House History Research

5 Easy Plants That Bring Bees, Butterflies, and Other Pollinators to the Garden

Since starting gardening earlier this year, watching the bees and butterflies bumble around the borders has become one of my favourite past-times. Beyond them being beautiful, the fact that they visit is also a good sign that the garden is working as it should be. We invite them into our space not just because they look nice, but because they are an essential part of a thriving ecosystem. Most diverse planting schemes will invite insects into your space, but if you are wanting to build a pollinator-garden and looking for a place to start, I’ve shared five of my favourites.

Why Attract Pollinators to Your Garden?

Pollination Power

As we know, bees and butterflies are key pollinators, helping plants to produce fruit, seeds, and flowers. What we may not know is that without them, the tomatoes, strawberries, courgettes, apples, and many flowers we have lovingly planted in our gardens wouldn’t develop properly. A garden buzzing with pollinators is usually a productive one.

Boost in Biodiversity

Another regular visit that I welcome in my garden is the birds… but they won’t come if there is no food. Pollinators support a wider food web, including birds. It isn’t just the flowers that benefit from a healthy insect population.

Healthier Plants

Pollinators are great encouragers of plant diversity. This leads to stronger growth and better pest resistance overall. Many pest-eating insects (like ladybirds) are drawn to the same environments that bees and butterflies love.

Natural Pest Control

Some butterflies lay eggs that turn into caterpillars… and yes, these can be a pain, but not all are harmful. A garden with a natural balance (birds, beetles, hedgehogs) usually keeps this in check. A thriving insect population attracts more beneficial predators, reducing the need for you to use any chemicals in your garden.

Environmental Contribution

With bee and butterfly populations in decline, I like to think of my garden as a mini sanctuary. Even a small space with nectar-rich flowers can make a difference. The more you plant pollinator-friendly flowers, the more they will come.

There are so many great reasons to be thoughtful about what you plant. Why not make a conscious effort to choose flowers that give the bees and butterflies a reason to visit. Here are 5 that I love, to get you started.

5 Cottage-Garden Friendly Plants that Attract Pollinators

1. Scabious

Both annual and perennial varieties (like Scabiosa atropurpurea and Scabiosa caucasica) are nectar-rich, with long, open flowers that make it easy for bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and even moths to feed.

Why Pollinators Love Scabious:

• Long flowering period – often from early summer to autumn, providing food over an extended season
• Accessible flower structure – the pincushion centre is easy to land on and feed from
• High nectar yield – especially useful in dry conditions when other plants are flagging
• Good for small bees and hoverflies – as well as larger pollinators

Who visits?

• Bumblebees
• Solitary bees
• Honeybees
• Butterflies
• Hoverflies

Scabious thrives in poor soil, handles drought well once established, and keeps blooming if you deadhead it regularly. It comes in a variety of different colours, is stunning once in bloom, and also makes great cut flowers for inside the home – what’s not to love? I planted the “Dark Knight” variety, and they have produced the most striking deep purple flowers.

2. Cornflowers

A bit of a wildflower power-house, Cornflowers are an excellent addition to your garden – and not just for attracting pollinators. They are easy to grow, even from seed, are edible, and again, make beautiful cut flowers that last in the home.

These cottage garden classics are more than just pretty. They’re nectar-rich and they also self-seed, if allowed, which means you’ll get free flowers again next year. They are annuals, but behave almost like short-lived perennials if you leave them be. As the flowers fade, they form seedheads, and if conditions are good, you’ll find that they germinate naturally in the following autumn or spring.

Why pollinators love Cornflowers:

• Nectar-rich blooms – Cornflowers produce high-sugar nectar, a key energy source for bees, hoverflies, and butterflies
• Accessible flower structure – the open, daisy-like flower shape, with a central disk and flat landing platform provides easy access
• Long blooms – Cornflowers begin flowering in late spring to mid-summer (and sometimes longer with regular dead-heading), filling a gap for pollinators before autumn-flowering plants take over
• Dual-purpose resources – Cornflowers don’t just provide a lot of nectar, they are also a good source for protein-rich pollen which bees use to feed their young
• Bright blue colour – Pollinators, especially bees, are attracted to blue and violet tones. Cornflowers, although available in multiple shades, often come in a vivid blue, which is one of the most bee-visible colours you can add to your garden

I managed to grow my Cornflowers from seed this year, without a greenhouse. I sowed some indoors, on a sunny windowsill, and others I sowed direct in the ground. Both methods produced plants.

Who visits?

• Honeybees
• Bumblebees
• Solitary bees
• Hoverflies
• Butterflies (occasionally)
• Moths (occasionally)

3. Cosmos

One of my all-time favourite flowers is also loved by the bees. Cosmos are such hard-working plants, blooming all summer long and into autumn. Their long stems and ferny foliage means they fit perfectly in any border, or patio container, and they are an essential food source for bees, hoverflies, and butterflies.

There are lots of varieties – all stunning – and again, they make perfect cut flowers for inside the home too. One thing to note, however, is that double and heavily ruffled varieties are beautifully frilly, but bees often struggle to access the center. If pollinators are a priority, go for single-flowered cosmos or open semi-doubles.

Why pollinators love Cosmos:

• Long flowering season – from midsummer until frost
• Constant nectar availability – especially when deadheaded
• Open flowers – perfect landing pads
• Tolerant of heat and drought – keeps blooming when other nectar plants may flag

Who visits?

• Bumblebees
• Honeybees
• Solitary bees
• Hoverflies
• Butterflies

4. Verbena Bonariensis

Tall, airy, and ethereal, Verbena Bonariensis creates vertical movement in a border and draws pollinators like a magnet. The clusters of tiny, purple flowers sit on top of elegant long stems, growing to head-height, and making them irresistible to butterflies and bees.

Not technically a traditional cottage-garden flower, Verbena Bonariensis has earned it’s place as a modern classic, thanks to its ecological value and self-seeding habit.

Deadheading encourages further blooms, but once it gets to autumn – leave the seed heads as food for the birds.

Why pollinators love Verbena Bonariensis:

• Long flowering period – June to October (or even longer in some regions)
• Nectar-rich flowers – small but plentiful
• Elevated flower heads – easy for insects to spot and access
• Open structure – no crowding, no barriers
• Mass planting = maximum impact

Who visits Verbena?

• Butterflies
• Bumblebees
• Honeybees
• Solitary bees
• Hoverflies

5. Buddleja

I couldn’t do a post about pollinator-friendly plants without mentioning Buddleja… more commonly known as the ‘Butterfly Bush’, and it’s clear how it has earned that name. Butterflies love buddleja because it’s packed with nectar, smells amazing, blooms at the right time, and gives them easy, efficient feeding. It’s also a prolific self-seeder, and grows like a weed. You may find that you have some in your garden already.

Although beautiful, buddleja can get tall, leggy and out of control quite quickly. It responds well to being cut back hard – so it’s worth keeping it in check, or it will outgrow its space. However, it thrives in poor soil and is draught-tolerant once established, so it’s still very easy to grow.

Why pollinators love Buddleja:

• High nectar yield – one of the best
• Strong fragrance – helps pollinators locate it
• Long bloom period – from July to September
• Multiple flower spikes per plant – lots of feeding stations
• Works in full sun – where butterflies prefer to feed

Who visits?

• Butterflies
• Bumblebees
• Honeybees
• Moths
• Hoverflies

The most common type of Buddleja in the UK is Buddleja Davidii… found growing everywhere, from gardens, to wasteland, to railway embankments. Other popular cultivars to look at include ‘Black Knight’, a deep violet-purple, intense colour, ‘White Profusion’ – bright white flowers, and ‘Pink Delight’ a soft pink variety. There is also the ‘Buzz’ series, which are compact hybrids and good for container-growing.

There are so many other options for pollinator-friendly plants, but these five easy-growers are a great starting point.

Sign up so that you don’t miss future gardening updates…