There is a time in early summer when the best
of the spring flowers and fruit blossom is over, but the
height-of-summer flowers are not yet in full bloom.
Beekeepers are familiar with the concept of the ‘June Gap’ - a
crucial time for beekeeping when nectar and pollen may be in
short supply and if you want to keep the honey flowing, you
need to have plants around your garden that supply your bees
with what they need. This applies to all native insects that
depend on nectar and pollen as a food source, so if you are a
keen wildlife gardener and like to cater to the needs of your
invertebrate visitors, then it is worth ensuring that there is
no gap in the nectar flow at this time. An added bonus of
course, is that the garden will look bright and colourful now if you choose your plants with care, and there are
some wonderful shrubs, herbaceous plants and wildflowers
coming into bloom in June.
So what insects are around now that we would
perhaps like to give a helping hand and thus see more
frequently?
June is actually a good month for garden butterflies including
the large, small and green veined whites, early migrant
painted ladies and red admirals, brimstones, small
tortoiseshells and some of the ‘browns’ such as speckled wood
and meadow brown. If nectar is in short supply in your
garden, these lovely insects will look elsewhere. Then of
course bumblebees will be in the throes of building up their
colonies in late spring and early summer. The queen will have
established her nest and the first generation of workers will
be collecting pollen for the new brood of bee larvae, so this
is a crucial time for these lovely insects. And while they
are foraging for food they will be pollinating for you, so it
is a mutually beneficial arrangement if you can ensure they
stay around in your garden.
Other bee species too will be seeking pollen
and nectar. The red mason bee will be reaching the end of its
breeding season, but the blue mason bee is most active in June
and July and is also a resident in our gardens. Other
solitary bee species including the leafcutter bees are also
very active now. So even though most of us are not
beekeepers, there are still more than enough reasons to keep
the nectar flowing and the pollen supplies topped up, and there
are plenty of excellent plants waiting to burst into flower.
Perhaps the best place to start is the herb
border or any sunny space where herbs will thrive. They must
of course be allowed to flower to be a source of nectar and
pollen, and far too many of us cut our herbs (understandably)
for the kitchen, to prevent flowering and ensure a continued
supply of succulent leaves. Perhaps the answer is to have at
least a few plants that are allowed to do their own thing –
your garden insect wildlife will benefit from this approach.
Rosemary is perhaps the exception, where old woody stems are
likely to flower whatever you do to them – and the flowers are
amongst the very best for both nectar and pollen for all types
of bee. Rosemary is not the hardiest of plants though, so make sure that
a few cuttings are taken in August each year to cover any
winter losses – it’s a plant no garden should be without.
Another herb that can be allowed to flower to every bee's
delight is borage, whose bright blue blossoms are a bee
magnet. If this annual is allowed to self-seed, it will
flower from this month onwards. Other excellent herbs in
June are
thyme, chives, catmint and lemon balm, all of which are
appealing to bees and also some butterflies. Small
tortoiseshells love thyme, while the whites and brimstones are
attracted to catmint and lemon balm. The latter has the added
bonus of providing a seed source for goldfinches later in the
year.
In the fruit and vegetable garden, which after
all is where you really want the bees, all the soft fruit will provide nectar and
pollen through late spring and into early summer. Raspberries
in particular should still be flowering in June and if picked
as they ripen will continue for a while through the summer.
Some later gooseberry varieties will also flower now and broad
beans sown in succession will have bees in attendance.
Where wildflowers are concerned there are of
course plants flowering throughout the year. Even the depths
of December may see the occasional bright pink herb Robert
flower with its delicate darker veins – a delight in the
middle of winter. But June is a good month for flowering
native species and several are excellent garden plants for
corners, meadows or even in amongst border plants. The oxeye
daisy begins its flowering period in May, but continues into
June and even July the further north you are. Few
wildflowers can rival the spectacle of swathes of this glowing
white flower on roadside verges and in ancient meadows,
although in the garden it can take over a little! Plant
it into meadow grass to fully appreciate it and provide both
nectar and pollen for a wide range of insects including the
beautiful marbled white butterfly, which appears this month in
some areas. Other wildflower beauties include cornflower,
viper’s bugloss, rock rose, purple loosestrife, musk mallow,
field poppy, and stonecrop. If you are happy with a slightly
‘wilder’ garden, thistles of all sorts will start to produce
their nectar this month and continue for some time to attract
a wide range of butterfly species as well as bees.
In the border or in containers perhaps, the
most exuberant selection of pollen producers this month are
the hardy geraniums. These superb plants come in many colours
and shapes, and just about every variety is worth growing,
especially Geranium phaeum which smaller bumblebees adore.
Some campanulas including the beautiful C. latifolia will
begin to flower this month, and if you like them, Canterbury
bells are also great for bumblebees. You could also try the
mountain cornflower (Centaurea montana), oriental poppies and
the annual Californian poppy, which is an excellent pollen
provider. Some trees and shrubs are good this month including
Buddleia alternifolia which comes into bloom a month earlier
than its more familiar cousins. Ceonothus thysiflorus, the
Californian lilac is a joy, its sky blue flowers buzzing with
honeybees, and Choisya ternata, the Mexican orange blossom,
will have pollen. Pyracantha, Cotoneaster, Cytisus (broom),
Philadelphus and open types of roses are all excellent and if
your soil is light, pollen bearing Cistus, the sun rose with
its delicate petals, could be a highlight in a sunny spot.
Some of the Berberis varieties flower into June and don’t
overlook our native shrubs. It is easy to completely miss the
smaller flowers of dogwood, spindle and holly (only hawthorn
really shows off in May and June) but they are invaluable at
this time. A mixed native hedge is a lifesaver for insects in
early summer.
Perhaps, having looked at the available
flowering plants for early summer, we don’t need to be too
concerned about our garden insects after all! Beekeeping is a
demanding occupation and even if you have only one hive of
50,000 bees in your garden, the responsibility of ensuring
they are well fed is great. But a thoughtful gardener can
easily keep wild solitary bees, bumblebees and butterflies happy
with a colourful selection of pollen and nectar producing
varieties over the next few weeks, to guarantee that the
requirements of these beneficial insects are well met. |
