Choose single-flowered plants, aim for blooms from February to October, include lavender and catmint, leave even a 1m² wild patch, ditch pesticides, and put out a shallow water dish. Small changes, big impact.
Pollinators are in decline across the UK, and your garden — however small — can genuinely make a difference. The good news is that creating a pollinator-friendly space doesn't mean sacrificing good looks. In fact, the plants that bees and butterflies love tend to be some of the most beautiful and reliable performers in any Warwickshire garden.
🌼 Choose single flowers over doubles
Double-flowered cultivars (like some dahlias and roses) look impressive but bees can't access the nectar. Single, open flowers are far more useful. When choosing at the garden centre, watch for a few seconds — if you can see the centre of the flower clearly, pollinators can reach it too.
📅 Plant for succession
Aim for something in flower from February (hellebores, crocus) right through to October (sedums, asters). Pollinators need food throughout the season, not just in summer. Early and late flowers are especially valuable — a patch of crocus in February can be a lifeline for emerging queen bumblebees in Warwickshire.
🐝 Our top pollinator plants
Lavender, catmint (Nepeta), Echinacea, Scabiosa, Verbena bonariensis, Agastache, Borage, Phacelia, and any native wildflowers. All of these thrive in the Midlands climate and most cope well with our clay soils. Lavender in particular does well in the sunnier, better-drained gardens around Leamington Spa's Regency terraces.
Catmint (Nepeta) is one of the most underrated plants for pollinators. It flowers for months, smells beautiful, needs almost no attention, and bumblebees can't get enough of it.
🌾 Leave a patch wild
Even a small area of unmown grass with clover and dandelions provides enormous value for bees. You don't need a wildflower meadow — a 1m² patch is better than nothing. Let it grow from April to August, then cut it back and remove the cuttings. Over time, wildflowers will colonise naturally.
🚫 Avoid pesticides
Systemic pesticides can harm bees even when you don't spray the flowers directly. Try companion planting and physical barriers instead. Nematodes work brilliantly for slug control without any risk to pollinators, and a strong jet of water deals with most aphid problems.
💧 Add water
A shallow dish with stones for bees to land on provides vital drinking water during dry spells. Place it near your flower borders and keep it topped up through the summer months. You'll be amazed how quickly they find it.
At a glance — pollinator garden
- Single flowers beat doubles — pollinators can reach the nectar
- Aim for blooms February (crocus) through to October (sedums)
- Lavender, catmint and Verbena bonariensis are your best performers
- Even a 1m² wild patch makes a real measurable difference
- Replace pesticides with nematodes and companion planting
- A shallow water dish is found and used within hours of placing it
Want advice on making your garden more wildlife-friendly? We're always happy to suggest planting ideas during our visits. Call us on 07904 174399.