Review of Pollinator Friendly Gardening by Rhonda Fleming Hayes - The Accidental Smallholder

As fairly novice beekeepers, I’m always keen to learn more about how we can help our buzzy friends and other pollinators, so I was really looking forward to reviewing this book.

I have to say I was a wee bit disappointed that it was written for the American market (not that I have anything against Americans at all). However, although there are differences, many of the plant species were known to me (even if hummingbirds are pretty rare in North East Scotland) and there was enough to keep my interest.

Divided into nine chapters, the book covers not only the provision of food for pollinators, through judicious planting, but also water, shelter and protection.

I was especially inspired by how to feed butterflies – will certainly be doing that this summer – and the pollinator friendly flowering lawn, using plants such as White Stonecrop (Sedum album) and Creeping Red Thyme (Thymus praecox) – which I am hoping to incorporate into the garden. Especially since it doesn’t need mown ☺