One of our residents has shared their advice on how best to create and maintain gardens:  

“Summer is here, and we want to be proud of our communal gardens. Any work in the gardens should have a minimum impact on the land. Planting should be considered temporary, it should not disturb the ground but be in pots, other suitable containers or Growbags. 

“Everyone who values the joy of beautiful gardens should also remember that it is not only humans who benefit; our plants and gardens provide a food source and habitat for many species of wildlife – one of these being bees!  

“Bees can see the colour purple more clearly than any other colour, and some of the best bee plants such as Lavender, Alliums, Buddleia and Catmint, have purple flowers. Tubular-shaped flowers such as Foxgloves, Honeysuckle and Snapdragons, are also an important source of food for long-tongued bees, such as the Garden Bumblebee.  

“Select single, open flowers where the central part of the flower is easy for insects to access the nectar and pollen. Different bees and insects are active at different times of the year. To give them the best possible chance to thrive, it is important to plan your growing season year-round.  

“Spring bulbs? A great way to help bees in spring is to plant your spring-flowering bulbs in autumn. Bulbs are hardy and reliable plants, so you can guarantee all insects will have a source of pollen and nectar when there's little else in flower.  

“Planting herbs and vegetables will attract important pollinators into the garden, which could, in turn, attract birds and small mammals looking for a meal.  

“Do remember that not everyone will be comfortable with your planting. More people are suffering from serious ailments, such as respiratory and lung conditions, Hay Fever and other allergies. The last thing they want is someone ruining their way of life by ill-conceived, wide-scale planting.  

“Anyone with Hay Fever or an allergy to bee stings could become severely disturbed, even frightened when seeing planters filled with plants attracting swarms of bees. Please show consideration towards your neighbours. 

“To help you choose the best plants for insects throughout the year, you could search the internet for any of the following suggestions:  

“Enjoy your gardening, care for your neighbours and help protect our wildlife.” 

A Retirement Living gardener.