If you’re fortunate enough to have access to a garden, you’ve probably noticed the gentle hum of bees drifting between flowers on a summer’s day. Perhaps you’ve even planted some pollinator-friendly plants, left space for wildflowers, or taken part in ‘No Mow May’ to lend a helping hand to our trusty pollinators. Because, although small, these actions allow us to do our bit for nature.
But, when we only have the power to change our own small patch of land, it is easy to wonder whether you’re really making a difference in the grand scheme of things. After all, farmland covers nearly 70% of the UK and, per square metre, can produce the same amount of nectar as an urban garden can.1
But first, why are pollinators so important?
Pollinators are far more than just a pleasant background buzz in the garden, they’re the reason a lot of our food exists. Every time a bee, butterfly, or hoverfly visits a flower, they carry grains of pollen from one bloom to another. This tiny act of transport allows plants to fertilise and produce the fruits, seeds, and vegetables that end up on our plates.
So, pollinators are ultimately the ‘essential workers’ of our ecosystems, they keep crops producing food and flowers producing seeds. In other words, the apples in your lunchbox, the strawberries in summer, and even the coffee in your cup all depend on pollinators doing their daily rounds! In fact, on a global scale, their contribution to food production is estimated to be worth a staggering £174–430 billion each year.³
But, in Great Britain alone, one-third of insect pollinator species are in decline.² And this takes us back to the question of whether our gardens have the power to help! And the answer is yes!
Interestingly, previous research has shown that bumblebee colonies actually grow faster and survive longer when they’re close to towns and cities.4 But how does that work when farmlands produce the same amount of pollen as gardens, and covers so much more of the landscape?
Putting gardens to the test
To see just how helpful gardens really are for bees, researchers set up an experiment comparing farmland with urban gardens. They looked at three farmland areas and 59 urban gardens between the months of March and October. They counted the number of flowers and combined this with average nectar production rates to estimate how much nectar each patch could offer.
Then, to see if there was enough nectar to go around, the team compared this supply with what three species of bumblebees actually need each week of the flowering season to survive and thrive.
This information was then used to create a simulation of bee colony growth and foraging activity under different landscape scenarios, including farmland dotted with gardens, surrounded by pastures, or stuck in flower-poor landscapes.
Let’s buzz in the results
The researchers confirmed that annually, the majority of nectar used by pollinators does come from natural and farmed landscape. These include hedgerows, pastures, woodlands and field margins, with gardens only contributing 15% overall.
However, that certainly doesn’t make gardens unimportant! In fact, as the researchers were looking at the results, they discovered that in early spring and late summer, when the farmland nectar supply dropped, pollinators obtained a huge 50-93% of their nectar from gardens!
As intensive farmlands are simple landscapes with low floral diversity, there are times of the year when very few flowers are in bloom – generally in early spring and late summer.5 But luckily, this is just when many of our gardens are bursting into life!
Furthermore, these times of the year are critical! After emerging from their winter hibernation, bumblebee queens establish new colonies in Spring, and produce new Queens in late Summer.5 They also require large quantities of nectar during early spring and late summer for the energy-demanding tasks of colony establishment and hibernation preparation. Therefore, while a single garden might seem small against the vastness of farmland, ensuring bees can forage in our gardens not only supports the current bee population, but also ensures bees can keep on buzzing into the future!
How to find Another Way
With the growing threats of urbanisation and the intensification of agriculture, making our gardens safe havens for wildlife, particularly pollinators, is essential. I’m sure we’re all keen to support bee populations, and luckily for us, a flowering garden, with a mosaic of vivid colours of beautiful blooms, is also quite a beautiful sight! Here are some top tips to make your garden a wildlife wonderland…
1. Plant native pollinator-friendly species.
If, like me, you aren’t a gardening pro, knowing what flowers are best for wildlife can be tricky! But don’t worry, many garden centers now label their pollinator-friendly plants and seeds.
Some key flowers to look out for include English lavender, bergamot (also known as bee balm!), salvia, and echinacea.6 Top marks if you choose a selection of plants so that one is flowering for nearly every month of the year!
2. Let the grass grow wild!
Whether it’s your entire lawn or just a small area, let the grass grow wild and beautiful. Yes, even beyond no-mow May, it’s never too late! This provides shelter for pollinators and often gives native wildflowers the opportunity to grow too.
3. Say no to sterile gardens.
It’s time to make plastic grass, pesticides, and short mown lawns a thing of the past! Embrace nature and all it has to offer, as soon as we give wildlife a home, it will come, and what could be better than that!
4. Connect with your neighbours!
Wildlife corridors can allow bees and other animals to pass between gardens and wild spaces, helping to support a larger population. Creating a wildlife corridor may include cutting holes into fences for hedgehogs or perhaps replacing solid garden walls or fences with hedges.
Article by Sophie Nash
Primary paper:
Timberlake, T.P., Tew, N.E. and Memmott, J. (2024) ‘Gardens reduce seasonal hunger gaps for farmland pollinators’, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 291(2033). doi:10.1098/rspb.2024.1523. Available at: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.1523
References:
- Anderson, H. (2018) UK natural capital: ecosystem accounts for urban areas. Off. of Natl. Stats. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/bulletins/urbannaturalcapitalaccountsuk/2023
- Widespread losses of pollinating insects in Britain (2019) UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Available at: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/press/widespread-losses-pollinating-insects-britain (Accessed: 28 May 2025).
- The importance of pollinators. Promote Pollinators. Available at: https://promotepollinators.org/about/importance-of-pollinators/ (Accessed: 28 May 2025).
- Samuelson, A.E., et al (2018) Lower bumblebee colony reproductive success in agricultural compared with urban environments. Proc. R. Soc. Available at: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2018.0807
- Timberlake, T.P., et al, (2020) Bumblebee colony denity on farmland is influenced by late-summer nectar supply and garden cover. J. Appl. Ecol. Available at: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2664.13826
- Bee-friendly plants (2023) National Garden Scheme. Available at: https://ngs.org.uk/bee-friendly-plants/ (Accessed: 28 May 2025).
