I have created this pollinator friendly planter in a rustic field trough which had previously been used agriculturally within the Forest.
Allowing a space for pollinators within your garden not only helps to support biodiversity and provide essential nectar but also attracts other wildlife and looks beautiful too.
Once this planter has been displayed at the New Forest and Ellingham Shows, it will be making its way to Oakhaven Hospice where it will become a permanent feature for both the pollinators and residents to enjoy.

Below are some details on the plants I have included:
Achillea millefolium (Yarrow)
The flowers of Achillea make a great landing pad for many pollinators and are loved especially by butterflies and short tongued bees. Starlings are also known to line their nests with the leaves of Achillea.

Leucanthemum vulgare (Ox – eye Daisy)
Known for attracting bees, it has nectar and pollen rich flowers. Ideal for use in cottage garden displays and grows naturally in many wildflower areas of the UK.

Erigeron karvinskianus (Mexican Fleabane)
This is an excellent choice for resilient garden planting as it is great for a dry garden in the sun. The pollinators love it too!

​Nepeta ‘Walkers Low’ (Catmint)
Especially loved by all the pollinating insects and neighbourhood cats. This variety has purple, lavender coloured flowers and a lovely mint aroma.

Pennisetum ‘Fairy Tales’ (Fountain Grass)
A hardy ornamental grass producing masses of plumes in late summer. Although this doesn’t have the flowers, this is a great grass for insects and other garden visits to take refuge in. It also looks good when it sways in the wind.

Salvia Amistad (Friendship Salvia)
With pollen rich flowers, the bees love Salvia. This Salvia is in the same family as the sage we enjoy as a herb.

Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)
In beautiful shades of purples or pink the Scabious will flowers all summer long and is a favourite in cottage gardens. Loved by all the pollinating insects.

Verbena bonariensis ‘Lolipop’ (Vervain)
Another favourite with the pollinators. This variety of Verbena will flower all summer long and give that height and movement in the garden.

Gardening these days is not just about choosing the right plant for the right place and creating the perfectly manicured lawn, but also about ensuring your garden makes a positive impact in the environment.
Below are the top 10 ways I work on gardens to make them more sustainable and to attract pollinators, and the beauty is that, anyone can do these!

1.  When planning a garden, I will always ensure that looking after the environment is the most important factor. I never use chemical weed killers and in-fact actively encourage an area of the garden to be left completely wild – weeds are only ‘plants in the wrong place’.  Most of them have some amazing health benefits to humans but also are adored by visiting garden wildlife. This might be the buzzing type, collecting nectar and pollinating, or endangered beetles like the Stag beetle. You might also find smaller, furrier mammals that need somewhere to hide and feel safe. 

2.  Bees and other pollinators are vital to our gardens. Honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees all need our help to thrive. As well as providing some nooks and crannies for them to hide, in the form of bee or insect hotels or solitary bee hives, I will always add some bee friendly plants. Open, single petal flowers, mean the bees can easily access them for the nectar. Other plants they love include Eryngium, Yarrow, Lavender, Scabious, Verbena and Echinacea. 

3.  Add some wildflowers to your garden. I always recommend Beebombs which contain 18 species of native wildflowers perfect for bees. They are easily scattered in the garden with no digging required. 

4.  I am an advocate of no dig gardening and am always mindful to look after the soil. This could be from minimal digging to adding a good quality, organic mulch, to not adding any chemicals. This also extends to ensuring that any compost used in the garden or in pots does not contain peat. 

5.  I will also encourage everyone to compost, compost, compost. There is nothing better to add to the garden than the rotted down riches provided to us by nature. Even in a small garden you can create a small compost area or add a compost bin. Add leaves, grass clippings and green kitchen waste to a ratio of around 50 – 75% brown (shredded woody prunings, dry leaves, cardboard or waste) to 25 - 50% green (lawn clippings, faded flowers, leafy debris, annual weeds and veg peelings). 
Compost adds organic matter providing nutrients and food for mini beasts bit it also helps retain water for fast draining soils and adds drainage to heavy soils.  
 
If this is not an option, then make sure you take your garden waste to your local council refuse and recycling centre to be composted or use their kerb side collection service.
 
6.  Leave leaves – When it comes to clearing up leaves, especially in autumn, leave a few on the borders or a patch of garden. The leaves will provide a habitat for hibernating insects such as bumblebees and as well as hedgehogs, which will help the gardener by munching on slugs and snails. Be sure to leave the leaves which will eventually rot down and provide nutrients and organic material to improve your soil. 

7.  Collect rainwater. If you have room for a water butt or two, then it makes sense to use rainwater on the garden. Rainwater is cleaner, it contains no minerals compared to tap water and no chlorine, which can be harmful to plants. Using rainwater can also conserve water when times are drier. 

8.  Whilst talking about water, then you can also add a pond or small wildlife pond to your garden. It needn’t be huge. Just an old washing up bowl submerged into the soil with some aquatic friendly stones and plants and a stone ramp for creatures to get in and out will attract all sorts of wildlife. Be sure to fill it only with rainwater though. 

9.  Leave a patch of grass to grow wild. I am a firm believer of leaving part of a lawn or border around it to go completely wild. You will be amazed at how many wildflowers actually thrive when you let it and how much life this encourages to your garden. Don’t wait for ‘No Mow May’ do it now, and continue doing it. 

10.  Plant a tree. You can plant a tree anywhere, big or small. If there’s no room in your garden then plant a tree in a pot or in a family member or friend’s garden (with their permission of course). If this is not possible, then there are plenty of tree planting events around the country where you can plant trees all day long. 
More trees and woods are one of the best ways to tackle the climate crisis. Trees are amazing, in so many different ways. They take harmful Co2 out of the atmosphere and replace it with clean oxygen, they help reduce flooding and pollution and support people, wildlife and the environment as a whole. You might just want one or two trees for different reasons and they are all beneficial. So just go for it!
 
If you would like more information or assistance in planning your sustainable and bee friendly gardens then get in touch with me now. You can find my contact details are on the Home Page of this website.
 
 

I have been spending most of the last couple of months rain dodging. There is a lot of work to get done in the garden but the weather has hampered a lot of it and I have found myself learning some new techniques to improve the garden design process and to expand the business itself. My passion is always gardening in a way that's sympathetic to the natural environment and with that in mind I strive to be completely organic, peat free and sustainable and to encourage others to do the same!
Whilst rain dodging and spending more time indoors I have set up an online shop which will shortly be going live. I will be selling only stock which encourages wildlife to gardens, so that includes wildflower seeds but I may also expand to other items of stock in the future such as RSPB approved bird food and books on the subject of wild gardening. I will also only be stocking seed which has been produced sustainably within the UK and is only UK native - this is very important to me! I am super excited about this new venture and seeing how these seeds grow in customers gardens!

Despite all this rain there are some beautiful plants with winter interest beginning to do their thing. One which I love, and really is no biggy in the summer, is Callicarpa dichotoma, otherwise known as Purple Beautyberry and you can see why when those vibrant purple berries on bare stems catch your eye.