10 Purple Summer Flowers Pollinators Will Love
Attract bees and butterflies to your garden with some of these beautiful violet blooms
Pollinating insects are attracted to numerous colours of flowers, but it’s a good idea to include some blues and purples in the mix, as there’s scientific evidence that purple, violet and blue are the colours most likely to attract bees, and purple is among the colours that most attract butterflies.
There are plenty of plants to choose from, but here are a few favourites that will bring pollinators, especially bees, to your garden during the summer months.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
There are plenty of plants to choose from, but here are a few favourites that will bring pollinators, especially bees, to your garden during the summer months.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
Stand to attention
Salvia are a large genus of perennials collectively known as meadow sage. They thrive in poor, stony soils.
Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ has rich, violet-blue, vertical blooms and is a favourite with many gardeners, as the flowers last for many weeks.
Salvia pratensis ‘Indigo’ was originally bred and raised in Berkshire. It has large, violet-blue flower spikes, which are very attractive to bees.
Salvia are a large genus of perennials collectively known as meadow sage. They thrive in poor, stony soils.
Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ has rich, violet-blue, vertical blooms and is a favourite with many gardeners, as the flowers last for many weeks.
Salvia pratensis ‘Indigo’ was originally bred and raised in Berkshire. It has large, violet-blue flower spikes, which are very attractive to bees.
Aim high
Verbena bonariensis is a tall, arching plant that sits above many other perennials in the summer months. With its small clusters of scented flowers, it produces nectar freely for honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies, as well as other insects.
A hardy plant that does well in dry, and oddly sometimes moist, soil, it looks wonderful planted in drifts. Often, the self-seeded plants end up being stronger than their parent.
Discover more ideas for creating a wildlife-friendly garden in summer.
Verbena bonariensis is a tall, arching plant that sits above many other perennials in the summer months. With its small clusters of scented flowers, it produces nectar freely for honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies, as well as other insects.
A hardy plant that does well in dry, and oddly sometimes moist, soil, it looks wonderful planted in drifts. Often, the self-seeded plants end up being stronger than their parent.
Discover more ideas for creating a wildlife-friendly garden in summer.
Form a circle
The common name for the herbaceous perennial Echinops, which is part of the Asteraceae family, is the globe thistle. This glandular plant bears almost perfect spherical flowers and looks great as drifts in the border, or naturalised in grassland.
The flowers produce an abundance of nectar for honeybees, as well as pollen for other bees, hoverflies, wasps and butterflies, which can all simultaneously feed from the same flowerhead. Nectar flows up each flower tube and spills over into each top-splayed part of the flower.
The common name for the herbaceous perennial Echinops, which is part of the Asteraceae family, is the globe thistle. This glandular plant bears almost perfect spherical flowers and looks great as drifts in the border, or naturalised in grassland.
The flowers produce an abundance of nectar for honeybees, as well as pollen for other bees, hoverflies, wasps and butterflies, which can all simultaneously feed from the same flowerhead. Nectar flows up each flower tube and spills over into each top-splayed part of the flower.
Brighten up with bells
Campanulas are not only loved by honey- and bumblebees, but also by solitary bees such as masonry and mining bees, who collect pollen exclusively from their flowers. They can often be found sheltering in the flowers overnight.
There are more than 500 varieties of campanula, from trailing plants to large, upright perennials – all worthy of a place in the garden.
Campanulas are not only loved by honey- and bumblebees, but also by solitary bees such as masonry and mining bees, who collect pollen exclusively from their flowers. They can often be found sheltering in the flowers overnight.
There are more than 500 varieties of campanula, from trailing plants to large, upright perennials – all worthy of a place in the garden.
Scatter some scent
Lavender has long been known for attracting honeybees, as well as short-tongued bumblebees and solitary bees. The flowers on lavender are pollinated by bees and butterflies, and they tend to prefer the Lavandula angustifolia varieties, which bloom more freely and sometimes multiple times.
Lavender is also good for bees, as the essential oil is said to help rid them of the Varroa mite.
There is concern that lavender from overseas might harbour a bacterial infection called Xylella, so it’s best to buy British-grown plants if you can.
Lavender has long been known for attracting honeybees, as well as short-tongued bumblebees and solitary bees. The flowers on lavender are pollinated by bees and butterflies, and they tend to prefer the Lavandula angustifolia varieties, which bloom more freely and sometimes multiple times.
Lavender is also good for bees, as the essential oil is said to help rid them of the Varroa mite.
There is concern that lavender from overseas might harbour a bacterial infection called Xylella, so it’s best to buy British-grown plants if you can.
Form a clump of foliage
Hardy geraniums are very attractive to bees, particularly the blue cranesbill variety. Planted next to chives, they make a great bee-friendly combination.
Geranium ‘Orion’ is a good choice for bees. Like the ‘Rozanne’ and ‘Jolly Bee’ varieties, ‘Orion’ is a ‘sterile hybrid’, which means it doesn’t set seed. This allows it to flower persistently for months, with an intense blue, offering a great deal of nectar for honeybees and bumblebees.
Hardy geraniums are very attractive to bees, particularly the blue cranesbill variety. Planted next to chives, they make a great bee-friendly combination.
Geranium ‘Orion’ is a good choice for bees. Like the ‘Rozanne’ and ‘Jolly Bee’ varieties, ‘Orion’ is a ‘sterile hybrid’, which means it doesn’t set seed. This allows it to flower persistently for months, with an intense blue, offering a great deal of nectar for honeybees and bumblebees.
Choose a fragrant alternative
Nepeta, or catmint, has aromatic leaves and can be used as a substitute for lavender. The latter needs very good drainage, so it can sometimes be tricky to grow.
Nepeta has a long flowering period and is a tough perennial that regrows and blooms after being cut back. Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ is one of the best varieties for bees. For hedging, try Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’.
Nepeta, or catmint, has aromatic leaves and can be used as a substitute for lavender. The latter needs very good drainage, so it can sometimes be tricky to grow.
Nepeta has a long flowering period and is a tough perennial that regrows and blooms after being cut back. Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ is one of the best varieties for bees. For hedging, try Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’.
Go for a late bloomer
Agastache is part of the Lamiaceae, or mint, family and produces copious amounts of nectar for honeybees, bumblebees, hoverflies and butterflies.
Although it’s a short-lived perennial, it will self-seed freely and it’s thought that an acre of this plant will support more than 100 hives. As it flowers later in the season, it helps to build up honey reserves before the winter sets in.
Agastache is part of the Lamiaceae, or mint, family and produces copious amounts of nectar for honeybees, bumblebees, hoverflies and butterflies.
Although it’s a short-lived perennial, it will self-seed freely and it’s thought that an acre of this plant will support more than 100 hives. As it flowers later in the season, it helps to build up honey reserves before the winter sets in.
Be abundant
Borage is one plant that bees find irresistible, as the flowers produce so much nectar and pollen. Honeybees feed on the nectar, while others, such as bumblebees, visit for nectar and pollen.
The buff-tailed and white-tailed bumblebees pollinate the anthers, producing a cloud of white pollen, which they collect and use to groom themselves.
Borage can be a bit of a thug, though, and it self-seeds, so be careful where you plant it in the garden.
Tell us…
Will you be growing any of these plants in your garden this summer? Are you also keen to attract pollinators? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Borage is one plant that bees find irresistible, as the flowers produce so much nectar and pollen. Honeybees feed on the nectar, while others, such as bumblebees, visit for nectar and pollen.
The buff-tailed and white-tailed bumblebees pollinate the anthers, producing a cloud of white pollen, which they collect and use to groom themselves.
Borage can be a bit of a thug, though, and it self-seeds, so be careful where you plant it in the garden.
Tell us…
Will you be growing any of these plants in your garden this summer? Are you also keen to attract pollinators? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Scabiosa caucasica, or pincushion flowers, as they’re often called, are one of the most lovely summer bloomers and have been a staple as a cut flower for many years.
The flowers are highly attractive to bees and butterflies. There are many native wildflower varieties, called field scabious, and if you frequently deadhead them, new blooms will soon appear.
Need some extra help with your outdoor space? Find gardeners and landscape contractors in your area.