Plants For Pollinators

Gardening for Pollinators

Probably the best way to help our precious pollinators at home is by planting garden flowers rich in the pollen and nectar that they need throughout the year. Even if you don’t have a garden you can get involved. Window boxes and pots of pollinator-friendly plants will help support pollinators too.

The Royal Horticultural Society curates a comprehensive list of the best garden plants for pollinators based on the latest scientific evidence. The RHS list contains a huge variety of trees, shrubs, climbers, bulbs/corms, annuals, biennials and perennials to get your garden buzzing.

When planning your garden, try to plant a range of pollinator-friendly plants that come in to bloom in different seasons to provide resources throughout the year.

Pollinator Patches

If you have the space, why not create a ‘Pollinator Patch‘ by sowing a native wildflower meadow seed mix.

The Jersey Pollinator Project have developed two bespoke ‘Pollinator Patch’ seed mixes for urban and rural environments.

Packets of the urban mix can currently be purchased locally at Normans and the National Trust for Jersey’s shop at 16 New Street. Several companies are able to supply bespoke wildflower seeds of British wild origin, including Emorsgate Seeds, Habitat Aid, and Meadow Mania.

Details of the mixes are provided below. Please note that the recommended proportion of wildflower seed to grass seed depends upon the size of the area to be sown and the budget available (wildflower seed is significantly more expensive than grass seed), but for smaller-scale projects in garden settings 40% wildflower seed to 60% grass seed is a good rule of thumb to aim for.:

Urban Pollinator Seed Mix

This mix is suitable for sowing in gardens, parks and community areas in urban and suburban environments.

Urban Mix Wildflowers

Yarrow Achillea millefolium.
Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra.
Wild Carrot Daucus carota.
Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare.
Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus.
Selfheal Prunella vulgaris.
Meadow buttercup Ranunculus acris.
Red Campion Silene dioica.
Wild Red Clover Trifolium pratense.
Cornflower Centaurea cyanus.
Corn marigold Glebionis segetum.
Common poppy Papaver rhoeas.

Urban Mix Grasses

Common Bent Agrostis capillaris
Crested Dogstail Cyanosurus cristatus
Red Fescue Festuca rubra.

Rural Pollinator Seed Mix

This mix is suitable for sowing in the countryside.

Rural Mix Wildflowers

Yarrow Achillea millefolium.
Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra.
Wild Carrot Daucus carota.
Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare.
Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus.
Selfheal Prunella vulgaris.
Red Campion Silene dioica.
Wild Red Clover Trifolium pratense.
White Clover Trifolium repens.
Common Vetch Vicia sativa.

Rural Mix Grasses

Common Bent Agrostis capillaris
Crested Dogstail Cyanosurus cristatus
Red Fescue Festuca rubra.

Larger-scale Wildflower Meadows and Agri-environment Initiatives

Details of seed mixes suitable for larger-scale wildflower meadow projects and agri-enivornment initiatives can be found here.

Free Seeds

If your wildflower meadow site is accessible to the public you may be eligible for free seed. For further information and land management advice please get in touch.

Green Roofs

Green roofs have the potential to provide important habitat for wildlife, particularly invertebrates. In order to promote the installation of biodiverse green roofs for pollinators and other invertebrates, the Pollinator Project is currently in the process of developing species lists and guidance. Further information can be found by visiting the link above.