Spring is in the Air: How to Create a Bee-Friendly Garden This Season

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Spring is most definitely in the air!  The sun has been shining, blue sky days are with us and it seems to be that everyone seems to be just that little bit cheerier and more upbeat.  The sunshine seems to have magical powers that touch us all.

It seems to me that we all feel that little bit better when the sun comes out, the birds are singing and the bumblebees are venturing out in the gardens after a very long winter.  With their energy levels thoroughly depleted (and I’m sure some of us know how that feels) they are desperately seeking out some much-needed nectar to replenish them.

Bees are so important to our eco-systems, pollinating plants which not only helps to make your garden productive for you to enjoy but also helps to feed a host of other insects, birds and wildlife.  Sadly though, bees are in decline, so why not take a moment, whilst it’s warm in the garden, to make sure you are doing your bit to help out our hardworking bees.

There are a few simple things that you can do, right now, to give those bees a helping hand:

• Make sure there is somewhere in the garden they can get a little drink.  A pond is obviously a great solution but not a quick fix, so why not just pop a little bowl out in the garden with some water in.  Add some stones so the bees have somewhere safe to land and drink with ease.
• Leave a little bit of the garden untamed.  A small pile of twigs and sticks will provide a space for bees to shelter

Now you’ve made sure they’ve had a drink and have a bed for the night, it’s time to talk food.  Early flowering, nectar rich plants are essential to help those bees recover from their winter hibernation.  There are a great number of plants that will offer a valuable source of nectar right now in the garden, Erysimum, Hellebore and Aubretia are just three examples of perennial plants that are in flower right now and are loved by the bees.  Perfect for pots and containers or beds and borders, perennials are a low maintenance, fuss free way of creating a beautiful and bountiful displays year after year.

Or if you’re looking for a shrub, why not try planting Edgeworthia, Mimosa or Prunus Autumnalis Rosea.  All three will give a nectar rich display to dazzle this year and for years to come.

A little bit of time invested now will pay dividends for years to come and help support those all-important visitors to the garden.