As the weather is beginning to warm up, spring is making its vibrant return. And what better way to awaken your beds and borders than with an abundance of nectar-rich plants. Handpicked by our soft landscaping team, these are our top 7 plants to fill a spring border for plentiful pollination.
Let’s take you away into a visualisation of a spring planting understory on the wilder side. We set the scene with three multi-stem Amelanchier lamarkii to give a fine branching silhouette, that imparts a laissez-faire attitude on to this whimsical planting scheme. Big on texture and designed to include an array of luscious foliage, these floral pops of colour will be sure to entice a range of pollinators into a glorious garden scene.
1. Tulipa ‘Mount Tacoma’
Flowering in late spring, Tulipa ‘Mount Tacoma’ is a beautiful bulb that flourishes creamy blooms from a collection of strong emerald stems.
2. Wild Hyacinth Hyancinthoides ‘English bluebell’
Diffusing a wonderful perfumed scent, Hyancinthoides are charming perennials that add an endearing woodland ambience to a series of outdoor spaces.
3. Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Nora Barlow’
Bearing bottle green foliage, this deep pink herbaceous perennial is an elegant plant that adds striking floral colour from spring through to summer.
4. Tulipa ‘Mistress’
Shooting up a collection of cup-shaped blooms, Tulipa ‘Mistress’ nods gently in the breeze and twinkles a glistening flowerhead of persian pink petals.
5. Tulipa ‘Francoise’
Adding a contrasting shade to the existing pastel palette we have the buttery blooms of Tulipa ‘Francoise’.
6. Myosotis ‘Forget-me-not’
Burgeoning clusters of bright blue blooms with lemon centres, Myosotis is a floral magnet that invites both bumble bees and butterflies to the garden.
7. Flag Iris
Known as ‘the wild one’ with its three parts symbolising wisdom, faith and courage.
Seen from afar, the border radiates a dappled blue palette, which is particularly good for creating colour to be admired in the distance. By feeding your chosen habitat with these valuable plants, pollinators such as butterflies and bees will be guided toward an early feast of nectar.
Amongst the foliage, we find ‘Mount Tacoma’ a white peony tulip with its ruffled petals aplenty and the prolific nodding heads of Aquilegia ‘Nora Barlow’ (the British botanist), accompanied by the ancient woodland bluebell. Most have a naturalising habit too, with bluebells, forget-me-nots and aquilegia giving you a good return year-after-year.
And all an understory to the three remarkable multi-stem Amelanchiers. The Juneberry, with silvery leaves unfurling in April and a mass of starry white blooms filling the branches, small berries appear in June for our feathered friends and leaves turn a soft copper-bronze.
Interested in transforming an unloved space into a secluded floral sanctuary? Get in touch to discover how we restore outdoor spaces into bespoke designs.
