Wildlife friendly plants for our pollinating wildlife including bees, butterflies & moths for in or around a pond are often assumed to be best as UK Native but this is not always the case.
The best late-season wildlife friendly flowers:
- The last pond plant to flower is Non Native Pontederia cordata and Pontederia cordata albiflora, flowers in blue or white from a 17cm/8inch shelf in August & September.
- Or choose taller Pontederia cordata lancifolia in pale blue. Adding these to your pond onto a 25cm/10" shelf gives pollinating insects - especially bumble bees the late season feast they are looking for.
- Also available as Non UK Native late flowerers are Mentha cervina and Mentha cervina alba the clump forming Spearmint that flowers in August.
- In comparison the last British Native pond plants to flower for bees, butterflies and moths are Alisma plantago-aquatica Butomus umbellatus & Mentha aquatica - all usually over by August.
Near the pond:
- Non-native, wildlife friendly flowers for areas around the pond include Ligularia dentata Desdemona
- The last Non British Native flowers for wildlife - Hesperantha coccinea Pink can still be flowering in November!
- Late flowering British Natives are Succissa pratensis and Eupatorium cannabinum
- We have a Moist plants for Bees & Butterflies scheme that will supply you with a selection of 3 moist plants for late season (either UK Native or Non Native).
This is an important but often overlooked time of year for pollinating insects. They are busy stocking up on pollen and nectar to carry them through to Spring.
Next Spring's plants are available now too:
Try to plant for the wildlife visiting your garden next year and get these established now before the cold of Winter:
- Wildlife Pond starter kits available in Native or Non Native plants - try using a small scheme to add to your existing planting.
- We also have collections for moist areas that would include wildlife friendly plants for earlier in the year.
- And also collections for the permanently wet, muddy bog area.
Plant a variety of seasonal flowers to get maximum year round flowering for the pollinators. You can create interest all year for the insects that visit your pond and damp areas. For more information please see our Tips and Advice page.
Remember the bees & butterflies and find pollinating plants a place in your garden soon.