Pollinating insects are in decline, but there are plenty of flowering plants to help them. Increasing flowering plants in our gardens can also improve fruit and vegetables: with more pollinating insects around, harvests will be bigger and better.

The plants included below provide a succession of pollen and nectar for insects across the growing season.

The Ajuga provides some groundcover and will help prevent erosion of bare soil. Groundcover can also help to reduce moisture evaporation from the soil surface and suppress weed growth. Additional organic mulching can further improve soil moisture retention and weed suppression.

1 - Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’

2 - Clematis ‘Edda’

3 - Hydrangea paniculata ‘Big Ben’

4 - Astrantia major ‘Burgundy Manor’

5 -  Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’

6 - Ajuga reptans ‘Caitlin’s Giant’

2 - Clematis ‘Edda’ is a compact deciduous climber that will need a trellis or other support. A profusion of single purple-blue flowers with reddish central stripes is produced from mid- to late summer. 

3 - Hydrangea paniculata ‘Big Ben’ is an upright, slightly spreading deciduous shrub with light green leaves and reddish-purple young stems that turn brown as they age. The flowers have a distinctive tapered conical shape, opening pale green, changing to greenish-white then maturing to deep pink. This cultivar is very floriferous and strongly scented.

4 - Astrantia ‘Burgundy Manor’ produces large, deep red flowers with spiky, pincushion-like centres in summer. This is a strong cultivar that establishes quickly and flowers repeatedly. 

5 - Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’ is a compact, bushy evergreen shrub with dark green leaves and showy red buds in late winter that open to fragrant white flowers in early spring.

6 - Ajuga reptans ‘Catlin’s Giant’ is a low-growing, semi-evergreen perennial, forming a mat of glossy purple-brown leaves and spikes of blue flowers in late spring and early summer.