Bee-friendly garden design

wildlife gardens, bee-friendly, biodiversity, garden design

Tim’s bee pic. from his biodiversity study

Having undertaken a  study of biodiversity in Dublin’s gardens a few years back,  I am a fan of any garden design that encourages more wildlife habitat in to our gardens.  So, I am looking forward to seeing the University of Leed’s bee-friendly garden at Chelsea this year.  Their top-tips for encouraging bees in to your garden are given on their website and include:

  • Bees love to nest in logs, crumbling walls and woody undergrowth
    Resist the urge to clear away rotting wood, or to fix up the old garden wall.  Create a habitat pile or invest in a ‘bee hotel’, which you can make or buy from garden centres.
  • Bees love longer grass
    Consider leaving just part of your lawn an inch or two longer to encourage bees. You can always cut the rest so your neighbours still know you care!
  • Plant bee-friendly flowers
    Avoid garden-centre annuals or double flowers which are often sterile and instead opt for flowers loaded with nectar such as lavender or fuchsias. Not only will you be doing your bit for bees, you’ll also be saving yourself a fortune!
  • Don’t be over keen on your weeding
    Dandelions, clovers and forget-me-knots are great for bees  – a great excuse to put your feet up

Bee-friendly flowers

  1. Lavender
  2. Buddleja
  3. Comfrey
  4. Fuchsia
  5. Hebe

Flowers which offer little reward to pollinators

  1. Pansies
  2. Begonias
  3. Busy Lizzies
  4. Petunias
  5. Hybrid tea roses”

And there is loads more information about why bees are important to the health of our plants on their website.  Follow this link 🙂  Keeping up with the Joneses harms Britain’s bees – University of Leeds.

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