free for years – seeds sprout and plants thrive in it. Peat bogs are exceptional places for wildlife and are important in our fight against climate change (UK peatlands store an incredible 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon). It’s difficult to replace a peat bog once it’s gone – they form over hundreds and thousands of years so it’s really important that they remain intact.

Always check compost labels and if you’re unsure or can’t find a bag of peat-free compost, ask – the more we ask, the more likely it is to be stocked. Check whether the plants you’re buying are grown in a peatfree medium too. We’re lucky to have several peat-free nurseries in the area so seek them out and pay them a visit (when Covid restrictions allow, of course). n For information about helping wildlife www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/wildlife-gardening