Here are our 5 favourite bee and butterfly-friendly plants. Figure out how to “bee friendly” and how to decorate your garden bee-friendly. Plant a range of nectar-containing flowers, so bees have access to nectar from March to October. Bees love unattended gardens with long grass, compost heaps and hedgerows. Plant different flower species to offer more choice and add more colour to your garden. Here are our 5 favourite bee-friendly plants.
Bee friendly plants
Many British pollinating insects, like wild bees and hoverflies, are in decline. Rushfields Plant Centre support biodiverse gardens in Sussex. The more plants, the larger the habitat for bees. Since bees and butterflies’ habitat decreases every year, we want to try our best to enlarge their environment. Fill your garden, balcony, roof terrace or patio with bee and butterfly friendly flowers to enlarge their habitat. Visit our garden centre for mixed bee and butterfly-friendly seeds. We recommend planting different plants with varying flowering seasons, colours, heights and scent. This way, you offer bees and butterflies a wildlife paradise.
1. Lavender - Lavandula
Lavender is one the most famous bee-friendly plant. This Mediterranian style garden plant gives your garden a holiday feeling and a festive look. The purple-violet flowers look terrific on the bright green foliage. This plant blooms from June or July to August or September. We have both early-blooming Lavenders, both as Late Spring and Early Summer Blooming Lavenders. Ask our staff for more advice.
- Plant Lavender in full sun, with good drainage
- Draught tolerant
- Ideal for planting in pots or containers
2. Buddleja
Also called the Butterfly Bush or Buddleia. Find a location for this eye-catching deciduous shrub in your garden. This beautiful garden plant blooms from July to October, all the way up until early autumn, so that you will be enjoying its stunning flowers all summer long. At Rushfields, we offer an extensive range of Butterfly Bushes, so check out our range at our garden centre, and pick the colour you like. We offer white, pink, blue or lilac flowers.
- Plant the Butterfly Bush in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil
- Water regularly
- Avoid fertilising too much to prevent leaf growth over flower production
3. Viburnum
The versatile Viburnum also has a lot of different species to choose from. This superb flowering shrub is very attractive to bees. Viburnums are loved for their gorgeous white flowers and are enjoyed by bees and hoverflies. Enlarge your wildlife garden by adding this white-flowered and red-berried shrub. We offer a wide range of different types of Viburnum that differ in colour, height and scent. Viburnums flower from June to July.
- Plant in a moist, loamy soil
- Grow in full sun or semi-shade
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4. Dahlias
When you want to add nectar-containing flowers to your bee-friendly garden, choose the right dahlias. Bees and butterflies love dahlias that are open with a nice, daisy-like yellow centre. Bees and bumblebees absolutely love these dahlias. You can both grow dahlias from seed or flower bulbs. Both are available at our garden centre. Ask our staff for the best bee-friendly dahlias and fill your garden with a splash of colour.
- Plant in full sun or semi-shade
- Deadhead flowers encourage the plant to keep producing buds until the frost hits
5. Zinnias
With their wide petalled buds, Zinnias are sure to attract bees and butterflies to your garden. Zinnias are big fun and are perfect for beginners. Besides their vibrant colours, zinnias are easy to care for and are fast-growing flowers. These annual flowers produce blooms in any colour of the rainbow. Sow Zinnias directly in the garden for a stunning colourful display.
- Plant zinnias in full sun
- Sow zinnias in almost any soil, but best in fertile, well-drained soil that is high in organic matter
- Water regularly so the ground stays moist
Buy bee-friendly plants at Rushfields
Rushfields Plant Centre is your place to bee for bee-friendly flowers. We show you a large variation of bee-friendly flowers that will turn your garden into a bee paradise. Visit our garden centre in Poynings, Sussex and collect your beloved bee-friendly flowers. Select your choice on colour, height, or flowering time. As long as you choose flowers that have wide blooms and open petals, you are safe. Bees need much space to reach the nectar that’s in the bud. Our friendly staff is ready to show you our wide selection of wildlife attracting flower species.
