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Bees and other pollinators are vital to the ecosystem, and our own gardens can play a key role in providing them with sources of nectar and pollen. It’s an aspect that gardeners increasingly consider when choosing which plants to grow. 

There are 270 species of bees in the UK, from tiny solitary bees to large buff-tailed bumblebees. Some are easy to spot, but others need a bit of skill to identify; all are valuable pollinators. 

Different bees have their own feeding habits, preferring different flowers, depending on how long their tongues are, and of course, their own nesting habits. So, if you have a sunny wall or a bee ‘hotel’, you might even be lucky enough to have these insects nesting in your garden – with some even doing so in the ground.  

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It’s important to try to provide pollen and nectar for as many months of the year as possible, so we’ve organised the following list by the times of the year the plants bloom.

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Bumblebees are some of the earliest pollinators to emerge, flying at low temperatures when many other insects don’t.

Most bumblebees will find food wherever they can so, although native flowers are always best, you don’t need to plant anything specific. However, in early spring there are few things that flower and can provide welcome pollen for these early-flying visitors. These garden plants are most useful for helping them.

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Follow our guide to some of the types of bumblebee you might spot in your garden this summer. See our gallery below or scroll down for more information on each type. 

A large collection of images displayed on this page are available at https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/gardening-for-wildlife/article/best-plants-for-bees-aZjIE7U7SCnW

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