BeeWayZz - Planting for Pollinators We are delighted to share that Bere Marsh Farm, Dorset is acting as the HUB for BeeWayZz – an exciting community initiative that aims to increase the number of bee-friendly plants within a 3km radius of Bere Marsh, to provide food for pollinating insects. Gardens, window boxes and allotments are extremely important for bees and other pollinators as they supply the pollen and nectar they need to survive as well as nesting habitats. Pollen provides them with protein for their grubs to grow, whilst nectar gives them the energy they require to search for food and procreate. In general, single open flowers or tubular-shaped flowers such as foxgloves and penstemons are the easiest for bees to gather food from. Most double flowers have so many petals that bees cannot reach the central part of the flower where their food. Bees’ favourite flower colours are blues, mauves and purples, they don’t appear to see red flowers as easily. Bees also require food throughout the year. Some bees can be on the wing as late as November or December, especially in mild winters, and as early as February, so it is important to aim for all year-round planting. It is also best to plant in clumps and en masse to reducing foraging time. Cottage garden type perennials are particularly good whilst the typical summer bedding should be avoided, i.e. pansies, Busy Lizzies, French marigolds and begonias etc. as these have been hybridised so much that their food value and design is of little use to bees. Herbs such as marjoram, thyme, oregano, sage, chives, mint, and rosemary are important additions to your bee friendly gardening, as are flowering trees that provide a valuable source of flower mass and can make a vital contribution for pollinators. A single tree can have hundreds or thousands of flowers, the equivalent to acres of flowers in a field. Think twice about removing ivy. As ivy matures and flowers, it will attract literally hundreds of bees. Finally, consider creating a more natural lawn. Stop using lawn fertilisers and allow some daisies, dandelions, clovers and selfheal to establish. Alternatively, sow a wildflower patch(es) into your lawn. We do recommend that you avoid using any pesticides They are often labelled as 'bug killers' or something similar, but almost all of these can harm bumblebees, even if you don't intend to harm them. Some pests can be controlled by simply planting certain other plants nearby, and you can learn more about this on the BBC Gardening website. Below is a list of suggested flowers for you to consider. We have done our best to indicate their colour as well as when they are in flower. This is not an exhaustive list but intended as an aide for you to get started planting bulbs, perennials, herbs, shrubs and trees. Planting for bees all year round: Common name Latin name Time of the year when in flower Colour(s) Height (cm) Desired position Abelia (shrub) Abelia Spring / Summer Pink or white 150-250 Full sun Birds foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus Spring / Summer Yellow 40 Full sun Ceanothus (shrub) Ceanothus Spring to Autumn Blue 100-250 Full sun Cherry (tree) Prunus Spring Pink or white 300-400 Full sun Clematis (climber) Clematis Armandii Spring White or pink 500 Full sun / partial shade Columbine Aquilegia Spring / Summer Various 50 Full sun or partial shade Cranesbill Germanium Spring to Autumn Pink, white, blue or magenta 15-80 Full shade, partial shade, full sun Dog rose Rosa canina Spring / Summer Pink and yellow 300 Full sun/ partial shade Foxgloves Digitalis Spring / Summer Purple / white / various 90-150 Partial shade or full sun Ground ivy Glechoma hederacea Spring / Summer Purple 50 Sun or shade Hawthorn (tree) Crataegus Spring White or pink 400-900 Full sun / partial shade Heather / Winter Heather Erica carnea Spring, Autumn and Winter Pink, purple or white 10-50 Sun Hebe (shrub) Hebe Spring / Summer Purple / blue / pink or white 100 Shade / partial shade Honesty Lunaria annua Spring Purple or white 50-100 Full sun Horse chestnut (tree) Aesculus Spring White / pink 4000 Full sun / partial shade Lungwort Pulmonaria Spring Blue, white and red 50 Partial shade Lupins Lupinus Spring / Summer Various 50 - 100 Full sun /partial shade Pussy willow (tree) Salix caprea Spring Yellow 240 Full sun Rosemary (herb/ shrub) Rosmarinus officinalis Spring / Summer Purple 80-120 Full sun Scabious Scabiosa Spring / Summer White, blue or burgundy 50-60 Full sun /partial shade Teasels Dipsacus fullonum Spring / Summer Purple 180 Full sun / partial shade Viburnum (shrub) Viburnum Spring/ Summer White 100-400 Full sun / partial shade Wallflowers Erysimum Spring to Autumn Various 20-50 Full sun / partial shade Wisteria (climber) Wisteria Floribunda or Wisteria sinensis Spring Purple 1000 Full sun Alliums Allium Summer Purple or white 50-100 Sun Borage (herb) Borago officinalis Summer Blue to purple to pink 50-100 Full sun or partial shade Buddleja (shrub) Buddleja davidii Summer Purple, pink, white 100-250 Full sun / partial shade Canterbury bells (or any campanula) Campanula Summer Blue or white 50-100 Full sun or partial shade Catmint Nepeta racemosa Summer Blue / mauve 75 Sun Climbing rose Rosa filipes (Kiftsgate) Summer White and yellow 750-1200 Full sun / partial shade Comfrey (herb) Symphytum Summer Cream, pink and purple 100-150 Full sun or partial shade Common tansy Tanacetum vulgare Summer Yellow 100 Full sun Common Valerian Valeriana officinalis Summer White 100-150 Sun or partial shade Delphiniums Delphinium Summer Blue, pink or white 50-180 Full sun Hardy geraniums Geranium Summer Pinks and blues 30 Full sun or partial shade Heleniums Helenium Summer Yellows, reds, orange 60-150 Sun Honeysuckle (climber) Lonicera periclymenum Summer Pale yellow 200-500 Sun or shade Hydrangea (climber) Hydrangea anomala petiolaris Summer White 800 Full sun / partial shade Lamb’s ears Stachys byzantina Summer Purple 10-50 Full sun Lavender (herb) Lavandula Summer Blue, mauve or purple 50-100 Sun Lime (Linden tree) Tilia Summer White / yellow 2500 Partial shade Mock orange (shrub) Philadelphus Summer White 100-150 Full sun / partial shade Monk’s hood Aconitum napellus Summer Blue 100-150 Partial shade Old Man’s Beard (climber) Clematis vitalba Summer Pale yellow 1500 Full sun / partial shade Ox eye daisies Leucanthemum vulgare Summer White 90 Full sun Phlox Phlox Summer Various 50 -150 Full sun /partial shade Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria Summer Purple 120 Full sun / partial shade Rosebay Willow herb Chamaenerion angustifolium Summer Pink or white 150 Full sun / partial shade Sage (herb) Salvia officinalis Summer Purple 60 Full sun Sedum Sedum Summer Pink or yellow 10-50 Full sun / partial shade Sweet William Dianthus barbatus Summer Pink / red / white or burgundy 45 Full sun / partial shade Thistle Cirsium, Cardunculus, Echinops, Sonchus, Summer Pink, blue or purple 50-100 Full sun Viper’s bugloss Echium vulgare Summer Blue 75 Sun Lamb’s ears Stachys byzantina Summer Purple 10-50 Full sun Lavender (herb) Lavandula Summer Blue, mauve or purple 50-100 Sun Lime (Linden tree) Tilia Summer White / yellow 2500 Partial shade Mock orange (shrub) Philadelphus Summer White 100-150 Full sun / partial shade Monk’s hood Aconitum napellus Summer Blue 100-150 Partial shade Old Man’s Beard (climber) Clematis vitalba Summer Pale yellow 1500 Full sun / partial shade Ox eye daisies Leucanthemum vulgare Summer White 90 Full sun Phlox Phlox Summer Various 50 -150 Full sun /partial shade Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria Summer Purple 120 Full sun / partial shade Rosebay Willow herb Chamaenerion angustifolium Summer Pink or white 150 Full sun / partial shade Sage (herb) Salvia officinalis Summer Purple 60 Full sun Sedum Sedum Summer Pink or yellow 10-50 Full sun / partial shade Sweet William Dianthus barbatus Summer Pink / red / white or burgundy 45 Full sun / partial shade Thistle Cirsium, Cardunculus, Echinops, Sonchus, Summer Pink, blue or purple 50-100 Full sun Viper’s bugloss Echium vulgare Summer Blue 75 Sun Sunflower Helianthus Autumn Yellow 150-250 Full sun Verbena Verbena Summer / Autumn Purple 20-200 Sun Zinnia Zinnia Summer / Autumn Various 90 Full sun Christmas Rose Helleborus Winter White, cream, pink, burgundy varieties 50 Sun or shade Crocus (bulb) Crocus Winter to Spring Various 10 Sun Cyclamen Cyclamen Autumn / Winter Purple, red, pink or white 13 Partial shade Evergreen clematis (climber) Clematis cirrhosa Winter White or pink 240 Full sun Mahonia (shrub) Mahonia Winter to Spring Yellow 50-200 Full shade / partial shade Snowdrops (bulb) Galanthus elewesii Winter White 30 Partial shade Winter aconite Eranthus Winter Yellow 10 Full sun or partial shade Winter honeysuckle Lonicera Winter White/yellow 150-250 Full sun or partial shade Winter jasmine Jasminum nudiflorum Winter Yellow 150-250 Full sun or partial shade Manage Cookie Preferences