Some blog statistics

First a big thank you to all who have visited our Urban Pollinators Project blog so far and for the feedback, comments and info we've been getting through the blog, email and twitter. We hope you enjoyed reading about pollinators, flowers, our field work and other urban related things. For those who are interested in some blog statistics please read on.

We have started our blog in May 2012 and have reached 10 500 page views now. To us this sounds quite a lot. Most people find our blog via our project website (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/biology/research/ecological/community/pollinators/) as well as via Twitter, Facebook and Google. Most people who visit our blog come from the UK, USA, Russia, Germany and France. A lot of people also visit from Canada, India, Netherlands, Australia and Ireland. It is interesting to see that people from all over the world are interested in urban pollinators and in what we are doing.

Your top 5 favourite blog posts are the following:

1. Mahonia: a magnificent magnet for winter-active pollinators http://urbanpollinators.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/mahonia-magnificent-magnet-for-winter.html


2. Tried and tested pollinator-friendly flowers for your allotment or vegetable patch http://urbanpollinators.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/tried-and-tested-pollinator-friendly.html


3.  Reading Flower Meadows in August 2012 http://urbanpollinators.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/reading-flower-meadows-in-august-2012.html

4. A perfect day of garden sampling http://urbanpollinators.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/a-perfect-day-of-garden-sampling.html


5. Late flowers for pollinators http://urbanpollinators.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/late-flowers-for-pollinators.html

Watch this space to read more about what we were up to the last 2 years as we will publish a project update in the next couple of weeks. As the new field season will start in April you can also follow our urban adventures again soon :-).

Early spring flowers for pollinators

Finally, after a long wait, the first spring flowers are showing their heads in our gardens, parks and other green spaces. It is such a delight to see all the crocuses, snowdrops and winter aconites brightening up dull winter days. If the weather stays mild emerging bumblebee queens, honeybees and early solitary bees will all take advantage of the early spring flowers and will forage for much needed nectar and pollen.

One of the earliest crocuses is Tommasini's crocus (Crocus tommasinianus) which is easy to naturalise in lawns and under deciduous trees as it self-seeds readily. It is also more shade-tolerant than most of the other crocus species. Early bees like to visit the flowers on mild days.

There are also many other crocuses which flower early and are loved particularly by emerging bumblebee queens as you can see below. Bumblebee queens are often starving after their long hibernation (some of them were asleep since last summer) and need all the nectar they can get. So finding a big patch of crocus flowers in a sunny corner of a garden will help a lot.

 

 

Winter aconites (Eranthis hyemalis) with their bright yellow flowers can cheer up any dull winter day. The plant likes humus-rich alkaline soil that does not dry out in summer and is best planted under deciduous trees were it will naturalise if conditions are suitable. In some beech woodlands in Germany I have seen winter aconites in such great numbers that the woodland floor seemed to be covered with a yellow carpet. It is best to plant the tubers "in the green" in spring (actively growing with leaves and all) as winter aconites do not establish well if planted as dry tubers  in autumn. Bees like the flowers and you may see them visiting on mild days.

 

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) are out now as well and can even push their way through frozen soil as they have hardened leave tips. Snowdrops mainly spread by bulb division and do not depend on pollinators as they often flower so early in the year that there is not much flying around. But if we happen to have some mild days pollinators will still visit the flowers for nectar and pollen. Plant the bulbs in spring "in the green" as dry bulbs planted in autumn will often fail to establish. If planted in a sunny place the flowers tend to produce more nectar and pollen than if planted in the shade.

 

A little fly is visiting these snowdrops

 

 

The cheery yellow flowers of daffodils (Narcissus spp.) will soon start to flower, rocking on tall stems in a light breeze. The flowers look nice to us but it is a shame that many are not of much use for pollinators as most daffodils commonly sold in garden centers are highly bred and have lost their pollen-attracting features. You can plant the wild daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) instead which is pollinated by bumblebees. The bulbs are best planted under trees or in grass so they can naturalise. Wild daffodils like moist ground with rich soil.

 

Wild daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) are good for bumblebees

Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis)

And last but not least, lenten rose ( Helleborus orientalis) is in flower as well and cheers us up with saucer-shaped, often spotted blooms in various colours from white and green to pink. They are best planted under deciduous trees  and prefer a heavy neutral to alkaline soil. The plants are slow to establish and don`t like disturbance, so best to leave them alone once planted. They are a good food source for early bees. Also try out christmas rose (Helleborus niger) with pure white flowers but which is a bit more difficult to grow than lenten rose.

Christmas rose (Helleborus niger)

Look out for early spring flowers on mild and sunny days and if you are lucky you may even see some hungry pollinators foraging for pollen and nectar.

For even more early spring flowers have a look at my follow-up blog post "More early spring flowers for pollinators".

If you are after pollinator-friendly flowers for spring and early summer have a look here. For winter and late winter flowers look here.

In praise of urban trees

What would we do without all the trees in our towns and cities? They provide us with shade in summer, filter the air we breathe, provide nesting and feeding places for birds and other wildlife and bring us a bit closer to nature in urban environments. Deciduous trees are covered with leaves from spring to autumn and the structure is hidden from our view, but to really appreciate their beauty now is the time to look out for them, to see their beautiful shapes, colour of bark and structure of their branches.

In the last couple of weeks I photographed urban trees in Reading to reveal their beauty. Many of the trees in the pictures below grow on the Reading University campus which has beautiful old trees, well worth a visit if you are in the area.

Sunrise at Forbury Gardens, Reading

Trees in Forbury Gardens in the center of Reading

An old oak near the Whiteknights Lake

An old cedar tree on the University campus

Cedar tree in the morning sunlight

In winter trees reveal their beautiful structure

A glorious old oak in Harris Garden on the University campus

A still life

Eucalyptus tree in Harris Garden, Reading University campus

Sunrise over Whiteknights Lake

One tree to look out for if you are after early flowers is cornelian cherry (Cornus mas). It has clusters of bright yellow  flowers which open from February to March. The flowers are a good food source for early bees. The red, (purple when ripe) cherry-like fruit are edible and are a bit tart to begin with but turn increasingly sweet and juicy when fully ripe. Look out for the trees in hedges, along roadside verges, in parks and gardens.

Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas), one of the earliest trees flowering

Pollinators like herbs too!

Herbs do not only add flavour to our food or provide us with natural medicines and perfumes but also attract lots of pollinators to our gardens and allotments. During last year’s pollinator sampling we realised that some herbs are more attractive to pollinators than others but that herbs in general, if left to flower, will nearly always attract at least some pollinators.

 

 

One of the best herbs for pollinators we encountered in gardens last year has been lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) which was, especially on sunny days, covered with bees and bumblebees. Lavender is best planted in very well drained nutrient-poor soil in a sunny position and the best looking plants with the most pollinators have often been in sunny front gardens, probably because the soil was less improved compared to the back gardens. 

Sam watching the bumblebees in a front garden in Reading

Another excellent herb for pollinators is mint (Mentha spp.), often planted on allotments (or at least we mostly found it on allotment sites). I remember walking past a big clump of flowering spearmint (Mentha spicata) on one allotment site in Reading and seeing an amazing amount of bees and bumblebees flying busily from flower to flower. Mint can be quite an unruly plant especially in rich moist soil, spreading far and wide from its intended place with creeping stems. But with enough space and a bit of control it should not be too much of a problem. Just think of all the pollinators you will attract and all the mint tea you can drink.

 

A gatekeeper has found the wild marjoram

If you want to attract butterflies as well as bees and bumblebees plant wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare). We often found it planted on allotments and in gardens and could not only spot bumblebees and honeybees visiting the flowers but also the occasional butterfly. Wild marjoram is quite an undemanding plant and only asks for a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Once the flowers open in mid-summer, wild marjoram will never be without a visiting pollinator on a sunny day. Wild marjoram grows wild in some places in the UK, especially on calcareous soils.

Wild marjoram growing in calcareous grassland, its natural habitat in the UK

A good plant to attract hoverflies and beetles is fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). Fennel is a beautiful herb with feathery foliage (this can be green or bronze) and lots of tiny yellow flowers on top of tall stems. The plant fits equally well in a flower border or in a vegetable garden and can cope with dry soils. 

Other good herbs for pollinators are hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) with deep blue flowers, common sage (Salvia officinalis) which is often used as a remedy for sore throats and coughs, and winter savory (Satureja montana) which can be used to flavour summer vegetables, egg- and cheese dishes. Thyme, either common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) or the various creeping thymes (e.g. Thymus praecox, T. serpyllum or T. herba-barona), is also very popular with bees and other pollinators. All need full sun and well-drained nutrient-poor soil. 

Hyssop growing together with bedstraw in southern Germany

I also quite like chamomile (Matricaria recutita), a native annual plant which is used in teas to help with a sore stomach. If you grow this plant in your garden you can make your own stomach tea and provide a valuable food source for various pollinators at the same time. 

Chamomile (middle) growing next to wild marjoram (right)

If you haven`t tried growing herbs so far why not make a start this spring? Or if you already grow a collection of herbs add some new herbs you have not grown before. If you want to grow a wider selection of herbs you can also build a herb spiral (for more info have a look here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t6tl5) which will provide a lot of space for herbs with various moisture requirements. Have a go and you will be amazed how many pollinators you will attract even with just a few plants.

Tried and tested pollinator-friendly flowers for your allotment or vegetable patch

Spring is just around the corner and now is the time to decide what to grow this year in your garden or on your allotment.

Many people will focus on growing vegetables on their plot but maybe you have thought about helping the bees and other pollinators this year and to sow and plant some flowers in between your vegetables.

Maybe you have never grown flowers on your plot before and are unsure what flowers to sow or plant? Or if you already grow flowers every year why not try some you have never grown before? Also have a look at this wildlife-friendly allotment plot and suggestions to attract pollinators and other beneficial wildlife for more ideas and inspiration.

You can also watch the two allotment videos I recently made to see how my own allotment looks now and to get more ideas of what to plant and how to make your plot more wildlife-friendly.

My wildlife-friendly allotment in June/July 2015

My wildlife-friendly allotment plot in early August 2015

 

Below I have compiled a list of suitable flowers for allotments and vegetable plots. All of them I have grown for several years now and are easy to grow, nice to look at and good for pollinators. I have also included some advice for sowing and anything else I thought would be interesting to know about the plants.

Corncockle ( Agrostemma githago): This is a native wildflower but very rare in the wild. The seeds can be sown where they are to flower in March or April and will flower from June/July onwards. The flowers will attract mostly hoverflies and some bees and look beautiful when waving on slender stems in a light breeze. All parts of the plant are poisonous including the seeds but as long as you don`t eat the plant (or the seeds) you should be alright. Corncockle, as a former arable weed, needs a sunny position and fertile well-drained soil to grow well.

Hollyhock (Alcea rosea): A nice cottage garden plant which you often do not even have to sow as it colonises your plot by itself. It is a biennial or short-lived perennial plant which looks best next to a shed or in a flower bed. If it does not come on its own you can sow the seeds in spring where they are to flower. You have to wait a year for the flowers as the plant will grow leaves in the first year with the flower stalks to appear in the second year. Bees and bumblebees will visit the big flowers.

Cape daisy (Arctotis fastuosa): This is quite an unusual plant to have on your plot but has very attractive flowers and is very easy to grow. The plant comes from southern Africa and is adapted to dry soils so is a good choice in a dry summer. You sow the seeds in April/May after the last frosts where they are to flower. Once the seedlings emerge they grow quickly and will reach flowering size in July.

The flowers attract bees and hoverflies and are either bright orange or white.

Arctotis fastuosa is an unusual but very attractive plant

Borage (Borago officinalis): Borage is a very attractive plant for honeybees and bumblebees and has beautiful flowers which can be blue, white or pink. It is also very easy to grow. Sow the big seeds in April directly into the soil outside. Choose the location carefully; borage is quite a big and gangly plant and can smother neighbouring plants. It will also readily self-seed. Therefore it is best so sow the plants in a little wildlife area or unused corner of your plot. Borage will need a sunny position and a fertile soil, otherwise it will not do very well.

The leaves have a cucumber flavour and can be eaten when young (older leaves are quite prickly). The flowers are a nice addition in salads, soups and sandwiches.

Borage has very attractive flowers

Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis): Pot marigold is a classic allotment and vegetable patch flower. You can grow the shorter varieties in between your vegetables to provide a splash of colour from July right until the first frosts in autumn. Sow the seeds where they are to flower in April and you can enjoy the first flowers at the end of June. The plant will readily self-seed but do not get annoying as they are easily hoed off.

Avoid double-flowered pot marigold as bees will not visit these flowers. Stick with single-flowered varieties and the bees will happily come to your plot.

Leaf-cutter bee (Megachile)

Corn marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum): Corn marigold is a native wildflower and colonises lime-free arable fields in Britain. It has cheery yellow daisy flowers which are best sown together with blue corn flowers (Centaurea cyanus) in full sun to give a nice contrast. The seeds can be sown in March or April and will flower from July onwards. Flies and hoverflies are especially attracted to these flowers.

 

Cosmos sulphureus

Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus and Cosmos sulphureus): Cosmos is one of my favourite allotment plants and the flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees, bumblebees and butterflies in late summer and autumn. Cosmos bipinnatus is a tall plant, usually with pink, purple or white flowers and best grown at the back of the vegetable bed or in between taller vegetables. Cosmos sulphureus is smaller and has bright orange flowers. Both can be sown where they are to flower in mid -to late April but the seedlings should be covered with fleece if a sharp frost is forecast. Alternatively you can sow indoors in March and plant the young plants outside after the last frost in late April/May. Both Cosmos species need a sunny position.

Cosmos bipinnatus with a Common carder bumblebee visiting

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus): Every allotment should have at least one sunflower as they are such impressive plants and the huge flowers are really attractive for bees and bumblebees. You can sow the big seeds straight into the soil outside in April or start them indoors in pots in March. Sunflowers need full sun and a fertile soil and as more you feed and water as taller your sunflowers will grow (if you have chosen to grow a tall variety such as `Russian Giant`).

Common Carder bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum)

Red-tailed bumblebee male (Bombus lapidarius)

Poached-egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii): A really nice plant to cover the ground and protect the soil. It likes a sunny position and moist soil but will grow in any ordinary garden soil if it is not too dry. 

Poached-egg plant is low-growing and a good choice to cover the soil around fruit bushes. It can be sown in March and flowers quite early in late May/June. Early hoverflies like the flowers and by planting poached-egg plant you can lure them to your plot.

The plant readily self-seeds and if you have sown it once you don`t have to sow it again.

Limnanthes douglasii sown together with Osteospermum

Solitary bee visiting

Common madia (Madia elegans): Another unusual plant for your allotment. Common madia is a native of western North America and grows in dry open places and on roadsides. Sow the seeds in April where they are to flower. The plant flowers  July - August and the bright yellow flowers will only open in the morning. There is one thing about the plant which is really special: the leaves have a scent of tropical fruit, so grow this plant near a seating area or somewhere you walk past often.

Madia elegans planted together with Cosmos and Physostegia

Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana): This is a perennial plant so it is best you buy a young plant instead of sowing the seeds. Obedient plant is native to North America and likes fertile moist soil in sun or part-shade. Physostegia flowers from August to September and the pink tubular flowers are loved by bumblebees. There is something special about this plant as well: you can move the flowers in any direction without braking them off, once moved the flowers will stay in the new position without springing back in their original position. This is quite addictive  and you will soon find yourself moving the flowers of this plant around the flower stalk every time you visit your plot.

Black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta): In contrast to perennial Rudbeckia`s commonly planted in gardens this is an annual plant which flowers in August and September if sown in April. Black-eyed susan is best sown indoors and grown on individually in pots until it is safe to plant it outside (after the last frosts in late April/May). It needs a sunny position and fertile soil and will quickly establish if the soil is not too dry. Bees and bumblebees like the flowers but I have also seen butterflies visiting.

There are varieties with pure yellow flowers and varieties with a mix of yellow and dark red flowers. I normally grow a mix of both and it is a good plant to provide pollen and nectar late in the season. You can grow the shorter varieties of black-eyed susan in between your vegetables or if you like the taller varieties more grow them together with other taller plants such as borage and cosmos.

Black-eyed susan is a magnet for bees and bumblebees

Honeywort (Cerinthe major): Honeywort is an upright annual plant and grows up to 60 cm tall. The blue-green leaves and tubular purple-yellow flowers look quite pretty and will attract mainly bumblebees. The plants need well drained ordinary soil in full sun. The large seeds can be sown in March or April outside (earlier when sowing indoors) and the first flowers will normally appear in June or early July. Honeywort self-seeds freely but the seedlings need to be overwintered in a cold greenhouse or cold frame as they will not survive cold winters.

Cerinthe major is a pretty but more unusual looking plant

Zinnia: Zinnias are great plants for butterflies in late summer (avoid double-flowered Zinnias). They are easy to grow and can be sown either directly outside from May onwards or inside a greenhouse in early April. They are sturdy plants and stand upright whatever the weather throws at them.

Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia): A great plant for bumblebees and butterflies. Sow directly outside where you want it to grow. Also good ground-cover plants and green manure.

Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare): Probably one of the best plants for pollinators. Great for bumblebees, hoverflies and butterflies. Needs sunshine and grows in any soil which does not get water-logged.

Volucell inanis, a large hoverfly

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): Great for bumblebees, butterflies and moths. Needs well-drained soil and sunshine for most of the day.

Common carder bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum)

Other good allotment flowers are lemon marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia), nasturtium (Tropaeolum major) and royal mallow (Lavatera trimestris). All three can be sown in April where they are to flower and are visited by pollinators.

Bombus terrestris/lucorum visiting a nasturtium flower

I hope I could give you some inspiration about what flowers to grow this year. Maybe you will even try one of the more unusual plants I mentioned. Once you have done the hard work of sowing and planting sit back and relax and enjoy your flower spectacle and all the pollinators you will attract to your plot.