Planting for pollinators
Bees, bees, it’s all about the bees and for good reason!
Pollinators, that’s everything from butterflies, moths and bees, do an amazing job pollinating our crops and wildflowers. This is absolutely vital for the biodiversity of our natural spaces but critical for food production. Bees pollinate 70 of the around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world. That is mind blowing. To get a little gloomy; if bees were to go extinct, we may lose all the plants that bees pollinate, all of the animals that eat those plants and so on up the food chain. Which means a world without bees could struggle to sustain the global human population of 7 billion. Our supermarkets would have half the amount of fruit and vegetables.
There is a way we can help make a difference though. ‘No Mow May’ is an annual campaign by charity Plantlife, ‘calling all garden owners and green space managers not to mow during the month to help liberate your lawn and provide a space for nature’. Allowing the flowers to bloom in your grass provides a rich nectar source for pollinators which wouldn't normally be there if you kept the lawn trimmed. Imagine the impact you could have if you left it longer than a month…some food for thought (and for the bees!)
Planting a small wildflower patch makes a big difference too and finding plants that have the RHS ‘Plants for Pollinators’ logo on them will all help attract more biodiversity into your garden. Other ways you can help is by providing a water source for your new friends, avoid using pesticides wherever possible and provide nest sites for wild bees. Not only will you be making a real difference but it will make you feel good as well.
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