Northants, Leics &amp; Rutland

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-001.jpg" alt="Butterfly on pink flower garden " class="wp-image-41430" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-001.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-001-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-001-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



On a chilly, February day you’d be forgiven for daydreaming about gorgeous spring blooms and all the loveliness of summer, because now is the perfect time to start planning for sunnier days by making your garden a haven for some of our most important neighbours. We caught up with Hannah Phillips of <a href="https://www.hpgardendesign.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HP Garden Design</a> to learn all about why pollinators are integral to an idyllic outside space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-pollinators-and-why-are-they-important">What are pollinators and why are they important?</h2>



Hopefully by now, everyone knows that bees are our friends but, the term pollinators actually covers a wider range of insects and other creatures that, in the course of feeding on nectar or collecting pollen, transfer some of that pollen to another flower. 80% of flowering plants in the UK rely on pollinators to reproduce and a similar percentage of food crops rely on them to produce a successful harvest. No pollinators, no food.



Whilst bees, butterflies, hover-flies, moths and other insects, as well as birds and bats also play their pollinating part, they’re also part of the wider food chain and local ecosystem and it’s important that everyone does their bit and makes space for them where we can.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1089" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-002.jpg" alt="Hover fly garden pollinator on dog rose" class="wp-image-41432" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-002.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-002-275x300.jpg 275w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-002-940x1024.jpg 940w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-002-768x836.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-can-we-help">How can we help?</h2>



Plant something lovely: Flowers, flowers, flowers! Domestic gardens take up an amazing 5% of the UK&#8217;s land mass (that&#8217;s an area around the size of Suffolk) so they have the opportunity to play a huge role in providing food and habitat for pollinators. This is particularly important in urban areas where gardens can create green corridors, allowing wildlife to move around between larger green spaces.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-so-where-can-you-add-flowers-to-your-space">So, where can you add flowers to your space?</h2>



However small your outdoor space, even a window box or pot can provide opportunity to plant something useful, pretty and importantly, tasty, for a passing pollinator.



Flowering annual seeds are economical to buy and need little attention other than the occasional water. Calendula and nasturtiums are bright, cheerful and super easy and their seeds can be collected to use the following year (pick shorter or trailing varieties if space is tight). These can easily be scattered amongst existing planting or used as companion planting in an allotment or veg patch for even more benefits. If you’re ready to commit more, winter flowering plants such as hellebores, ivy and mahonia show you’re serious about helping out and provide invaluable food in the winter lull.



Think about where you’re going to put your flowers &#8211; happy plants, happy pollinators &#8211; and make sure what you’re planting is going to work in the space you have (the RHS Plant Finder is very useful for finding suitable options).



If your garden is super windy or exposed, you might want to consider creating an area that is more sheltered to include your pollinator friendly offerings. No one likes being blown away from their dinner and hard working insects need a place to take five between flights.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-006.jpg" alt="Hover fly flower pollinator petal" class="wp-image-41436" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-006.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-006-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-006-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-shape-of-things">THE SHAPE OF THINGS</h2>



Not all flowers are created equal and the type and shape of flower you plant may have some bearing on who’s coming to dinner.



Bumblebees: Have long tongues and can reach into longer, trumpet shaped flowers. They’re big fans of foxgloves, comfrey and lupins.



Honey Bees: Have a taste for a wide range of flowers: clover, lavender, marjoram, catmint (nepeta), lilac and borage are among their favourites.



Butterflies: Have long proboscises and love buddleja (there’s a reason it’s known as the butterfly bush) and zinnias, with flat, open flowers that are easy to land on.



Hover Flies: I have a soft spot for these little chaps. They sometimes hover in front of your face as if to say hello. They’re actually looking for something to eat and are attracted to the heat given off by your face but, don’t worry, they are completely harmless! They have short mouth pieces and like flat open flowers. umbellifers like achillea, fennel and dill will attract them.



Moths: Love jasmine, nicotiana (tobacco flower), verbena bonariensis, honeysuckle and lavender. Because they’re out around dusk and night time, scented plants in lighter light colours work best for them.



The above suggestions are far from exhaustive and there are lots of great resources online providing comprehensive lists of pollinator and wildlife friendly plant species for your garden that would blend into any particular style of planting you might already have.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-007.jpg" alt="Artichoke flower garden summer pollinator" class="wp-image-41438" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-007.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-007-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/02/POLLINATORS-007-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



If you have a lot of space and like a bit of drama, my absolute favourite plants for attracting bees, are the globe artichoke (cynara scolymus) and vipers bugloss (echium vulgare). The artichoke, which is an impressive, architectural plant in its own right, is a joy to see in bloom and is usually found covered in Bumblebees, ranging from frenzied feeding to fast asleep amongst the purple petals.



Even a modest space can be made to do just that bit more for these small but vitally important workers and the ecosystems they support. And it will likely look a lot prettier to boot.



Hannah is an APL (Association of Professional Landscapers) accredited designer, <a href="https://www.hpgardendesign.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HP Garden Design</a>, email: studio@hpgardendesign.co.uk, tel: 07733308606

Transform your garden into a pollinator’s paradise

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