Early nectar plants: best varieties for helping your garden wildlife

With the right plants you may be lucky enough to attract peacock butterfl ies in March

Early spring-fl owering bulbs such as crocuses will be welcomed by bumblebees hungry for nectar

Provide a feast of flowers and blossom, and your garden will soon be abuzz with hungry bees and butterflies. Hazel Sillver reveals the top picks for pollinators

IF you think it’s been a long, gloomy winter, then spare a thought for pollinators. As the season finally starts to draw to a close, they will begin to emerge from their winter sleep and head out in search of sustenance, and your borders and containers could be the perfect feeding ground. With wildflowers in scant supply (it’s estimated that 97 per cent of wildflower meadows have been lost), gardens now provide vital food for bees and butterflies as they prepare to build nests and lay eggs. Ensuring a supply of nectar-rich late winter/early spring plants such as crocus, winter heather and primrose could make all the difference Take a stroll around the garden on a sunny winter’s day, and you’ll probably see (or hear) bumblebees. In December and January the buzz is likely to come courtesy of the buff-tailed bumblebee, which has started foraging in midwinter as a result of our warming climate. But in February and March, it could be the tree bumblebee, white-tailed bumblebee or the early bumblebee. Fresh out of hibernation, the queens will be feeding and searching for a nesting site, so give them a helping hand by growing their favourites –mahonia, hellebores, pussy willow, flowering currant, cherry blossom and pulmonaria will all be welcome.

Beautiful butterflies Butterflies will also be visible in the coming weeks –whether emerging from hibernation or arriving exhausted after a mind-boggling flight from Southern Europe or Africa. In March, look out for the harbinger of spring: the beautiful yellow brimstone, as well as commas, peacocks, red admirals and small tortoiseshells. They feed on pussy willow and winter heather; then in mid-spring (when they’re joined by the beautiful green hairstreak, orange tip and painted lady butterflies) they enjoy fruit blossom, aubrietas and wallflowers. Last but not least, don’t forget our wonderful hoverflies, which help us grateful gardeners by gobbling up aphids. In the UK, we have more than 250 species, including some that hibernate and others that migrate. Last year, a study carried out by Exeter University found that four billion of these beneficial insects arrive from Europe every spring. The researchers concluded that as our bees (which

Erica carnea ‘Myretoun Ruby’ AGM This winter heather will continue to be covered in magenta flowers into late spring. It forms an evergreen mat in sun or semi-shade, and prefers neutralto-acid soil –although it can tolerate some alkalinity. H: 6in (15cm).

Galanthus nivalis AGM Not only do the pretty flowers of the common snowdrop get us through the end of winter, they provide bees with nectar, too. Planted in the green, in welldrained soil in semi-shade, bulbs will naturalise, forming drifts. H: 6in (15cm).

Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ AGM A strong-growing lungwort that produces pools of lavender-blue spring flowers when planted beneath deciduous trees and shrubs. Requires humus-rich soil that is moist but welldrained. H: 1ft (30cm).

Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright’ AGM Featuring blue flowers from May, this rosemary is wonderful planted as a low hedge lining the edge of a path –the aromatic scent will be released every time you brush past it. Grow in welldrained, sun-baked soil. H: 4ft (1.2m).

pollinate much of our crops) continue to struggle, the hoverfly’s role as a pollinator is more important than ever. The best way to repay the favour is by supplying them with easily accessible nectar –they’ll appreciate many of the same plants that bees and butterflies love, such as crocus, apple blossom and forget-me-not. Provide spring blooms such as these, and you can enjoy garden wildlife on the wing early in the year.

Ribes sanguineum ‘Pulborough Scarlet’ This flowering currant is a cheering sight in April, when the hot pink flowers are visited by bumblebees eager for a satisfying snack. Can be grown as an informal hedge, in well-drained soil in sun. H: 61/2ft (2m).

Trachystemon orientalis Bees love the blooms of earlyflowering borage, which forms excellent ground cover in shade and produces its small flowers –blue with mauve-pink spikes –in early spring. It’s a vigorous grower, even in dry shade. H: 1ft (30cm).

PERENNIALS: Penlan Perennials penlanperennials.co.uk 01570 480097 Caves Folly peatfreeplants.org.uk 01684 540631 Bee Happy Plants beehappyplants.co.uk 01460 221815 BULBS: Organic Gardening Catalogue organiccatalogue.com 0344 967 0330 Natural Bulbs naturalbulbs.co.uk 00 31 23 547 7900 FRUIT TREES: Walcot walcotnursery.co.uk 01905 841587

Myosotis sylvatica ‘Ultramarine’ AGM The small but bold flowers of forget-menots brighten up borders in spring before the perennials get going. Plants will self-seed freely around the garden in well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade. H: 6in (15cm).

Aubrieta ‘Red Cascade’ AGM Mat-forming evergreen perennials, aubretia look wonderful tumbling over rocks or walls. They are easy to grow from seed, but need neutral-to-alkaline soil in sun. Cut back hard after flowering. H: 4in (10cm).

Muscari armeniacum ‘Valerie Finnis’ A powder blue grape hyacinth that will thrive in well-drained pots in sun. The flowers look good on their own, or combine them with narcissi and other bulbs that bloom in March and April. H: 6in (15cm).

Primula vulgaris subsp. vulgaris AGM One of the joys of spring is the sight of primroses blooming in the dappled shade of wild hedgerows and north-facing banks. In gardens, they will perform excellently in well-drained pots positioned in semishade. H: 6in (15cm).

Helleborus niger From January to March the elegant, bowlshaped white flowers of the beautiful Christmas rose provide vital early nectar for bees. Grow in welldrained pots and place in a sheltered spot in semi-shade. H: 16in (40cm).

Crocus tommasinianus AGM Great for wildlife – pollinators will make a beeline for the attractive silver-lilac and deep purple flowers. Crocus bulbs can be grown in welldrained containers, or naturalised in grass, in sun or semi-shade. H: 4in (10cm).

Ajuga reptans ‘Catlin’s Giant’ AGM Featuring erect spikes of indigo flowers in late spring, over time this bugle will spread to form an evergreen mat of glossy maroon-green leaves. Plant in well-drained, moist soil in semi-shade. H: 1ft (30cm).

A rosemary hedge will feed an army of insects

Buy single or semi-double flowers: These allow nectar to be accessed easily by pollinators. Switch to organic: Where possible, choose plants and bulbs that are chemical-free to ensure they do not contain substances harmful to bees. Provide nectar in bulk: Try planting a rosemary hedge or a nectar-rich large shrub, such as mahonia. Create shelter: If your garden is blustery, provide windbreaks.

Nettles If you have a large garden, a generous clump of stinging nettles in a sunny, informal area will allow peacock, red admiral and comma butterflies to lay their eggs. Grow in containers to prevent spreading.

Lunaria annua Honesty plays an important role in attracting orange tips – a useful source of nectar, it’s also where the females lay their eggs. The purple flowers bloom in late spring, and the moonlike seed pods look beautiful in winter.

Pussy willow (Salix caprea ) Apple (eg Malus domestica ‘Egremont Russet’ AGM) Cherry (eg Prunus avium ‘Stella’ AGM) Plum (eg Prunus domestica ‘Opal’ AGM) Pear (eg Pyrus communis ‘Beth’ AGM) Crab apple (eg Malus x floribunda AGM) Almond (Prunus dulcis ) Apricot (eg Prunus mume ‘Beni-chidori’ AGM) Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyn a) Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa )

The sweet almond has nectar-rich blossom