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The Dance Language of Honeybees is an unusual concept where an apparently simple ‘waggle dance’ can convey a vast amount of information about where a food source is located. Click conti…

Handy advice on how to revive tired bees using a simple sugar and water solution - including some useful do's and don'ts.

Verbena bonariensis - A late Summer flowering Perennial with Purple flowers beloved of bees and butterflies. Buy Direct

Description Selinium wallichianum rises later in the spring than most perennials. But, once it is ready to re-grow, it spreads out its basal leaves to form mats of fine foliage. Each leaf is intricately divided. Strong ribbed stems then start to push up, heavily endowed with more fretted leaves, making tiered layers of lace. The stems branch but the tiered effect is maintained. During late summer, the flower buds emerge, inverted and cradled by the supporting pinky-bronze stems. Each flower…

Description Rudbeckia fulgida var speciosa is a holder of the Royal Horticultural Society's prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM). This attractive North American perennial is perfect for the naturalistic prairie-style planting schemes that are fast becoming popular. More drought-tolerant than most Rudbeckias, it produces masses of orange-yellow daisy-like flowers from late summer to mid-autumn. Rudbeckia is a plant genus of 23 species in the family Asteraceae. The species are…

Potentilla 'Monarch's Velvet' is a small deciduous shrub with pinnate green leaves which are divided into five leaflets with toothed margins. It bears deep blood- red flowers from late spring to mid summer. Prefers full sun, in a poor or moderately fertile soil. Hardy. Height 0.6 m, spread 0.6 m. Supplied in a 9cm pot.

Nepeta subsessilis Washfield is commonly known as 'Catmint'. This is a lovely catmint variety with aromatic deep, green foliage. This perennial produces vivid blue flowers continuously throughout the summer, right into September, attracting bees and butterflies. Prefers full sun and a well drained soil. Hardy. Height 0.60 m, spread 0.45 m. Supplied in a 9cm pot.

Nepeta Six Hills Giant is commonly known as 'Catmint'. A vigorous perennial forming a clump of aromatic, soft, grey-green leaves. Spikes of lavender-blue flowers appear during the summer months. Trim after flowering to keep compact, this also encourages a second flowering. Grows in full sun or partial shade in any well drained soil. Hardy. Height 1m, spread 1m. Supplied in a 9cm pot.

Description Ligusticum scoticum or Scotch Lovage is a compact, upright, clump-forming perennial with thick, glossy, green leaves divided into three, broad, toothed leaflets and, in summer, dark purple or red-flushed stems bearing umbels of tiny, white, sometimes pale pink flowers followed by golden seed heads. Other names: Scotch lovage, Scots lovage, Sea lovage, Sea parsley , Levisticum scoticum, Scottish licorice-root, Haloscias scoticum Cultivation Notes Ligusticum scoticum…

Liatris scariosa 'Alba' is a perennial with narrow, grass- like foliage. The purple- pink flowers appear on bottlebrush- like spikes which open from the top down, in late summer and early autumn. Prefers full sun in a light, moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil. Hardy. Height 1m, spread 0.5m. Supplied in a 9cm pot.

Geranium palmatum is a clump forming perennial with large , deeply divided, architectural palm like leaves. It bears luxurious, small magenta flowers on upright, wiry stems throughout…

Cenolophium denudatum - Baltic Parsley is a Summer flowering Perennial with creamy white flowers. It has finely cut green foliage and suits a Full Sun position.

Calamintha nepeta White Cloud is an outstanding plant due to the prolonged flowering that starts in late summer and continues to early frosts. A fine choice for the front of borders because of its dense, compact form. Very scented dainty leaves of a soft mid green. Tiny multiple white two lipped flowers with a minty scent that attracts bees and butterflies. Prefers full sun and well drained soil. Height 30cm, spread 45cm. Supplied in a 9cm pot.

Description Bidens 'Hannay's Lemon Drop' is a rather unusual tall clump-forming ferny-leaved Chilean native perennial with blotchy lemon-yellow flowers September into winter. Cosmos-like flowers. Height to 1m grow in full sun. Supplied in a 9cm pot. Cultivation Notes Deadheading is worthwhile with the early flowers, but as flowering comes to an end, leave on a few seed heads on the taller varieties to add winter interest. Cut down Bidens 'Hannay's Lemon Drop' to just above…

Keeping bees in the backyard is a natural extension of gardening, and means ready pollination for your flowers and plants, as well as a generous honey supply. Read this article to learn about backyard beekeeping basics.