If you want lots of fluttering butterflies and buzzing bees in your garden, make sure there are plenty of flowers, such as spring-flowering bulbous plants. The bright colours, nectar and pollen provide a veritable feast for bees, butterflies and other insects.
Spring food
Insects like bees and butterflies need nectar and pollen to survive. But in early spring, there are not many flowering blossoms in nature. If you want to do your bit for the bees and butterflies in spring, plant spring-flowering bulbs to provide more food for these important little critters.
Increasing biodiversity
Flower bulbs are indispensable for biodiversity in your garden. When the temperature rises above 10 degrees, the bees come out to go looking for food. Since spring-flowering bulbs are the first ones to flower in early spring, they are a must for biodiversity. Flower bulbs that produce plenty of pollen and have ‘open’ flowers are the most suitable, such as:
- grape hyacinths (Muscari)
- bluebells (Hyacinthoides)
- Sicilian honey garlic (Netaroscordum siculum)
- crocuses (Crocus)
- Grecian windflower (Anemone blanda)
- alliums (Allium)
- snowdrops (Galanthus)
- imperial crown (Fritillaria imperialis)
- snake’s head (Fritillaria meleagris)
- Eranthis hyemalis (winter aconite)
- star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum)
Food and variety
Plant a variety of bulbs, since each insect has its individual preference. Thanks to the different flowering periods of spring bulbs, you will, of course, enjoy the flowers in your garden for an extra long time yourself. Together with the other plants, animals and insects, they make nature healthy and vibrant. Together, we can improve biodiversity: starting in your own garden. Will you join us?
