Pond plant or moist plant flowers provide pollen and nectar for insect pollinators.
Pond plants & moist plants can help sustain many insect pollinators - butterflies, moths, hoverflies, wasps and bees.
- Pollinating insects are vital to the success of pollination in the garden and countryside.
- Flowers can offer sources of nectar and pollen.
- Insects need nectar as an energy source and pollen grains contain proteins and oils.
- Insect visitors attracted to a flower as a food source will transfer the pollen between flowers.
- This completes the pollination process. Fertilization leads to the production of seeds or fruit.
How to help pollinating insects:
- Aim to have plants with flowers in bloom from Spring through to Autumn for pollinating insects.
- Use Non-Native plants to extend the season of available pollen for the insects
- We recommend a combination of both British Native and Non-Natives for a balanced habitat across all seasons.
- Avoid double flowers as they will be lacking in nectar and pollen. Insects will have difficulty gaining access to that limited pollen.
Best pond plants for bees and butterflies across the year:
- February - April: Aponogeton distachyos, Caltha palustris.
- May - June: Iris, Anemopsis californica, Myosotis scorpioides, Ranunculus flammula, Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, Veronica beccabunga.
- July - August: waterlilies - Nymphaea, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Butomus umbellatus, Mentha aquatica, Pontederia cordata
- September: Lythrum salicaria, Mentha cervina, Mentha cervina alba Pontederia cordata (3 varieties)
- We have a Pond Planting collection for Pollinators containing 3 plants. (2x11cm & 1x 9cm basketed plants)
Best moist plants for bees and butterfly pollinators across the year:
- February - April: Primula veris
- May - June: Darmera peltata, Geum rivale, Lychnis flos-cuculi, Iris, Candelabra Primula.
- July - August: Aruncus diocius, Filipendula ulmaria Ligularia dentata Desdemona Lychnis flos-cuculi Lychnis flos-cuculi White Robin
- September: Eupatorium cannabinum, Succissa pratensis.
- October: Hesperantha coccinea Assorted colours Hesperantha coccinea Pink
- We have a Moist plants for bees and butterflies containing 3 plants. (2x11cm & 1x9cm pots)
- Insect pollinators like bees and butterflies also need the right sort of habitats to complete their life cycle.
- Bees in particular need suitable places to make their nests. These can be below ground, in dense vegetation, in holes in logs, plant stems, walls which can be created in your moist area.
