Plants to attract pollinators: shades of pink

Choosing plants for our gardens that attract polinating insects through the seasons is good for biodiversity and fascinating to watch

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<i>Geranium macrorrhizum</i> ‘Velebit’ is ideal groundcover for pollinators
Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Velebit’ is ideal groundcover for pollinators

Quick facts

  • Having a variety of flower types can attract more pollinators
  • Choosing plants that flower at different times of the year provides more opportunity for pollinators
  • Many insects are attracted to shades of pink

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The planting plan

James Lawrence, RHS Principal Horticultural Advisor, has designed this simple, attractive, and most importantly, sustainable border design for you to try at home, with plants that are easy to grow, widely available and look good together.

Pink flowers to attract pollinators

© James Lawrence

Choosing plants for pollinators

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 geranium provides some groundcover and will help prevent the 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- Malus ‘Aros’
2 - Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’
3 - Phlox paniculata ‘Eva Cullum’
1 - Lavandula angustifolia ‘Miss Katherine’
2 - Veronica ‘Great Orme’
3 - Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Velebit’
1 - Malus ‘Aros’ is a compact, deciduous tree to 3m high with toothed leaves that emerge a dark burgundy or near-black in spring, before taking on deep green hues with age. White-eyed, deep pink spring blossom is followed by dark red rounded fruits that persist on the tree well into autumn and will be enjoyed by birds.

2 - Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’ is a deciduous shrub with zig-zag branches bearing mid-green leaves and single flowers opening before the leaves in early spring. The blossom is white or palest pink, becoming deeper pink in the centre of each flower.

3 - Phlox paniculata ‘Eva Cullum’ is a free-flowering upright perennial with mid-green leaves. The deep pink flowers with darker centres appear from summer to early or mid-autumn. 

4 - Lavandula angustifolia ‘Miss Katherine’ is a bushy evergreen shrub with narrow, aromatic grey-green leaves and highly fragrant spikes of light pink flowers.

5 - Veronica ‘Great Orme’ is a rounded evergreen shrub with narrow, dark green leaves and dense spikes of bright pink flowers fading to white. 

6 - Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Velebit’ is a semi-evergreen perennial with lobed green leaves, which turn red in autumn. Magenta-pink flowers are held well above the leaves on long stems from late spring to midsummer.

About plants for pollinators

Using scientific evidence, our extensive experience and the records of gardeners and beekeepers, we’ve selected a range of year-round flowering Plants for Pollinators to tackle the decline in pollinator numbers. Visit our Plants For Pollinators page to discover more of the best plants for attracting pollinators.
 

Growing plants for pollinators

​Many insects are suffering from a lack of pollinator-friendly plants in the countryside to provide nectar and pollen. By offering a good range of pollinator friendly plants in our gardens, we can help these essential creatures to thrive. Increasing biodiversity is also benefical for encouraging a healthy garden ecosystem in general.

Choose plants with a variety of different flower types and structures in order to attract a wider range of pollinators across the seasons. A succession of overlapping flowering times ensures there is always something available.
 

Why choose a sustainable planting combination?

Using the ethos of ‘right plant, right place’ to create a sustainable planting combination is great for the environment. It helps to avoid waste and the use of products and practices needed to try and help ailing plants, such as applying fertiliser. It also creates robust, long-lived planting that benefits soil health and garden biodiversity.

Additionally, this combination will also attract more pollinating insects into the garden, creating better diversity by in turn encouraging birds and other wildlife into the garden.

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.