Pollinators such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies, need nectar to give them energy to fly, and bees also need pollen to feed their young. Give them a helping hand by creating this pot packed with colourful, pollen- and nectar-rich blooms.
More on gardening for pollinators:
Find out how to create a wildlife-friendly summer pot for pollinators, below.
Choose a pot at least 50cm in diameter and fill the pot two-thirds full with compost. Remove the plants from their pots and tease out the roots if tightly congested.
Arrange the plants evenly in the pot, with the tallest at the back. Fill in around the rootballs with compost, then firm down gently to a few centimetres below the rim.
Water the container well and top up with more compost if necessary. Ensure the pot remains moist but not waterlogged and deadhead blooms to keep them flowering.
Fill gaps in your summer planting displays with brightly-coloured lilies for a temporary, but timely, burst of colour. Plant lily bulbs into pots then simply drop them, pot and all, into arrangements on the patio, or even in your borders. You Will Need
Herbs make the perfect partners to vegetables, whether they’re eaten raw, roasted, boiled, mashed or fried. Mint is delicious cooked or raw, with root vegetables, in salads or dressings and marinades. Chives, with their mild onion flavour, are very versatile and can be chopped and added to all types of salads. Chive flowers have a similar taste and are delightful scattered over baked potatoes. Chopped celery leaf adds flavour and texture to salads and goes well with root vegetables. Rosemary is
Whether you’re barbecuing, roasting, casseroling or cooking poultry in a crock, herbs can greatly enhance the flavour. They can be chopped and mixed with salt and rubbed into or under the skin. Handfuls can also be put into the cavity of the bird. Alternatively, chop and add them to a barbecue marinade. French tarragon has a zingy, aniseed flavour and helps us digest the rich sauces often used with chicken. Bay, sage and parsley are the traditional herbs for stuffing mixes, and Greek sage has a
Herbs can transform a meal into a feast, enhancing and adding flavour to a huge array of dishes. Grow them in a pot by your back door for ease of access while you’re cooking. The herbs in this pot recipe will all enhance the flavour of meat. Rosemary tastes amazing, fills the kitchen with mouthwatering aromas, and is particularly good with lamb. Sage, thyme and oregano all help with digestion, while winter savory’s spicy, peppery flavour is great in stews – and it’s said to prevent flatulence!