Preparing for Spring: Flowering Food for our Hungry Pollinators!

Preparing for Spring: Flowering Food for our Hungry Pollinators!  As we head towards autumn, it’s time to think about spring planting and preparing our outside spaces and Pollination Education Stations (PES) for the coming year to give our pollinators the best chance of survival during the winter and provide them with rich, nutritious food sources when they emerge next year.

First, we must ensure these vital creatures have safe places to overwinter. These pollinators are essential for our survival, helping to pollinate one-third of the food we eat. That’s where our PES trail comes in, providing crucial havens across Sussex. This year, we’ve been busy installing these stations with the help of local businesses, parish councils, schools, and housebuilders.

We’re putting out a final call for 2024: let’s get more of these havens in place before winter sets in! If you want to support our renaturing initiative or learn more about our Green Business Network, please contact us. Bees, butterflies, moths, lacewings, and hoverflies play a significant role in food production. However, due to human activities, these creatures are in decline.

Here’s how you can help:

• Sponsor or find a sponsor for a Pollination Education Station. This comes with an A2 educational plaque explaining other actions people can take to help pollinators and the planet, plus a ‘sponsored by’ sign.
• Install a Pollination Education Station in a school, church, business or green space near you: These provide a safe place for pollinators to hunker down during the winter months.
  Grow pollen and nectar-rich plants: You don’t need a big space; even a balcony will do.

Here are some plants to get in the ground now, so they’re ready to bloom in spring:

• Wallflowers: These bloom for much of the year, providing nectar from February to summer.
• Primroses: Flowering from March to May, these woodland gems are loved by bees and butterflies.
• Spring Flowering Crocuses: They offer nectar and pollen for bees emerging from hibernation.
• Bugle: A spreading ground cover that bees and butterflies adore.
• Hellebores: For a touch of gothic luxury, these can bloom from December to May.
• Rosemary: Aromatic and flowering from late spring to early summer.
• Chives: Easy to grow and flower from late spring.
• Tulips, Daffodils, and Hyacinths: Spring favorites, though bees tend to avoid daffodils (but they are pretty!).
• Snakeshead Fritillary: Exotic-looking but easy to grow with minimal maintenance.
• Lungwort: Perfect for shady spots, blooming in blue, pink, or white.
• Grape Hyacinth: Flowering in April, they attract a variety of pollinators.
• Comfrey: Can flower from April to August and is a bee favourite.

If you’re interested in installing a PES, reach out to us at cort@sussexgreenliving.co.uk. Let’s make sure our pollinators have what they need to thrive.

Together, we can make a difference for our environment.

Read all about our exciting partnership with Greenwood Plants, who are kindly sponsoring spring flowering plants and bulbs for every PES.  For more information visit www.sussexgreenliving.org.uk/renature.  Learn about our Green Business Network: www.sussexgreenliving.org.uk/businesses

By Eve Delves