Here at ACW Garden Centre, we love seeing gardens thrive, including making them a haven for our busy, buzzing and fluttering friends – bees and butterflies! These incredible creatures are vital for pollinating our plants, helping our flowers flourish, and our fruits and vegetables grow. Watching them flit around your garden adds a whole new dimension of joy!
If you want to make your outdoor space a pollinator paradise, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together our top 10 favourite flowers that are absolute magnets for bees and butterflies, perfect for our Bradford climate.
Here are our picks for a thriving, pollinator-friendly garden:
Lavender (Lavandula): A classic for a reason! Its fragrant purple spires are adored by bees and butterflies alike. Plus, it smells amazing.
Buddleia (Butterfly Bush): The clue is in the name! This shrub is an absolute magnet for butterflies, attracting them with its nectar-rich flowers.
Coneflower (Echinacea): With their distinctive centres and bright petals, Echinaceas are a favourite for many pollinators, offering plenty of nectar and pollen.
Sedum (Ice Plant): Perfect for late summer and autumn, these flat-topped flower heads are like landing pads for bees and butterflies, making them easy to feed.
Hardy Geranium (Cranesbill): These easy-care perennials offer a long season of blooms in shades of blue, purple, and pink, much loved by bumblebees.
Verbena bonariensis: Its tall, airy stems topped with clusters of purple flowers are a favourite for butterflies, appearing to float above your borders.
Foxglove (Digitalis): A cottage garden staple, foxgloves’ tubular flowers are particularly appealing to long-tongued bumblebees.
Marjoram (Origanum): Not just for the kitchen! The small, delicate flowers of marjoram are a fantastic source of nectar for a wide range of pollinators.
Aster (Michaelmas Daisy): Providing a vital food source late in the season, asters are a lifesaver for bees and butterflies preparing for winter.
Single-Flowered Roses: Unlike their elaborate double-flowered cousins, single-petalled roses offer easy access to their pollen and nectar, making them a hit with pollinators.
Creating a pollinator-friendly garden is an excellent way to support local wildlife and enjoy even more life in your outdoor space. Pop down to ACW Garden Centre on Canal Road – our friendly team can help you find the perfect plants to get your garden buzzing and fluttering!
