More wildlife gardening content:<\/h4>\n- How to make your garden wildlife-friendly<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to make a bee hotel<\/a>\u00a0(pictured<\/em>)<\/li>\n
- How to make a wildlife pond<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div>
![\""Add\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2014\/07\/K.Bradbury_Bee_Hotel_a4-086323d.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"Add\\"\/")
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>\u00a0<\/p>\n
Does nectar provide more than energy?<\/h2>\n
Nectar is a plant\u2019s way of bribing insects and other animals to pollinate it or protect it against herbivores. The sugar-rich fluid is indeed packed with energy, but it also contains other much-sought-after compounds.<\/p>\n
The caffeine contained in citrus tree nectar boosts honeybees<\/a>\u2019 memories, for instance, making the insects more likely to visit similar flowers. And research has found that several nectar components were found to reduce gut parasite load in bumblebees.<\/p>\nIntriguingly, a chemical component of rhododendron nectar is actually toxic to honeybees but not bumblebees, perhaps because it pays for the plants to encourage only certain, specialist pollinators.<\/p>\n
This Q&A originally appeared in <\/em>BBC Wildlife magazine, and was answered by Stuart Blackman<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\nBest plants to grow for butterflies, bees and other pollinators<\/h2>\nYellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor<\/em>)<\/h3>\n- Buy seeds now<\/strong> from Amazon<\/a>, Chiltern Seeds<\/a>,\u00a0Crocus<\/a>, Plantlife<\/a>,\u00a0The RHS<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
![\""Yellow\"]( "\\"\"Yellow\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Yellow rattle is known as the \u2018meadow maker\u2019. \u00a9 Creative Nature NL\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nAt the height of summer, the tiny seeds rattling in their brown pods give this wildflower its name. Because yellow rattle is a hemiparasite which feeds off the nutrients in the roots of nearby grasses, it is used to turn grassland back to meadow. Yellow rattle is found widely in the northern hemisphere, and flowers between May to September, attracting pollinators such as\u00a0bumblebees. It is also the foodplant for the larvae of two rare moths, including the grass rivulet.<\/p>\n
Where to plant: <\/strong>grassland of low to medium fertility; full sun; well-drained\/moist but well-drained soil; chalk, clay, sand, loam<\/p>\nViper\u2019s bugloss (Echium vulgare<\/em>)<\/h3>\n- Buy seeds now<\/strong> from Chiltern Seeds<\/a>,\u00a0Crocus<\/a>, Plantlife<\/a>,\u00a0The RHS<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
![\""Blossom\"]( "\\"\"Blossom\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Blossom of Viper\u2019s bugloss. \u00a9 Bildagentur-online\/Universal Images Group\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nViper\u2019s bugloss is a hairy plant with dense spikes of bright blue, funnel-shaped flowers. It is found in Europe, with a scattered distribution in the UK where it is most common in the south. It flowers between June and August, and attracts a range of pollinators including\u00a0buff-tailed and red-tailed bumblebees, large skipper and painted lady butterflies, honeybees and red mason bees.<\/p>\n
Where to plant:<\/strong> full sun; well-drained soil; loam, chalk, sandy<\/p>\nComfrey (Symphytum officinale<\/em>)<\/h3>\n- Buy seeds now<\/strong> from Chiltern Seeds<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
![\""Comfrey.\"]( "\\"\"Comfrey.\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Comfrey is an important plant for organic gardeners. \u00a9 Michael Meijer\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nComfrey is perhaps the single best plant you can grow for bumblebees \u2013 they absolutely love it. Comfrey is found across Europe and temperate Asia. It is widespread in the UK, but most common in England. It flowers between May and July, with purple, pink or cream flowers. It also makes a great liquid manure!<\/p>\n
Where to plant: <\/strong>full sun or partial shade; moist but well-drained or poorly drained soil; sand, chalk, loam, clay<\/p>\nMeadow crane\u2019s-bill (Geranium pratense<\/em>)<\/h3>\n- Buy seeds now<\/strong> from Chiltern Seeds<\/a>, Plantlife<\/a><\/li>\n
- Buy plants now<\/strong> from Crocus<\/a>,\u00a0The RHS<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
![\""Meadow\"]( "\\"\"Meadow\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Meadow crane\u2019s-bill\u00a0is a herbaceous perennial. \u00a9Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nAlmost all of the perennial hardy geraniums available for gardens are great plants for pollinators but Dave Goulson\u2019s favourite is the meadow crane\u2019s-bill. This plant is native from Europe to Himalaya, and attracts\u00a0many species of bee, including buff-tailed and red-tailed bumblebees, and honeybees. It flowers between June to September, with blue-purple flowers.<\/p>\n
Where to plant: <\/strong>full sun or partial shade; moist but well-drained\/well-drained soil; sand, chalk, loam, clay<\/p>\nCatmint (Nepeta<\/em>)<\/h3>\n- Buy seeds now<\/strong> from Chiltern Seeds<\/a><\/li>\n
- Buy plants now<\/strong> from Crocus<\/a>,\u00a0The RHS<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
![\""Honeybee\"]( "\\"\"Honeybee\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Honeybee on catmint flowers. \u00a9 Ivanoal\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nCatmint is alive with bees all summer long, and extremely easy to grow. The different varieties have different coloured flowers (Nepeta cataria<\/em> has white-purple flowers), which bloom between June to September. It is found in Southern Europe and attracts a wide range of pollinators including\u00a0bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Its leaves are used as a caterpillar foodplant. If you have a cat (or there are local ones), you\u2019ll find that this plant will soon become a favourite of theirs \u2013 as catnip is made from catmint!<\/p>\nWhere to plant: <\/strong>full sun or partial shade;\u00a0well-drained soil; sand, chalk, loam<\/p>\nWild marjoram (Origanum vulgare<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\""Common\"]( "\\"\"Common\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Common blue butterfly on wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare). \u00a9 Ian West\/Oxford Scientific\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nThe pink flowers of wild marjoram are very attractive to a broad range of insects, including butterflies, moths, bees, beetles and hoverflies. Wild marjoram is native to\u00a0Europe and North Africa. It is quite common in the south of England, but largely absent from central, northern and western Scotland. It flowers between June and September.<\/p>\n
Where to plant: <\/strong>full sun; well-drained soil; sand, loam, chalk<\/p>\nGarden angelica (Angelica archangelica<\/em>)<\/h3>\n- Buy plants now<\/strong> from\u00a0Crocus<\/a>,\u00a0The RHS<\/a><\/li>\n
- Buy seeds now<\/strong> from Chiltern Seeds<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
![\""Garden\"]( "\\"\"Garden\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Garden angelica (<\/em>Angelica archangelica) flower buds. \u00a9 Daniela White Images\/Moment\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nGarden angelica is a tall plant with giant, plate-like, green flowers that are enjoyed by numerous small solitary bees, wasps, beetles and hoverflies. It is native to Europe and Asia, and flowers between June and July. After flowering, its seeds are eaten by birds.<\/span><\/p>\nWhere to plant: <\/strong>partial shade; moist but well-drained\/poorly drained soil; clay, chalk, loam<\/p>\nField scabious (Knautia arvensis<\/em>)<\/h3>\n- Buy seeds now<\/strong> from Chiltern Seeds<\/a>,\u00a0Crocus<\/a>,\u00a0The RHS<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div>
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>\u00a0<\/p>\n
Does nectar provide more than energy?<\/h2>\n
Nectar is a plant\u2019s way of bribing insects and other animals to pollinate it or protect it against herbivores. The sugar-rich fluid is indeed packed with energy, but it also contains other much-sought-after compounds.<\/p>\n
The caffeine contained in citrus tree nectar boosts honeybees<\/a>\u2019 memories, for instance, making the insects more likely to visit similar flowers. And research has found that several nectar components were found to reduce gut parasite load in bumblebees.<\/p>\n Intriguingly, a chemical component of rhododendron nectar is actually toxic to honeybees but not bumblebees, perhaps because it pays for the plants to encourage only certain, specialist pollinators.<\/p>\n This Q&A originally appeared in <\/em>BBC Wildlife magazine, and was answered by Stuart Blackman<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n At the height of summer, the tiny seeds rattling in their brown pods give this wildflower its name. Because yellow rattle is a hemiparasite which feeds off the nutrients in the roots of nearby grasses, it is used to turn grassland back to meadow. Yellow rattle is found widely in the northern hemisphere, and flowers between May to September, attracting pollinators such as\u00a0bumblebees. It is also the foodplant for the larvae of two rare moths, including the grass rivulet.<\/p>\n Where to plant: <\/strong>grassland of low to medium fertility; full sun; well-drained\/moist but well-drained soil; chalk, clay, sand, loam<\/p>\n Viper\u2019s bugloss is a hairy plant with dense spikes of bright blue, funnel-shaped flowers. It is found in Europe, with a scattered distribution in the UK where it is most common in the south. It flowers between June and August, and attracts a range of pollinators including\u00a0buff-tailed and red-tailed bumblebees, large skipper and painted lady butterflies, honeybees and red mason bees.<\/p>\n Where to plant:<\/strong> full sun; well-drained soil; loam, chalk, sandy<\/p>\n Comfrey is perhaps the single best plant you can grow for bumblebees \u2013 they absolutely love it. Comfrey is found across Europe and temperate Asia. It is widespread in the UK, but most common in England. It flowers between May and July, with purple, pink or cream flowers. It also makes a great liquid manure!<\/p>\n Where to plant: <\/strong>full sun or partial shade; moist but well-drained or poorly drained soil; sand, chalk, loam, clay<\/p>\n Almost all of the perennial hardy geraniums available for gardens are great plants for pollinators but Dave Goulson\u2019s favourite is the meadow crane\u2019s-bill. This plant is native from Europe to Himalaya, and attracts\u00a0many species of bee, including buff-tailed and red-tailed bumblebees, and honeybees. It flowers between June to September, with blue-purple flowers.<\/p>\n Where to plant: <\/strong>full sun or partial shade; moist but well-drained\/well-drained soil; sand, chalk, loam, clay<\/p>\n Catmint is alive with bees all summer long, and extremely easy to grow. The different varieties have different coloured flowers (Nepeta cataria<\/em> has white-purple flowers), which bloom between June to September. It is found in Southern Europe and attracts a wide range of pollinators including\u00a0bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Its leaves are used as a caterpillar foodplant. If you have a cat (or there are local ones), you\u2019ll find that this plant will soon become a favourite of theirs \u2013 as catnip is made from catmint!<\/p>\n Where to plant: <\/strong>full sun or partial shade;\u00a0well-drained soil; sand, chalk, loam<\/p>\n The pink flowers of wild marjoram are very attractive to a broad range of insects, including butterflies, moths, bees, beetles and hoverflies. Wild marjoram is native to\u00a0Europe and North Africa. It is quite common in the south of England, but largely absent from central, northern and western Scotland. It flowers between June and September.<\/p>\n Where to plant: <\/strong>full sun; well-drained soil; sand, loam, chalk<\/p>\n Garden angelica is a tall plant with giant, plate-like, green flowers that are enjoyed by numerous small solitary bees, wasps, beetles and hoverflies. It is native to Europe and Asia, and flowers between June and July. After flowering, its seeds are eaten by birds.<\/span><\/p>\n Where to plant: <\/strong>partial shade; moist but well-drained\/poorly drained soil; clay, chalk, loam<\/p>\nBest plants to grow for butterflies, bees and other pollinators<\/h2>\n
Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\""Yellow\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2019\/07\/GettyImages-909784814-CreativeNature_nI-85a2e95.jpg?quality=90&resize=275%2C413"\" "\\"\"Yellow\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Viper\u2019s bugloss (Echium vulgare<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\""Blossom\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2019\/09\/GettyImages-584687856-4cb02da.jpg?quality=90&resize=617%2C413"\" "\\"\"Blossom\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Comfrey (Symphytum officinale<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\""Comfrey.\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2019\/07\/GettyImages-957474266.michael-meijer-jpg-Comfrey-9a1f06d.jpg?quality=90&crop=13px%2C593px%2C3350px%2C2232px&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"Comfrey.\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Meadow crane\u2019s-bill (Geranium pratense<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\""Meadow\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2019\/07\/Meadow-cranesbill_Geranium-pratense_GettyImages-803875390-c1d5c50.jpg?quality=90&resize=544%2C413"\" "\\"\"Meadow\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Catmint (Nepeta<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\""Honeybee\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2019\/07\/981836550.ivanoal28jpgCatmint-eee0bb7.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"Honeybee\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\""Common\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2019\/07\/Common-blue-butterfly-on-marjoram_Origanum-vulgare_GettyImages-128107718-6c70259.jpg?quality=90&resize=274%2C413"\" "\\"\"Common\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Garden angelica (Angelica archangelica<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\""Garden\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2019\/07\/Garden-angelica_Angelica-archangelica_GettyImages-1218968963-6fc410b.jpg?quality=90&resize=310%2C413"\" "\\"\"Garden\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Field scabious (Knautia arvensis<\/em>)<\/h3>\n