Help our pollinating wildlife - the bees and butterflies. Anything that we can do in the garden in the late season will help.
Choose late flowering plants:
Pollinating wildlife is attracted by planting in or around the pond.
Through the season you will have had many British Native shelf pond plants in flower for the pollinating insects
- March/April - Caltha palustris
- May/June - Iris pseudacorus, Lythrum salicaria, Myosotis scorpioides, Ranunculus flammula
- July/August - Alisma plantago-aquatica , Butomus umbellatus , Mentha aquatica and Nymphaea alba .
Later in the season Non Native Shelf Pond Plants are very useful in extending the pollinating plant year:
- coloured waterlilies.
- Mentha cervina and Mentha cervina alba.
- Pontederia cordata and Pontederia cordata lancifolia - both are particularly good for Bumble bees.
The surrounding emergence Moist Plants growing near a pond can be both British Native and Non Native but still good as 'Plants for Pollinators':
- March/April - Darmera peltata, Primula veris.
- May/July - Geum rivale, Filipendula ulmaria, Iris varieties, candelabra Primula varieties, Lychnis flos-cuculi & Lychnis flos-cuculi White Robin - Ragged Robin.
- August/September/October - Eupatorium cannabinum, Eupatorium fortunei Pink Frost, Hesperantha coccinea Assorted colours, Succissa pratensis.
Click to find a list and images of all these pollinating plants.
These plants will all help bees, wasps, hoverflies, moths and butterflies throughout the season.
- Beekeepers are finding that a lack of pollen and nectar bearing flowers is having an impact on bee populations.
- Bees also need to drink. Having pollen and nectar bearing plants near the water where they will come to drink is ideal.
- Avoid using pesticides. And never spray over open flowers.
You can have plants in or near your pond for bees and butterflies flowering at all times throughout this late part of the season.
Think how you can encourage bees and butterflies to your pond area in late season.
