How to create a summer pot for pollinators

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:

• 10 plants for butterflies
• Spring bulb pot for bees
• The best flowers for hoverflies

Find out how to create a wildlife-friendly summer pot for pollinators, below.

You Will Need

• Large pot
• Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
• Nectar-rich plants, such as agastache, liatris, oregano, sage and lamb's ears

Step 1

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.

Step 2

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.

Step 3

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.