Spring Garden Preparation for Pollinators
Enhancing green spaces in London where all natural pollinators can thrive, and their habitats can be enjoyed by all.
Spring Garden Preparation for Pollinators
How to Support Pollinators as Spring Begins
As days lengthen and temperatures rise, early spring is one of the most important times to support pollinators. After winter, many species emerge with limited energy reserves and rely on early flowers for survival. Whether you have a garden, patio, balcony or window box, small actions now can make a meaningful difference throughout the season.
Pollinators need two essential things: food and shelter. Spring is the ideal time to provide both.
Food: Plant Early and Plan for the Season
Nectar and pollen are the main food sources for bees, butterflies, hoverflies and moths. Providing flowers across the season helps maintain stable pollinator populations.
Early Spring Flowers
These provide vital food for emerging bees from late winter onwards:
- Species crocus (e.g. Crocus tommasinianus) — choose species crocus rather than large-flowered Dutch hybrids for better pollen accessibility
- Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) — provide some early nectar on mild days, though their value to pollinators is modest compared to other early flowers such as crocus and lungwort
- Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
- Lungwort (Pulmonaria) — one of the most reliable and high-value early spring plants for bees
Summer Flowers
Support peak pollinator activity through the main season:
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) — biennial, excellent for long-tongued bumblebees
- Catmint (Nepeta species)
- Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare)
- Verbena bonariensis
- Scabious (Knautia or Scabiosa species)
Late Season Flowers
Bridge the gap into autumn and support pollinators building winter reserves:
- Ivy (Hedera helix) — one of the most important late-season plants for wild pollinators
- Sedum / ice plant (Hylotelephium spectabile)
- Asters (including Michaelmas daisy)
If space allows, flowering trees and shrubs such as hawthorn, cherry, hazel and apple provide exceptional early-season resources and support specialist bee species as well as generalists.
Pollinators Thrive in Small Spaces
You do not need a large garden to help. Pollinator-friendly planting works well in pots, window boxes, hanging baskets, vertical planters and rooftop gardens. Urban surveys have recorded pollinators foraging several storeys above ground, demonstrating their remarkable adaptability in city environments.
Shelter: Creating Nesting and Resting Spaces
Alongside flowers, pollinators need safe places to nest and rest. Spring is a good time to set up or improve nesting habitats before the main nesting season begins.
Bee Hotels
Bee hotels can support cavity-nesting solitary bee species such as red mason bees (Osmia bicornis) and leafcutter bees. They do not benefit bumblebees or the many ground-nesting solitary bee species, which together make up the majority of UK bee species.
If installing or maintaining a bee hotel:
- Place in a sunny, sheltered location — ideally south- or south-east-facing
- Position at least one metre above ground
- Avoid deep shade, damp conditions or exposure to prolonged rain
- Replace nesting tubes or canes annually rather than attempting to clean them — replacing old nesting material is more effective at reducing pathogen and parasite build-up than cleaning. Replace the hotel structure itself every few years.
Ground-Nesting Bees
The majority of UK bee species — including most mining bees — nest in the ground. These are often overlooked but represent the largest group of our native bees. Supporting them is one of the most impactful things you can do:
- Leave small patches of bare or sparsely vegetated, well-drained soil in sunny spots
- Avoid heavy mulching across all planting areas — some bare ground is essential
- Reduce paving and hardstanding where possible to allow soil access
- Maintain undisturbed, sunny areas — avoid digging near known nesting sites during spring and summer
Planning Ahead
Early spring may be too late for many spring-flowering bulbs, but it is still an excellent time to:
- Sow hardy annual wildflowers directly outside
- Plant container-grown perennials from the garden centre
- Start seeds of summer-flowering plants indoors
For next year’s early blooms, plan to plant bulbs in autumn. Crocus, lungwort, primrose and hellebores are all worth establishing for the earliest possible spring forage.
Key Principles for Spring Preparation
- Aim for flower diversity in species, shape and colour
- Provide continuous bloom across all seasons, with particular attention to early spring and late autumn
- Include different flower shapes to support the full range of pollinator species
- Create both food and shelter — nesting habitat is as important as flowers
- Avoid pesticide use, including herbicides
Even modest spaces contribute to a more resilient pollinator network when managed with these principles in mind.