Bee-Friendly Garden Tips

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Adopt a Hive: Tony Gray of 'Fragile Planet Ltd'.StyleNest have teamed up with expert beekeeper at Adopt-a-Hive to bring you some bee-friendly garden tips that the whole family can follow.

Pulling the kids away from the TV and getting them into the great outdoors can prove to be a tricky task. StyleNest and expert beekeeper Tony Gray are on hand to help sow the seed to help encourage the little ones see a greener side.

With the Chelsea Flower Show currently on and with the plight of wild bees in the UK, what better time to start helping the cause. Follow Tony Gray’s gardening top tips to help save the bees.

Tip 1 Don’t Use Pesticides

Bees wont visit your garden if it’s sprayed with pesticides as it’s not very welcoming. If you have to use one then try to use the least toxic one you can find.

Tip 2 Use Local Native Plans

Bees love native plants more than exotic plants. As much as you may be trying to recreate a Mediterranean garden, these plants don’t adapt well to British chilly weather and native plants don’t require much looking after. Your bees will feel much more at home.

Tip 3 More Colour

When bees are buzzing through the air, they’re naturally attracted to colour as this helps them find the yummiest flowers full of nectar and pollen. Colours including blue, purple, white and yellow help to attract bees.

Tip 4 Grouping

Clusters of lots of flowers look a lot more inviting. Allow four feet or more in between each bunch to give the bees some space to land and take off.

Top Tips

  • Bees are just like us and come in all different shapes and sizes with no two bees the same, so make sure you have lots of different shaped flowers so every type of bee is welcome.
  • Some bees like to fly in spring and some in summer so ensure you have a range of plants for them to feed on throughout the seasons.
  • Like us all, bees prefer sunny spots in the garden with a little shade with shelter from strong winds for landing so find a balanced spot for planting.

For more information visit www.thehiveadopt.co.uk.

Click here to see StyleNest’s roundup of the best gardening kits for kids. 

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