v GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE HERALD v 30th October 2025 • The HERALD • Page 57 DOWN THE GARDEN PATH Autumn’s Nectar Boost – The Best Late Season Plants For Pollinators Advice from British Garden Centres Centres, said: “Autumn is a brilliant time to plant as the soil is still warm and there are plenty of seasonal plants to keep your garden looking fresh. Late flowering varieties not only keep gardens looking vibrant, but they also provide a vital food source for pollinators preparing for winter.” e team at British Garden Centres has put together its guide to the best autumn plants for pollinators that will keep your garden buzzing. Asters: One of the most recognisable autumn owers, asters bloom profusely in shades of purple, pink, and white. eir daisy-like appearance o ers abundant nectar, attracting bees right until the rst frosts. Asters are particularly valuable for providing continuity of forage when other plants have nished owering. Sedum: Sedums are magnets for bees and butter ies, as their at ower heads provide perfect landing pads, while their nectar o ers an essential energy source. Sedums also add structure and colour to gardens well into winter as their dried seed heads linger. Ivy: O en overlooked, ivy owers in late autumn and provides one of the most important food supplies for insects at this time of year. As a native evergreen climber, ivy’s small owers are rich in nectar, feeding bees, wasps, and ies, whilst its berries o er sustenance to birds. Echinacea: Also known as the cone ower, these colourful, conical-shaped blooms thrive late into autumn. Pollinating insects will ock to their spiky centres, which are packed with nectar. Echinacea adds height to gardens and is striking in late season as seed heads remain into winter. Verbena bonariensis: A tall, wiry perennial, Verbena produces clouds of tiny lilac owers from late summer into autumn. Full of nectar, the plant is highly attractive to butter ies, while providing continuous forage for bees. Japanese Anemone: Elegant and with a long owering period, Japanese anemones provide a late burst of pink and white owers to brighten the days as they get shorter. eir open, pollen- lled centres are well loved by a range of insects, providing much needed resources in the cooling months. Dahlias: e single owered varieties are highly valuable in autumn as their central discs remain open and rich in nectar, providing a feast for bees and hover ies when resources grow scarce. Mahonia: With spires of fragrant yellow blooms appearing in late autumn and even winter, mahonia is one of the few shrubs that bridge the seasonal nectar gap. Its berries later provide food for birds, making it a late season wildlife champion. Kniphofia: Commonly known as Red Hot Poker, these striking spikes of ery owers bloom from late summer into autumn. Knipho a produces abundant nectar that attracts a variety of pollinators, including bees and butter ies, adding a bold splash of colour and drama to your garden while supporting insect populations. Crocosmia: Crocosmia o ers vibrant red and orange owers that bloom in late summer and early autumn. e nectar-rich blossoms are favoured by bees and butter ies, and their arching stems add movement and interest to autumn borders. Salvia: With vibrant tubular owers, salvias are magnets for long-tongued bees and butter ies. eir extended blooming season makes them ideal for bridging the nectar gap and will keep pollinators visiting your garden well into the autumn months. Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Bee on sedum
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