Create a haven for wildlife in your garden this summer by planting delicious bee-friendly wildflowers. From daisies to poppies, there are plenty of pollen-rich flowers for bees and butterflies to feast on.
Insect charity Buglife has launched a new plan to help pollinating insects by creating a "bee motorway" across the UK. Landowners have been planting connecting highways for bees to enjoy, but they are now asking for farmers, councils and households with gardens to also get involved.
"In your own back garden, having more bees will improve your crops, as they'll be pollinating the flowers for you! Many wildflowers also depend on the bees for pollination, so by growing more you'll certainly be doing your bit," Michael Perry, Rowse Gardening Expert, says.
Take a look at some of the flowers to plant this summer...
1
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
Create a haven for bees and butterflies in your garden by planting a handful of vibrant cornflowers. Rich in scent and colour, these are an important source of pollen and nectar for bees, especially honey bees.
Michael adds: "Blooms will appear in the summer months, which surprisingly is when the honey bees source of food is at its most scarce, and will usually peak in production at around 11am each day so look out then for their full beauty!"
BUY CORNFLOWER SEEDS
2
Common Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)
These beautiful plants – often found in rural spots, grassland, along roadside verges and hedgerows — are a great food source for a wide range of bees. As well as providing a soft burst of colour in the garden, they attract a wide range of insect life.
BUY COMMON TOADFLAX SEEDS
3
Corn Marigold (Glebionis segetum)
A cheery summer plant, Corn Marigolds are also brilliant to welcome wildlife into your outdoor space. With golden-yellow discs and a green stem, they are one of the loveliest wild flowers around.
"The voluptuous flowerheads rank highly for nectar production, and are visited by bees, very small butterflies, hover-flies and moths," says Michael.
BUY MARIGOLD SEEDS
4
Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
Bees are big fans of the poppy. Instantly recognisable, they keep on bouncing back as the seeds are initiated by disturbed soil. Simply sprinkle over a patch of grass and watch as the annual wildflower returns every year.
BUY POPPY SEEDS
5
Meadow Cranesbill (Geranium pratense)
"We have a few native Geraniums, but the Meadow Cranesbill is the most widespread. Native to Europe and Asia, many cultivated forms became popular here during Elizabethan times," adds Michael. "It's a strong nectar source for honeybees, buff-tailed bees, red-tailed bees as well as solitary wasps."
BUY MEADOW CRANESBILL SEEDS
6
Cowslip (Primula veris)
These gorgeous yellow wildflowers — which are known to inhabitant clifftops, open meadows, sand dunes and fields — hang in delicate clusters. Ideal for attracting bees and hover-flies, don't forget to plant them this summer.
BUY COWSLIP SEEDS
7
Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
A classic flower for every garden, there really is nothing as pretty as a dazzling white daisy.
"With a long June-September flowering period, Oxeye Daisies make a final grand statement for your wild border," Michael says. "Be sure to take a peek outside at night though, their other common name 'Moon Daisy' comes from the fact they appear to glow after dark."
BUY DAISIES
8
Musk Mallow (Malva moschata)
With petalled pink flowers and feathery leaves, these head-turning flowers are among some of the best to buy this summer. As well as being a handsome wildflower for a border or large container, their scent will fill your garden with a gorgeous aroma.
BUY MUSK MALLOW
9
Night-flowering Catchfly (Silene noctiflora)
The night-flowering catchfly is a unique arable plant which only opens its flowers from evening onwards.
Michael adds: "A somewhat rare sight in the UK, with most colonies occurring in Central and Southern England. It favours wasteland, disturbed ground and cultivated fields. The flowering period is quite long, giving 3 months from June-August."
BUY NIGHT-FLOWERING CATCHFLY
10
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
Matricaria chamomilla, commonly known as chamomile, is one of several different species in the daisy family. As well as attracting nature, its sweet-scented, smooth plant has been used as a herbal remedy for decades.
"A small and creeping plant often kept clipped by grazing animals, most plants only exist in the wild in the South of the UK, notably in the New Forest," adds Michael.
"It can be found on heath, coast clifftops, grassland, and oddly cricket pitches through our spring and summer months!"
BUY CHAMOMILE PLANTS
11
Red Campion (Silene dioica)
This dainty native wildflower with rose-pink flowers is a real garden favourite — and one the bees will love, too.
"Long-tongued bees are the pollinators for the Red Campion, as the bloom has long tubes with nectar at the base. However, cheeky short-tongued bees often nip a hole in the base of the bloom to steal the nectar from the bottom."
BUY RED CAMPION
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