Embracing the wild side of gardening means your plot will be both beautiful and bursting with life. Not only will you have lots of plants, but you’ll also attract plenty of pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, beetles and hoverflies. Pollinators are vital for the health of our gardens, as they move pollen from one flower to another, allowing plants to reproduce.
It’s a process that’s vital for enabling plants to produce fruit and flowers, so by allowing part of your garden to grow wild and planting for pollinators, you’ll be rewarded in kind for your efforts. Unfortunately, some species of pollinating insects are in decline in the UK, so by adding plants that encourage them into your garden, you’ll also be helping to play a part in reversing this pattern.
So, how do you do go about welcoming wild elements into your garden? Choosing a spot that you’re happy to let grow freely is a good start. This may sound scary, but don’t think of it as letting the whole thing turn into a wilderness – it doesn’t have to be a big spot at all – even a small area can help pollinators.
If there’s grass growing in this area, stop mowing it, as red and white clover and dandelion can be a good source of early pollen, plus you’ll be encouraging other wildflowers to establish, which bees will love. Alongside wildflowers, you should also grow plants with flowers that are easy for pollinators to access like a single dahlia, foxglove and honeysuckle. Avoid any double or multi-petalled flowers that often lack nectar and pollen. Whatever you decide to grow, allow it to develop naturally without the use of potentially harmful chemicals.
Another simple thing you can do is let some of your flowers set seed. A gorgeous annual flower such as a pot marigold or California poppy will look charming when allowed to seed around to create a sea of flowers, and the air will be thick with the hum of hoverflies and bees. Of course, if there’s something that you think is making your garden look a little too wild, you can always pull it out.
Perfect for pots, borders and hanging baskets
New and exclusive to B&Q, this hardy perennial will give your garden eye-catching colour all summer. With its vibrant pink two-tone flowers and its lovely scent, the bees won’t be the only ones to enjoy this plant year after year. Grow in free-draining soil and snip off spent stems to encourage repeat flowering.
A great choice for mixed borders
This gorgeous deciduous shrub has soft yellow leaves from spring until autumn when they turn fiery red, and it boasts compact clusters of deep rosy-pink flowers in the summer months. Prune annually after flowering. Grow in moist, free-draining soil.
Ideal if you want colour for months
From spring to autumn, this compact shrub bears masses of yellow flowers that are very attractive to wildlife. Trim it back annually in spring to help maintain its shape. For best results, grow in moist but free-draining soil.
Fantastic filler plants for borders
This bee-friendly flower is perfect for giving a garden border the ‘wild’ look. Its tall spikes of pretty, white star-like flowers will weave themselves in between plants and create a feeling of controlled, beautiful chaos in the garden. Grow in any free-draining soil.
Gorgeous flowers to mark the start of summer
Don’t miss B&Q’s new tree peony. This iconic flower is a must-have for many gardeners because of its unrivalled beauty, plus insects love the varieties with single, open flowers. Grow in a sheltered spot in full sun and stake early in spring to keep sturdy and upright. Grow in any free-draining soil.
Classic, bold and bright for busy borders
This cottage garden classic will keep your outdoor space colourful and bee-friendly for weeks on end. There are varieties in many shades of pink and purple, as well as cool, calming white. It looks great grown with wispy grasses – just make sure the soil doesn’t dry out in summer. Grow in moist but not boggy soil.
A wonderfully fragrant addition to gardens
You’ll find lots of beautiful lavender at B&Q. A small shrub grown for its perfumed leaves and bee-friendly flowers, lavender works well in a variety of situations – beneath shrub roses, used as a low-growing hedge or even in pots. Grow in full sun in free-draining soil. Cut back after flowering to prevent woody stems.
Patios can also be planted with pollinators in mind, and though you may want to keep this area tidier and more ordered, plenty can still be achieved with the way you plant your pots. Again, you should choose plants with simple flowers that are easy for bees to access. Try a cheerful, flower-packed viola, such as ‘Ocean Wave’. This variety is available at B&Q and comes planted in a matching blue container that’s made from 100% recycled materials and features a calming ocean wave design.
Patios are also great areas for potted crops such as blueberry, and black and red currant, which all have pollinator-friendly flowers. Place your pots in the full sun to attract the bees.
Our feathered friends need a helping hand too, especially during the colder months when food is scarce. B&Q has an impressive selection of bird feeders, including the handy Peckish Complete Plastic Seed Mix & Feeder, which is super convenient, as it comes pre-filled with seeds. Bird food is also sold separately, and you’ll discover everything from Verve Wild Birds Suet Balls and Verve Wild Bird Seed Mix to Peckish peanuts and Peckish sunflower hearts. If you’re feeding birds, you’ll need to provide a source of water as well. B&Q has a range of bird baths to choose from, and when positioning one in your garden, do ensure it’s elevated so it’s out of easy reach of any predators like cats. Honeybees are also frequent visitors to bird baths, so pop in some stones to enable them to climb out easily.
Creating a bee hotel is easy. Simply fill a wooden box with hollow stems, such as thick old flower stalks (sunflower is good) or dried Verve Bamboo Cane, making sure to use a mix with different size entry holes for a variety of species of bee to nest in.
Place the hotel in a sunny place where it will be exposed to a good dose of morning sunshine, and angle it downwards very slightly so rain can’t get in. A bee hotel can be a lifeline for solitary bees, which build nests alone, unlike honeybees and bumblebees; it will also provide a safe place for other insects such as ladybirds and lacewings.
Let your garden bloom with B&Q
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