The idea in any garden is to have a variety, and succession of plants - especially from early in the year, until as late as possible, according to your local climate and conditions. That's always harder in small gardens, but is perfectly possible. For us here, there aren't huge amounts of pollinators in the first couple of months of the year, but the species tulips are one of the best examples of nectar rich sources, so that's an easy one to try. Excellent in pots, as long as they have good drainage and some sun [not that there's a lot in February! ] Readily available from good bulb suppliers.
Only having plants that flower in the main summer season isn't very helpful for any pollinators.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hellebores and Vib. Bodnantense are visited by the early bumblebees in our garden …. and then the snowdrops, pulmonaria, early crocus and early native daffs and of course Celandine ‘Brazen Hussy’ and the native primroses, followed by the species tulips as you say @Fairygirl.
In the autumn the shrubby Gregii salvias and Ice plants are buzzing with visitors as are all the late squash flowers and now the Cyclamen hederifolium are receiving visitors and the Vib Bodnantense is starting to flower again 🐝
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I forgot about Hellebores @Dovefromabove. The H. nigers start around November here, so they're excellent. Our snowdrops don't start till February, so the crocus can sometimes be slightly before them. I find wild rocket one of the best plants for this time of year - never stops flowering I've just been looking at more Sedums [Hylotelephiums now - what a mouthful!] to slot in at the back garden. I used to have the really nice white one, [Iceberg] so I might try and get that again. Lychnis is still lowering too.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have seen this program long ago where they put a kind of pipet into a flower, take it out, and measure the nectar factor in it. Then they put a net around it for a while and measure. That is where they showed that the flowers gets sucked out almost empty of nectar by night time gatherers.
This has been my experience in this garden, but not in others. In fact, it has worked here. My Bumble who had deserted the patch for weeks, is now back to his patch, protected overnight for him. Anther Bumble is on the sunflowers. I had seen him coming to his usual patch, trying about a dozen flowers, and flying away empty some weeks ago right after I spotted the moths there, breaking my heart. And now he is back, hanging on the red Salvia Royal Bumble flowers and the powder blue Bog Sage flowers. I know when he is there because he hums his "motor."
Not to worry, there are 2 other patches of Royal Bumble type salvias, another bog sage, and other flower out for night time moths. I cover half of the sunflowers with those hair nets and half are out for the moths.
There may be lots of moths in certain areas than in others.
I forgot about Hellebores @Dovefromabove. The H. nigers start around November here, so they're excellent. Our snowdrops don't start till February, so the crocus can sometimes be slightly before them. I find wild rocket one of the best plants for this time of year - never stops flowering I've just been looking at more Sedums [Hylotelephiums now - what a mouthful!] to slot in at the back garden. I used to have the really nice white one, [Iceberg] so I might try and get that again. Lychnis is still lowering too.
Thanks for posting these flowers for bees here, Fairy and Dove. This being my thread, I can come back to it and find them easily.
There may be some things that are conventionally correct, I admit. My things are things I have found by McGyvering along the way, kind of garden hacks.
.......Thanks for posting these flowers for bees here, Fairy and Dove. This being my thread, I can come back to it and find them easily.
@jac19 - if you think you would like to refer back to a thread the easiest thing to do is to click once on the star at the top of the thread (to the right of the title). When it's a solid green star (rather than just the outline) you have successfully bookmarked the thread. You can then go to 'My bookmarks' to see all threads of particular interest to you. Click on the star again to remove it from your bookmarks.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
If you can get hold of the hybrid ‘Panolas’ … bigger flowers than the violas, more floriferous than the winter pansies … they’ll flower their socks off all winter and then some … and a beautiful scent too … any bees about on sunny winter days just love them.
Posts
For us here, there aren't huge amounts of pollinators in the first couple of months of the year, but the species tulips are one of the best examples of nectar rich sources, so that's an easy one to try. Excellent in pots, as long as they have good drainage and some sun [not that there's a lot in February! ] Readily available from good bulb suppliers.
Only having plants that flower in the main summer season isn't very helpful for any pollinators.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Our snowdrops don't start till February, so the crocus can sometimes be slightly before them.
I find wild rocket one of the best plants for this time of year - never stops flowering
I've just been looking at more Sedums [Hylotelephiums now - what a mouthful!] to slot in at the back garden. I used to have the really nice white one, [Iceberg] so I might try and get that again. Lychnis is still lowering too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
This has been my experience in this garden, but not in others.
In fact, it has worked here. My Bumble who had deserted the patch for weeks, is now back to his patch, protected overnight for him. Anther Bumble is on the sunflowers. I had seen him coming to his usual patch, trying about a dozen flowers, and flying away empty some weeks ago right after I spotted the moths there, breaking my heart. And now he is back, hanging on the red Salvia Royal Bumble flowers and the powder blue Bog Sage flowers. I know when he is there because he hums his "motor."
Not to worry, there are 2 other patches of Royal Bumble type salvias, another bog sage, and other flower out for night time moths. I cover half of the sunflowers with those hair nets and half are out for the moths.
There may be lots of moths in certain areas than in others.
@jac19 - if you think you would like to refer back to a thread the easiest thing to do is to click once on the star at the top of the thread (to the right of the title). When it's a solid green star (rather than just the outline) you have successfully bookmarked the thread. You can then go to 'My bookmarks' to see all threads of particular interest to you. Click on the star again to remove it from your bookmarks.
http://www.thewalledgarden.co.uk/winter ... sy-panola/
Most garden centres will have them about now.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.