Planting non native species may boost local wildlife

As the bumble bees buzz happily around the plum blossom on the tree at my house in NZ I am reminded of how many people there are in New Zealand and Australia who are ripping out "non natives" and planting something with nothing for the bees, like an ornamental grass bed instead. We have gone too far in our puritanical 'native only' approach to planting. We need to mix it up a little so we have some (non invasive) flowering deciduous trees and smaller plants in among the native species in our gardens, for the bees as well as for some seasonal variation, and fresh fruit.

It's the same in the UK. The native planters have done wonderful things in terms of bringing back the hedgerows, but they can be a strident voice at times. As with all things in life we need balance. In the UK we need evergreens, fruiting flowering plants to balance the lack of food at certain times of the year when natives are dormant.

Bees are dying in record numbers. It is time to stop using pesticides in our gardens, and on our crops. The countryside is dying as we kill off everything that gets in the way of profit. As birds are coming back in cities, so we need our urban centres to be a haven for bees and other beneficial insects. One day we will educate the farmers of their need to farm not just  organically, but mindfully. Today let's start at home.

For every action there is a reaction. Let's keep our actions positive.

Time Magazine the Plight of the Honey Bee