World Bee Day
World Bee Day falls on 20th May every year. As we're sure you know, bees are such a crucial part of our natural habitat, helping pollinate the flowers we love and the food we eat. While bee numbers have been declining in recent years, thankfully there’s plenty we can do to help our tiny, fuzzy friends thrive..!
Why are bees important?
It’s no exaggeration to say bees are absolutely central to our lives.
It all comes down to pollination.
As you’ll remember from school, when bees fly from flower to flower on the hunt for nectar, they also distribute pollen, which in turn allows flowers and trees to reproduce.
Bees and other pollinators are responsible for pollinating up to 90% of all flowering plants across the world.
Whether it’s the flowers in your garden or the fruit and veg on your plate, there’s a good chance a bee was involved in getting it there!
Bees are also a good indicator of the overall health of our environment.
What’s the problem?
Sadly, over the last few decades, bee numbers have been falling worldwide.
In the UK, 13 species of bee have gone extinct, and a further 35 are at risk.
There’s a variety of reasons for this, from climate change to pesticide use, as well as habitat loss due to urbanisation.
Without an ample supply of un-treated flowers, bees simply cannot survive.
And yet, shockingly, over 97% of flower-rich meadows in the UK have been lost since the 1930s.
How can I help?
Thankfully, there’s a lot we can do to reverse the damage and help bees thrive.
Here’s just some of what you can do in your garden to help the bees…
Grow bee-friendly flowers
Certain flowers are especially loved by bees. Here’s a selection of some great, pollinator-friendly flowers you can introduce into your garden this spring and summer: lavender, cosmos, sunflowers, foxgloves, single dahlias, anemones, delphiniums, cornflowers and heather.
Avoid or minimise pesticides
To help keep bees safe, it’s best to avoid using pesticides wherever possible. However, we know sometimes they are required. If you do use them, try to spray early in the morning or late at night when bees are in their hives. Also remember that bees only feed from plants in flower, so it’s generally safe to use on plants not currently in bloom.
Relax your mowing schedule
Consider not mowing all or part of your lawn in May and June. Allowing your grass, wildflowers and weeds to grow and flower will provide a large area for bees to feed on, as well as benefitting other local wildlife.
Create a bee hotel
We tend to think of bees as living together in a hive, but did you know that around 90% of the UK's wild bees are solitary, meaning they make nests on their own? To help give them the perfect place to stay you can either buy one of our lovely bee houses or make your own!
Be friendly: choose bee-friendly
Want to do your bit to help the bees?
From perennials to summer planters, you'll find all sorts of bee-friendly flowers available at your local British Garden Centre...
Cosmos
Lavender
Digitalis
*Selection will vary by centre. Contact your local store for availability.
Want even more choice?
We've got a huge selection of 'loved by pollinator' seeds both in-store and online.
From towering sunflowers to colourful cosmos, sowing your own flower seeds is a great project to do with children - especially when you tell them they're helping grow food for bees!
Look out for the 'RHS Plants for Pollinators' badge on seeds, or check out some of our favourites below...
Thanks for reading.
