Plant a Pollinator Garden That Blooms All Season
Bees, butterflies and hoverflies need flowers from spring to autumn. Here is how to fill the gaps.
Plan for every season
Pollinators need food whenever they are active. Aim for something in flower each season: early bulbs and fruit blossom in spring, herbs and cosmos in summer, asters and sedums in autumn.
Choose the right flowers
Single, open flowers give insects easy access to pollen and nectar. Double blooms often have little to offer. Native plants support the widest range of local insects.
Quick tips
- Plant in clumps, not single stems
- Include flat flowers for hoverflies
- Let some herbs flower
Make the garden safe
Skip pesticides, leave some bare soil for ground-nesting bees, and provide a shallow dish of water with stones for landing. Leave hollow stems standing over winter for nesting insects.
