Ensuring bees make enough honey to see them through the winter

WHEREVER you look in the garden at this time of the year, every flowering plant is being visited by at least some form of insect species. From the elegant butterflies that can look as attractive – if not more so – than the very flowers they are visiting, to the hoverflies that move systematically from flower to flower like brightly-coloured helicopters. There is another insect that goes about its business in a very different way, and that insect is the bee. Generally, we have two types of bee: the bumble bee and the honey bee, along with specialist bees such as the mason and leaf cutter bees.

The honey bee moves at a more frantic pace from flower to flower – as if its very own life depends on it – gathering sacks full of pollen and nectar to take back to the busy colony. The hive’s success during the summer will dictate whether the bees make it through to the following season with a healthy colony full of honey to sustain them through the winter.

There has been a lot of recent publicity about the population of bees in both the UK and globally. There has been a clear decline in the number of both the honey and bumble bee population over the last ten years. This has been put down to a number of factors including climatic conditions, over-use of chemicals and the depletion of native wild flowers.

Gardeners can do quite a lot in their own plots and outside spaces to help arrest this decline. By carefully planning and selecting the plants in the garden, the provision of copious amounts of pollen and nectar is possible for every month of the year, peaking during the important summer months.

The first plants that spring to mind are the spring bulbs. From as early as January, crocus, snowdrops, daffodils and tulips – along with a host of spring bedding plants such as primrose and wallflowers – will provide enough pollen for the bees until early June. During this period, the power of small heathers should not be underestimated: the early forage, especially from the Erica types that tend to flower from mid to late winter into early spring, can provide a plentiful bounty for bees. The heather bed at the entrance to the gardens at Harlow Carr was positively buzzing to the tune of hundreds of honey bees and bumble bees during the spring earlier this year.

The task of selecting the plants in the garden for bees becomes much easier from June onwards. The gardener is spoilt for choice with an array of flowering trees, shrubs, herbaceous and annual plants to help boost the developing colonies that will remain very active until September and occasionally into October. If you find the endless list of plants a bit daunting, then you could use the Perfect for Pollinators leaflets that have been produced by the RHS to help you on your way.

If you take a quick walk along the herbaceous border at Harlow Carr during the summer, you will find an incredible array of plants in various colours and forms attracting an amazing number of bees: from the post-box red Monarda Garden View Scarlett to the purple, blues and silver of the Eryngium or Sea Holly, the blues and purples of Salvia x syvestris Mainacht and nemorosa to the magenta coloured Knautia macedonica. Lavenders seem to be more favoured by bumble bees and are ideal for a garden with a dry and sunny aspect; they also make excellent container plants and will tolerate short periods of drought, making them ideal subjects when watering can be an issue, especially during the summer holidays.

Finally, there are a number of boxes available on the market that are designed to provide suitable dwellings for both the bumble bee and mason bee. They can be found at most garden centres and DIY stores. If you fancy taking things a little further, why not join your local bee keeping association and take up bee keeping?

DIARY DATES

Until 31 August: Adventures in Wonderland

Things are set to get curiouser and curiouser at RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate this summer as families are invited to enjoy an adventure in Wonderland.

Visitors will be invited to ponder which way they ought to go on an Alice in Wonderland-themed trail through the garden, enjoy storytelling at the Mad Hatter’s tea-party table and play flamingo croquet on the lawn as part of the garden’s fun-filled summer holiday programme. The events will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s children’s classic, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and are sponsored by Witan Investment Trust. Activities vary daily so please check the website for details.

8 – 9 August: Orchid Show

Harrogate Orchid Society and the RHS are jointly hosting this ‘orchids for everyone’ weekend, supported by the North of England Orchid Society and the Darlington and District Orchid Society. Visitors will see large displays of orchids and experience the glamour of these magnificent plants. There will be potting demonstrations and expert advice, and plants can be purchased to take home.