How many insects make their home in an English country garden?
I'll tell you now of some that I know, and those I miss, I hope you'll pardon.
Dragonflies, moths and bees, spiders falling from the trees,
Butterflies sway in the mild gentle breeze.
As the much-loved traditional song says, there are all sorts of insects and other creatures which love to live among your garden plants, shrubs and trees. Some are more desirable than others of course - wed all rather watch butterflies fluttering about than try to avoid those pesky wasps - but there are certain creatures which benefit not just our individual garden environments, but the whole of the UK ecology and even our economy!
There has been a lot in the news lately about honeybees. There are no wild honeybees left in Britain any more, and those which remain as part of privately own colonies are under constant threat from global warming, changes in agricultural methods and the use of pesticides on farmers crops, amongst other things. These charming little insects do an essential job for the environment by pollinating plants as they go about their business: bees pollinate 70 of around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world. If bees became extinct, we would lose all of those plants, and the animals that feed on them, with a devastating effect on our own lives too.
If like us, you're concerned about bees and want to do your bit to help their survival, we have plenty of plant gifts which are bee-friendly! Bees, butterflies and dragonflies all love flowering plants, so here's our pick of the top plants to give as presents to encourage these wonderful creatures to the garden:
- The wonderfully fragrant purple blooms of Lavender are great for bees, as purple is the easiest colour for them to see. Not only that, lavender has become an essential component of a typical English garden, and our Lavender Crate comes with a delicious jar of lavender jelly and a bag of gorgeously scented dried flowers.
- Bees love the blossom of flowering fruit trees, especially quince and crab apple tree, both of which flower in April as a beautiful springtime display. The sweet fruits that both of these trees provide mean they're good for you as well our buzzing friends! The Quince Crate and The Crab Apple Crate each come with a jar of quince and crab apple jelly, proving that the two make a perfect combination.
- Our Jasmine Crate contains a healthy and hardy jasmine plant guaranteed to fill the air with an exotic and sweet aroma that bees will adore! The health benefits of jasmine tea are abundant, so you can enjoy your cuppa as you sit in the sun and feel good about helping the environment!
