Pollinators are important in monoecious female or male flowers because a distance has to be bridged between them, but also in hermaphroditic flowers - flowers with both anthers and stamens - pollination by insects is needed and this cross-pollination promotes genetic diversity. After pollination, fertilisation occurs  and a fruit with seeds develops. Without pollinators, therefore, no apples, pears, cherries or plums but also no aubergines, beans, courgettes or pumpkins.

80% of all our flowering plants and 75% of our plant-based food depend on pollinators. The remaining plants are pollinated by wind or water. Unfortunately, our pollinators are not doing well. In the last 35 years, there has been a 78% decline in insects because of too little food, loss of habitat and pesticide use. This impacts not only insect-eating birds and other animals but also our food security. The good news is that you can make a positive contribution for pollinators in your garden. Plant native wildfloers, shrubs or trees in your garden to provide a wealth of nectar and pollen sources, ideally from March all they way to November. In a previous blog, we talked about importance of having a long bloom calendar in your garden, so that different plants  bloom every month.

Adult insects are not so picky regarding their nectar and visit multiple flower species. Sometimes a long narrow flower shape ensures that only insects with a long tongue can get to the nectar, even though some bumblebees manage to get around this by drilling a hole in the sidewall. Still, you can see how certain flowers and pollinators are aligned and evolved together.

In addition, one nectar is not the other and the same is true of pollen. As in our diet, there is a certain nutritional value associated with it and we can subdivide flowers with low (N1) and high nectar (N5) and pollen scores (P1-P5). The table below shows real top plants that score high in both sugars and proteins. Then again, some plants have valuable nectar but no pollen and vice versa, so there is a lot of variability.

For example, the larvae or caterpillars of certain butterflies only eat the leaves of specific host plants. Sometimes this is even a one-to-one relationship, such as the relationship between the caterpillar of the cinnabar moth and Jacob's wort. Incidentally, Jacob's wort is a host plant for 40 species of butterflies, flies, leaf beetles and plant parasites. In turn, some larvae are highly dependent on one particular plant family, such as the caterpillar of the swallowtail butterfly, which only lives on umbellifers. The vegetable gardeners among you will no doubt know that the cabbage white butterfly loves cabbages and other crucifers. The orange tip is bound to the cuckoo flower, mustard garlic and judas pennywort. Our great stinging nettle is also an important host plant for the caterpillar of small tortoiseshell, day peacock, admiral, and comma butterfly. So be sure to leave some nettles in the back of your garden.... Many tastes and differences, something for everyone.

Nature is beautiful. Colour your own garden with more native flowers and be rewarded with more butterflies and buzzing bees. This way, you also contribute to the survival of our insects. These in turn attract birds, bats, amphibians and before you know it, you have a 1000-species garden. Have fun with it!