Urban gardens are a key food source for pollinators

Pollinators are fighting for survival in the countryside, where meadows, hedgerows and flower fields have been replaced by green monocultures, the result of up-to-date industrial agriculture. However, an unlikely refuge could be urban gardens.

Studies have shown that oases created by urban gardeners provide abundant nectaran energy-rich sugar solution that pollinators collect from flowers to stay aloft.

In the city, flying insects such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies can fly from one garden to another and thus be sure to find food whenever they need it. These urban gardens produce about 85% nectar found in the city. However, rural nectar supplies have dropped by one third in the UK since the 1930s.

Our fresh research shows that urban food sources for pollinators are also more diverse and continuous for a year than in agricultural areas. Anyone with a garden, allotment, or even a window box can create their own pollinator haven. Here are tips on what to plant for each season.

What to plant in spring

The first bumblebee queens emerge from hibernation in February and March. They need food immediately.

At this time of year, nectar-rich plants are a vital source of energy to sultry flight muscles in the cool, and pollen provides imperative protein for egg-laying and larval growth. In early spring, much of the countryside is still bleak and inhospitable.

Gardeners can facilitate by planting beds of hellebore, Pulmonary and grape hyacinth. Trees and shrubs such as willow, cherry, and flowering currant are also fantastic for packing a lot of food into a petite space.

What to plant in summer

In behind schedule spring and early summer, pollinators have more food available—but there’s also more competition for it. That’s why it’s so crucial to have a diverse range of flowering plants. This will provide attractive and accessible food for a wide range of insects and provide them with a nutritionally balanced diet.

Huge selection of plants, including honeysuckle, Bell and lavender, can provide a floral resource in summer. Mowing the lawn a little less often will also facilitate by giving crucial so-called weeds like clover and dandelion a chance to flower.

What to plant in autumn

In behind schedule summer and autumn, fewer species bloom in gardens. A handful dominate the nectar supply, especially Fuchsia, Sage AND Crocosmia.

For many pollinators, however, these flowers are completely useless. Their nectar is hidden in a tube, accessible only to insects with long tongues, such as the garden bumblebee.

This means that solitary bees and hoverflies may need to find other sources of food. A gardener can facilitate by prioritizing open and accessible flowers. Choose species such as ivy, Sedum, Echinacea and oregano.

What to plant in winter

Few pollinators remain dynamic in winter. Most species die, leaving the next generation as eggs, larvae, or pupae.

But bumblebees and honeybees are staying afloat, taking advantage of the warmer climate and winter flowers that cities can provide. By vibrating their wings, bumblebees can sultry themselves to forage in temperatures that barely rise above freezing, but they need plenty of energy-rich nectar to do so. If you want to attract bees to your garden in winter, here are some of your best options: Mahoniasweet bouquet, winter honeysuckle and strawberry tree.

Urban gardens are petite and numerous, hundreds, even thousands, crammed into a single square mile of residential area. Every gardener is different, with individual preferences for what to plant, how often to mow the lawn, and even how to decide what constitutes a weed.

This results in huge variation between gardens in the amount of nectar, when it is produced, and the types of flowers that produce it. But there is always room for improvement. Some gardens provide pollinators with hundreds of times less nectar than others.

So keep your well supplied with nectar AND free from toxic pesticides. You’ll be amazed at the impact you can have.