Planting for Pollinators
A Simple Guide to Supporting Pollinators in Your Garden
Pollinators are the unsung heroes of our gardens. From the gentle hum of bees to the flutter of butterflies, these vital creatures play a key role in helping plants reproduce, supporting biodiversity, and even contributing to the food we eat every day.
At Priory Farm Garden Centre, we’re passionate about helping you create a thriving, wildlife-friendly garden, and supporting pollinators is one of the most rewarding ways to do it.
What Are Pollinator Plants?
Pollinator plants are species that provide nectar and pollen – essential food sources for insects and animals such as bees, butterflies, moths, and hoverflies. In return, these creatures transfer pollen between flowers, enabling plants to produce seeds, fruits, and new growth.
Plants have evolved clever ways to attract different pollinators, using colour, scent, and shape to guide them. Bees are naturally drawn to purple, blue, yellow, and orange flowers with easily accessible nectar, while butterflies prefer flat, open blooms where they can land comfortably as they feed. Moths, on the other hand, are attracted to pale, highly fragrant flowers that release their scent in the evening, helping them locate blooms after dusk.
By planting a mix of these, you can support a wide range of pollinators throughout the seasons.
Plants That Bees Love
Bees rely on nectar for energy and pollen for protein, making pollinator-friendly planting essential for their survival. A single bee can visit hundreds of flowers in one trip, helping to pollinate many of the plants we rely on for flowers, fruit, and vegetables.
Some excellent bee-friendly plants include:
- Lavender
- Salvias
- Alliums
- Thyme
- Gaillardia
- Fuchsias
- Agapanthus
Bees are especially attracted to clusters of flowers where nectar and pollen are easy to access. Single, open blooms are often best, as highly double flowers can make it harder for them to reach their food source. Planting a mix of flowers that bloom from early spring through to late autumn will provide a valuable, continuous food supply.
By choosing bee-friendly plants, you’ll also support other helpful pollinators like hoverflies. These gentle, bee-mimicking insects enjoy many of the same open blooms, while their larvae help naturally control aphids in the garden.
Butterfly-Friendly Flowers
Butterflies bring colour, beauty, and life to any garden, but they also play an important role in pollination. Unlike bees, butterflies use their long, straw-like proboscis to sip nectar, which means they prefer flowers that are open, flat, and easy to land on.
Try planting:
- Achillea
- Buddleja (often called the butterfly bush)
- Verbena bonariensis
- Echinacea
- Sedum
- Rudbeckia
Butterflies are also sun-loving creatures, so positioning these plants in sheltered, sunny spots will make your garden even more inviting. Adding flat stones or warm surfaces can give them a place to rest and bask.
It’s also worth thinking beyond nectar plants. Butterfly caterpillars need specific host plants to feed on, so leaving a small area of your garden a little wilder – with grasses or native plants, can help support the full butterfly lifecycle. A truly butterfly-friendly garden supports both the adults you see and the caterpillars you don’t.
Don’t Forget Moths and Other Night Pollinators
While often overlooked, moths are incredibly important pollinators. The UK has around 2,500 species, many of which are in alarming decline. You can help by planting flowers that come alive in the evening.
Great choices include:
- Honeysuckle
- Evening Primrose
- Jasmine
- Nicotiana
- Silene
These plants release their scent at dusk, attracting moths and filling your garden with subtle fragrance as the sun goes down. In supporting moths, you’re also helping other night-time wildlife, like bats, which feed on these insects and play an important role in keeping the garden ecosystem in balance.
Why Water Matters
Providing plants is just one part of the picture, bees also need access to clean water.
They use water to:
- Stay hydrated
- Cool their hive during hot weather
- Feed developing larvae
- Dilute thick or crystallised honey
A shallow dish with pebbles or stones makes a perfect, safe watering station. It’s a simple addition that can make a big difference.
Simple Ways to Maximise Pollinators
Creating a pollinator-friendly garden doesn’t have to be complicated. A few thoughtful steps can transform your outdoor space into a haven for wildlife:
- Avoid chemical pesticides that can harm beneficial insects
- Introduce companion planting to naturally deter pests
- Provide shelter and nesting spaces such as log piles or insect hotels
- Offer a water source for drinking and cooling
- Encourage natural pest control, such as ladybirds
By working with nature, you’ll create a healthier, more resilient garden.
Explore our Garden Centre
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to expand your pollinator-friendly planting, our Garden Centre team is in hand to help. We stock a wide range of pollinator plants and everything you need to create a thriving garden ecosystem.