There’s a lot of misinformation about how you can help bees and other pollinators and wildlife on a home garden scale. You can have more impact than you think – here are a few tips that might help your local environment and make your garden a nicer place to be for you and your family and friends too!
Plant bee-friendly flowers in your garden or window boxes. Bees love traditional cottage garden flowers and native wildflowers like primrose, buddleia, and marigolds. Try to have plants that bloom from early spring through late autumn to provide food sources throughout the seasons.
Let part of your lawn and garden grow wild. Bees thrive in areas with long grass and wildflowers. Designate a section of your garden to grow freely, mowing it less frequently. This provides food and nesting sites for bees and other pollinators.
Stop using pesticides and chemicals in your garden. These can be harmful to bees and other beneficial insects. Instead, try natural pest control methods or companion planting to manage garden pests.
Create a bee and butterfly bar. Fill a shallow dish with clean water and arrange pebbles inside so they break the water’s surface. This gives bees a safe place to land and drink, which they need to do frequently while foraging.
Make space for bugs. Many solitary bees nest in hollow stems or small holes. You can create simple bee homes using bamboo, twigs, and string. Place them in a sheltered spot in your garden to provide nesting sites. You can also drill holes in logs, or just be less worried about having everything “tidy”. A dead branch is a home for wildlife, not an eyesore!
Support local beekeepers and organisations. Buy locally-produced honey and beeswax products to support others in your area.