Here’s a list of plants and bulbs that Urban Bees has planted on part of a King’s College London university campus this autumn to feed bees in spring. We wanted to create a spring garden for bees because spring is a vital time of year for bumblebees to collect enough nectar to sustain themselves and enough pollen to build up their colonies, and for spring-flying solitary bees to successfuly breed and nest.

There are already many shrubs planted, so we wanted to create spring colour and ground cover that feeds bees.

Name of plant                            

• Crocus tommasinianus  (Flowers from Feb-March) 
• Ipheion ‘Wisley Blue’ (Feb-March) 
• Scilla siberica  (March – April)
• Bergenia Harzkristall (March – April)
• Erysimum ‘Tricolour’ (March – July)
• Muscari ( April – May)    
• Narcissus ‘Pheasant’s Eye  (April – May)
• Vinca Minor ‘Atropurpura’  (April – Oct) 
• Myosotis ‘Myomark’  (April– May)      
• Primula vulgaris (April – May)    
• Symphytum ‘Hidcote Blue’  (April – May)  
• Chionodoxa ‘Violet Beauty’  (April – May)
• Geranium Riversleaianum  (May – Oct)        

Bulbs planted: Clockwise from top: Chionodoxa ‘Violet Beaut’ Crocus tommasinianus, Muscari armeniacum, Narcissus ‘Pheasant’s Eye’, Ipheion ‘Wisley Blue’.

Perennials planted: Clockwise from top: Bergenia Harzkristall, Erysimum ‘Tricolour’, Geranium Riversleaianum ‘Russell Pritchard’; Primula vulgaris, Symphytum ‘Hidcote Blue’; Vica minor ‘Atropurpura’