We had a great time at the Campfield Marsh Discovery Day last weekend (more from Judith on that!). Marjorie supplied and ran the hugely popular plant stall on the day. Here she gives her tips on attracting insects to your garden. Marjorie and Neil have been tending the planters outside the visitor centre and they are worth a look if you are passing!
When I set up the plant stall, outside, on the Campfield Marsh Discovery Day I put several packs of violas on the table. They were in full flower and before long they were visited by a large red tailed bumble bee queen. It was fascinating to have such a close view of this very striking bee. She came back several times and a common carder and early bumble bee also visited the flowers, clearly finding the pollen and nectar they needed.
Pic:Large Red Tailed Bumble Bee (M. Hutchin)
It just shows you don't need a big garden to to provide food for bees and other insects. We've put some violas in the planters by the Visitor Centre along with dwarf trailing cotoneaster and rock roses, both in flower now. In the large tub of herbs the sage is flowering and bees love that. A garden scabious is nearly in flower and earlier in the year we had lots of grape hyacinths in flower in the planters. They were very popular with the bees.
Pic: Cotoneaster thymifolia (M. Hutchin)
Aquilegia, irises, single or semi-double dahlias, foxgloves, borage, gaillardia, these are just a few more of the many plants which are easy to grow in the garden or in containers and are very good for bees and other insects. They all have single flowers which give the insects easy access to nectar and pollen.
Pic:Foxglove (M. Hutchin)
Pic: helianthemum Ben Fhada (M. Hutchin)
If you grow fruit and vegetables you will need the bees to pollinate them and some earlier flowering plants nearby will attract them into the garden and ready to get to work on your peas and beans and strawberries.