Services — London

Rooftop Pollinator Habitat
Design & Planting

London's rooftops are an untapped resource for nature. With the right plants, nesting sites and ongoing management, even a windswept eighth-floor terrace can support a remarkable diversity of wild bees and pollinators.

15+
pollinator species recorded at Bow Bells House, City of London
3rd
best rooftop for pollinators in the City of London (PLT survey 2024)
10+
years creating pollinator habitat on London buildings

What we do

We design and manage rooftop pollinator habitats tailored to your building's specific conditions — exposure, substrate, existing planting, and how the space is used by staff and tenants. We can work alongside your existing landscape contractor or can create and maintain the habit ourselves.

Habitat design & planting

We select drought-tolerant, bee-friendly plants — native and non-native — that bloom sequentially from early spring through to late autumn, providing continuous forage for the widest range of species. And look good for people to enjoy too.

Nesting habitat

We install and manage ground-nesting bee habitat (sand mounds, bare soil areas) alongside above-ground nesting provision — features that most rooftop designs overlook entirely, but that dramatically increase species diversity.

Monthly maintenance & management

Regular visits keep the habitat productive. We advise on maintenance practices — what to cut, what to leave, and when, and no chemicals — that actively improve biodiversity rather than working against it. And we can provide a monthly maintenance service.

Pollinator monitoring & reporting

Regular surveys record the bee and pollinator species present. You can receive clear monitoring reports that document biodiversity improvement over time — useful for ESG reporting, BREEAM assessments, and tenant engagement.

What our clients say

Urban Bees has transformed two City office rooftops I have managed from grey, dead spaces into colourful bee havens buzzing with life. Alison has a wealth of knowledge about how to feed bees with attractive, long-flowering plants. Our tenants love to hear about which bees have visited and are happy to pay the costs involved. Alison is easy to work with, very reliable and passionate about bees.

Hannah Glaser, Commercial Property Manager, Savills — Bow Bells House

I always look forward to Alison's monitoring reports and am continually amazed by the number of different species of tiny solitary bees foraging so high up on a windy rooftop in Central London. It really shows that if you plant the right flowers, the bees will come even 12 storeys up!

Sarah Fraser, Building Manager, Central St Giles — Bloomsbury

Is this right for your building?

We work with commercial buildings of all sizes across London — from compact terraces to large green roofs. If you manage a building with any outdoor space, rooftop or otherwise, we'd be happy to discuss what's possible.

Our work supports ESG and sustainability goals, contributes to biodiversity net gain reporting, and gives tenants and occupiers a tangible, visible connection to nature.

Our rooftop projects

Bow Bells House
City of London — Savills
View project →
Central St Giles
Bloomsbury, London
View project →
One Bartholomew
City of London
View project →

Other services

Rooftop habitat works best as part of a complete approach — with nesting structures, regular monitoring, and staff engagement alongside the planting. Find out about the services we run alongside rooftop habitat at most of our sites.

Pollinator monitoring & biodiversity reporting →

Bee hotel installation & nesting habitat →

Corporate bee safaris & staff engagement →

'Our surveys show that a small, eighth-storey terrace in the City, used for entertaining a law firm's clients, can also be a haven for many species of wild bees just by planting a diverse range of bee-friendly plants attractive to bees and people throughout the year.'

Dr. Konstantinos Tsiolis, Ecologist, Pollinating London Together

Talk to us about your building

We're happy to visit your site, discuss what's feasible, and explain what a rooftop pollinator habitat could look like for you.

Get in touch