Bee Happy's Plants for Pollinator's- Page for friendly advice,suggestions & links

LUV LUV LUV IT for sharing ....@perki please pop in again to share your wonderful piccys of pollinators and plants ...we all would love to see them

 

Ahh, what a wonderful thread you have here. The same passion that I do for wildlife & especially bees.

I've read conflicting advice about whether or not daffodils are suitable to pollinators? I have purchased some January and February types for early colour & will be looking out for aconites (it seems you can only find them 'in the green'), pulmonarias, single flowered camellias & mahonias. I already have lots of mascari in pots, snowdrops, crocus, miniature february iris etc.

So far this Summer I must say planting in large clumps is best, they loved the early pyracantha, weigela, agastache black adder, asters (especially. long flowering monch, cosmos, alliums (especially the later drumstick ones), lavenders, fuchsias, borage, the dandelions on the lawn which I left long in areas.

Lots of carder bees still around & an occasional bumble queen.

 

@Mark56 for your nice comments and sharing great info on your successful pollinator plants - Ive always found my visitors appreciate Daffs in Spring and have many feed off the varieties here, cant say ive noticed which ones more than others - good point thou... something i will take more note of this Spring its something i maybe not done in the past as its sooooo chilly
I think its like all gardening except i think that saying applies to ALL gardeners new or experienced

 

Autumn Planting for early stirring Spring Buzzy Bees ​

Winter Aconite
Flowers appearing from January to March, Few other plants flower as early in the year as the Winter Aconite
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Grape Hyacinth
The flowers which appear from March are very attractive to early foraging bees.


Lesser Celandine
The flowers are one of the earliest of our wildflowers to appear - from March to May.

Bluebells
Our very own native British Bluebell flowers from late April




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I have been busy planting Bluebells and Daffodills in front garden - got 50 Bluebell bulbs and 150 Daff bulbs. Also have 100 Fritillaries, 25 Anemone Blanda and 15 Muscari bulbs. Some of the Fritillaries have gone into two of the sinks, not sure where all the others will go. I'm thinking about clearing another sink and planting the Blanda's in there ( can then maybe plant them into ground at a later date ). The Muscari may have to go into a pot.

I already have Celandines growing in the garden but could get some Aconites too. BeeHappy do you have Aconites in your garden? I've not had them before so not sure about growing conditions. Will they naturalise well?

 

@luciusmaximus need to dash out good link below for reference till i can get back, i grow them in short grass on a bank, they do need to die back and self-seed so it's a good place for them there that clearing you designed under the trees in your woodland spot looks like its going to be a very pretty place in the Spring ....so maybe a good place
Happy browsing for now
How to grow: Winter aconites

 

HONEYBEE VS. BUMBLEBEE: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Honeybee vs. Bumblebee: What's The Difference? - Time For Bees
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Soooo funny - a must watch

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Friend's just called to pick up their border collie pup who's the new sheepdog in training and i've been babysitting over the weekend said little charmer .... and burst into fits of giggles whilst referring to me as Madam Butterfly(buttocks) you'll see why in the photo - please excuse the hairy attire... boy Border collies can moult

I've been gardening all morning - so when my little chum arrived who knows
Needless to say, I've hung the fleece up and there it stayed on me fleece undercover in
the open porch
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Red-tailed Bumblebees
Incredible video footage captured- A must see

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After my wild, windswept walk on beach ( hat, gloves and two winter weight fleece ) I braved the garden and planted two pots with Anemone Blanda. Cut grass in one of the bun runs and moved a Lavender plant and a Catnip to better positions. Still have lots of bulbs to plant out. The Winter Aconites have arrived.

That Sparrowhawk appeared . Four times I sent it packing . I really hate that bird.

 

@luciusmaximus another busy Autumn day - But it will reap HUGE benefits in the Spring

 

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Moving bumblebee nests advice
Moving bumblebee nests | Bumblebee Conservation Trust Bumblebee nests | Bumblebee Conservation Trust
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British Butterflies: Education: Butterflies in Winter
British Butterflies - A Photographic Guide by Steven Cheshire



Silver-washed Fritillary (photo BEEHAPPY)
https://butterfly-conservation.org/1866-780/silver-washed-fritillary.html
Large fast flying butterfly separated from other fritillaries by its pointed wings and silver streaks on the undersides.

The swooping flight of this large and graceful butterfly is one of the most beautiful sights to be found in woodland during high summer. A large fast flying butterfly, separated from other fritillaries by its pointed wings and silver streaks on the undersides which can be viewed as it stops to feed on flowers such as Bramble.

Although the butterfly is seen mostly in sunny glades and rides, it actually breeds in the shadier parts of adjacent woodland. In southern England, a small proportion of females have wings that are bronze-green, known as the form valezina

The Silver-washed Fritillary declined during the twentieth century, especially in England and Wales, but has spread noticeably during recent decades. Widespread across southern England and Wales and more locally in northern England and Ireland.

Size and Family

• Family: Fritillaries
• Size: Large
• Wing Span Range (male to female): 72-76mm

Conservation Status

• Butterfly Conservation priority: Low (but a regional priority in several regions)
• European Status: Not threatened

Caterpillar Foodplants
The main foodplant is Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana) growing in shady or semi-shady positions on the woodland floor.

Lifecycle




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ADVICE: PLease note
for GC members clearing up in the Autumn

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