Planting nectar and pollen-rich flowers is a great way to support local pollinator populations. And you don’t need to dedicate your entire garden to it, just a small patch.
Imagine if every garden in Barnsley had a 1m2 patch, and our Metropolitan Borough Council committed to planting as little as 10% of its grass verges as pollinator patches, we would have a significantly positive impact on pollinator numbers.
Staincross Apiaries has put together a simple Nectar-Rich mix with some of the best pollinator-friendly flowers. Each pack contains:
- Borage
- Phacelia
- Linseed
- Sunflower
- Sainfoin
Why these? Well, they are cost-effective, easy to grow, suppresses weeds, provides good cover all year round, and are hardy plants. They are all self-seeding as well, meaning that your patch will continue feeding bees for years to come.
Find a spot in your garden. Ideally, kill off the grass- in the pictures we used a weed barrier to kill the grass (don’t use weed killer!). You could also use cardboard or some old carpet or a black bin liner cut to size (this takes a few weeks) or just lift the turf.
Once you have bare soil, rake it over to loosen it and then add the seed, covering approximately 1m2. Gently rake the seed into the soil (you can top-dress the seeds with top soil or compost) and then water. Sow March – June.
