Plant pots for pollinators

Butterfly Conservation is inviting you to Plant Pots for Pollinators again this year – proving you can help butterflies, bees and other pollinating insects even without a garden at all!

The annual campaign began as an attempt to help reverse the worrying decline in pollinator numbers, encouraging gardeners to plant up a container or three with flowers chosen with pollinators in mind. You can also map your pot’s location online at www.butterfly -conservation.org to find out how pollinator-friendly your neighbourhood is.

It’s inexpensive and fun – you’ll find all you need, from plants to pots and compost, right here in the garden centre at Pickering.

Start by putting your pot in the place you want it to be – once filled with compost, water and plants it will be very heavy to move. A sunny spot is best as it will encourage more flowers – and pollinating insects prefer to bask in sunshine too!

 Fill two-thirds of the container with compost, and arrange your plants on top, trying different combinations until you’re satisfied.

Once you’ve decided on their final positions, gently tip each plant out of its pot and settle it into the container, working more compost around the sides until the container is full. Finally, water the whole thing in thoroughly.

Ten pollinator-friendly plants which are perfectly happy in pots to get you started:

• Perennial sage (Salvia nemorosa)
• Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
• Catmint (Nepeta)
• Cranesbill (Geranium)
• Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum)
• Gayfeather (Liatris spicata)
• Hyssop (Agastache)
• Lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina)
• Marjoram (Origanum vulgare)

All these are available now from the garden centre along with loads of other nectar-rich, pollinator-friendly plants, so pop in today and ask us for our recommendations. Pack your pots, then sit back and enjoy a summer-long display of flowers and scent that will do you as much good as it does the butterflies!