Bee the change this World Bee Day
Let’s Hear It for the Bees – 5 Simple Ways to Support Our Pollinators
May 20th is World Bee Day, and as a florist, gardener and nature lover, it’s a date I hold close to my heart.
Bees are essential for the flowers we love, the food we eat, and the delicate balance of nature. But their numbers are declining—and one of the biggest causes is us. Chemical use, loss of habitat, and lack of food sources all play a part.
The good news? We can make a difference—right from our own gardens.
Here are 5 simple ways to support our pollinators:
1. Ditch chemical weedkillers & pesticides
These harm far more than weeds—many are fatal to bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects. Opt for natural alternatives like mulching, vinegar sprays or hand-weeding, but also see point number 3 about not keeping your garden too tidy!
2. Plant flowers with purpose
Bees and other pollinators adore plants such as:
Lavender
Foxgloves
Cosmos
Borage
Thyme
Echinacea
Alliums
Choose open-centred, nectar-rich varieties, and aim to provide blooms from early spring to late autumn. Plant in clumps, not just singles—bees love a good floral buffet!
3. Don’t be too tidy
Let your garden go a little wild! This was something that I was taught when working in the organically run National Trust for Scotland garden at Kellie Castle in Fife. A beautiful Arts & Craft style walled garden where we valued weeds just as much as cultivated flowers in some areas.
Leave the clover, delay mowing the lawn, and let those early spring dandelions flourish—they’re vital food for emerging bees.
4. Add water & shelter
A shallow dish filled with water and pebbles makes a perfect bee drinking station.
Allow parts of your garden to stay a bit messy—dead stems, leaf piles, or hollow plant canes can all become bee B&Bs.
5. Stop using chemical flea & tick treatments for pets
Choose natural pest control, or look for pet products clearly labelled as bee-safe (watch out for 'greenwashing' though as some brands use clever imagery to make you think their products are pet safe but when you dig deeper they are absolutely not!)
I love the range of natural flea and tick repellents that Hound & Howl sell and use them on my dog and cats and they have been clear of bugs for years. This also means I have no worries about brushing them out in the garden and their fur flying about and being used as nesting materials for local bird life.
This World Bee Day, why not plant something for the pollinators? Together, we can make the Isle of Man (and the world!) a little friendlier for the bees.
Which of these tips will you try first? Let us know! Even a single pot of lavender on your doorstep can make a difference.
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