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Autumn is a tricky time for pollinators as pollen and nectar become scarce. When summer’s flowers are spent and trees start shedding their leaves, bees and butterflies struggle to collect the nutrients they need to build up their reserves for the winter months.
Gardeners can support the little insects by adding late-blooming plants to their plots, and in fact, autumn provides excellent conditions for plants to grow.
‘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,’ says Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres.
Refreshing your garden with late-flowering plants won’t just help pollinating insects in search of food, it will also keep your garden abuzz well into the last quarter of the year – a classic win-win.
Read on to discover 10 colourful late-season plants that you can plant to support pollinators.
Echinacea
Also known as coneflower, these colourful, conical-shaped blooms thrive until late autumn. Pollinators are drawn to their spiky centres, which are packed with nectar.
Salvia
Thanks to their vibrant tubular flowers, salvias are magnets for bees and butterflies. They bloom well beyond summer, which makes them ideal for bridging the ‘nectar gap’ and attracting pollinators to your garden.
Dahlias
Single-flowered dahlias are highly valuable to pollinators in autumn as their central discs remain open and rich in nectar, making them a great food source for pollinating insects.
Japanese Anemone
With an extended flowering period, Japanese anemones provide a late burst of pink and white flowers to brighten the days, while their open, pollen-filled centres offer a feast for a range of insects.
Crocosmia
This exotic-looking flower sports vibrant red and orange blooms in late summer and early autumn. Crocosmia’s blossoms, which are rich with nectar, are beloved by bees and butterflies, while their curved stems add interest to autumn borders.
Aster
A classic autumn flower, asters come in hues of purple, pink and white. Their spiky centres offer abundant nectar, attracting bees until the first frost.
Verbena bonariensis
Not just a great choice to add height to your garden, this perennial produces clouds of tiny purple flowers from late summer into autumn. Verbena bonariensis is full of nectar and therefore highly attractive to butterflies and bees.
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