Bee-Friendly Planting In London

[djg]

I realise that combining Local Government, horticulture (and the BBKA!) on this Forum carries a risk of immediate defenestration, but here goes…..

With Boris’s “Capital B” programme underway and the general rise in popularity of the craft of Beekeeping, it is reasonable to anticipate that there will be more bee colonies foraging in London than in recent years. In sympathy with many experienced London beekeepers, like John Chapple, I am concerned that the adequacy of London’s forage may become an issue in the years ahead.

To that end, I have been communicating with my local Council to encourage them to embed a protocol of Bee-Friendly plant procurement into their working practices. Specifically, I have e-mailed the Excel file version of the BBKA’s Bee-Friendly Plant List to all my Council contacts and have encouraged them to pass that information on to their public realm plant purchasing managers.

I would welcome any suggestions from Forum members with “inside” experience of local government as to how best to promote that agenda internally, with the intention that proper consideration of Bee-Friendly Planting should become part of a Council’s “best practice” protocol.

I have also just been informed that my application to my local Council for “Cleaner, Greener, Safer” funding for providing Bee-Friendly Plantings in a recently-renovated local Park has been successful. The CGS funding expires in 2 years’ time and has to be applied to 2 Community “Events”, as outlined in my application.

My intention is to aim for Easter 2013 for a community Bee-Friendly Planting Event, so that Community / Council / Beekeepers / Horticulturalists / Guerilla Gardeners can all pitch in together. (I think that it is too late to bring that all together this Spring and then get the planting done). So far, I’ve drafted a statement of objectives, listing local groups who will be able to participate in the Event and co-ordination with Council etc and the involvement of local businesses to pick up the funding for an annual Event once the CGS funding has gone.

So now I’m appealing to Forum members for any advice or specialist knowledge to offer on such topics as municipal Bee-Friendly plantings, optimal urban forage, running community Events focused on the welfare of bees etc

Thanks in advance !

 

[psafloyd]

Check these out:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01cktgq

http://www.sarahraven.com/beesbutterfliesblooms

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/...es-Butterflies-and-Blooms-BBC-Two-review.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-14225248

http://press.rhs.org.uk/RHS-Science-and-Advice/Press-releases/Get-Your-Garden-Buzzing.aspx

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Sustainable-gardening/Plants-for-pollinators

The TV programme had the effect of making my allotment neighbour (a man in his 70s who has done it forever) to plant single dahlias and other flowers instead of his normal choices in order to encourage more pollinators. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Good old Brian.

 

[johnandyrob]

I tried some thing similar last year or even the year before with Durham county council and hit a brick wall. I first saw this type of thing with Newcastle City council who intended to open up sites, plant bee friendly plants and limit or stop using pesticides. Newcastle council were in the process of consulting with Newcastle beekeepers association and ecologists to see how best to go about this before rolling it out as a blue print for other local councils. I was in contact with some one at Newcastle bka and Im sure if you get in touch they will update you and may be give you a few pointers.

 

[psafloyd]

Contact Sustain, as they were running the Capital Bee programme.

 

[djg]

Thanks, psafloyd - I love the fact that your sources have real "authority" and thus instant credibility for a Council employee. I'm sure that information in them will be great for the community Events, too !

I will take a detailed look when I get home....

 

[psafloyd]

Thanks, psafloyd - I love the fact that your sources have real "authority" and thus instant credibility for a Council employee. I'm sure that information in them will be great for the community Events, too !

I will take a detailed look when I get home....

Try contacting Sarah Raven as well. She might be interested in what you are doing.


Where in Lomdon are you?

 

[djg]

Thanks, likewise, johnandyrob. I agree that if someone could establish a proper best-practice blue print for Councils, as you and the Newcastle BKA attempted, we would all benefit...

 

[djg]

psafloyd

Bermondsey. 500m away from Tower Bridge (and City Hall, whoever's mayor next month).

I should find out more about Sarah Raven (maybe ask the ravens at the Tower of London?)

Thanks again

 

[Tom Bick]

You have to divide London into two areas djb.

Inner London and Greater London

Inner London the area you ( I assume your hives are close to SE1) and John manage your hives this part of London is under more demand for forage with all the new beekeepers and for sure planting of bee friendly plants, shrubs and trees can make a huge increase in forage for bees and as important all the other solitary bees. Bumblebees and butterflies.

Greater London beekeeping have on the whole more open space for the bees and other insects but the same still applies that park and street seasonal planting, the planting of shrubs and trees will also make a big difference to available forage for the bees.

I know of two parks that have stopped cutting the grass in areas apart from twice a year at spring and again autumn after the seeds have set so wild flowers and grasses can grow unchecked and can look fantastic and alive with insect. They can at times look a bit un-kept and that may not go down well with the well healed central London sect?

Also and this may be an economic decision or an insect beneficial decision but the grass verges don’t get cut until the dandelions have stopped flowering. Dandelions on mass look fantastic and great for insects at this time of year. I have also noticed the grass in the parks left longer before cuts so you see far more clover as it has time to flower

I think less cutting of the grass has to save money and be beneficial to insects its just that we have to get use to it.

Good look it will change but will take time

 

[nelletap]

A point made in a blog I follow was that a bee goes out to look for forage from one plant - if there is a tract of mixed bee friendly plants, unless it is sufficiently large, then it may not be energy efficient for the bees to work - they may expend too much energy finding enough of the one variety. This seems a sensible point which in some council based areas could be used to add an architectural drama. They could deliberately have a mass planting of one bee friendly plant in one section of verge and another coloured bee friendly plant elsewhere. I've just come back from the convention. One farmer had a verge planted with bulbs - daffodils - rather than 'meadow flowers' which reminded me how beautiful many bulbs are and how they can multiply - so areas which remain undisturbed could more economically be planted with things like alliums, perhaps. I can imagine a wide verge with a lavender hedge and then a sea of alliums as well as possibly some bulbs or plants that would give later flowers would be great. Allium flowers last a long time.
Tricia

 

[drstitson]

councils could save money AND help bees by not cutting and/or spraying roadside verges at every opportunity.

In SW london the dandelions were cut before they'd had a chance to fully open. then the kerbs were sprayed a week later.

 

[edibleurban]

to this discussion as the person who runs the sustain campaign to support bees in the capital. Its great to hear that so many people and organisations are involved in planting forage. I echo the previous person, Inner London is a big issue. I would love to know about the CGS project and offer support to people wanting to plant forage and support bees. Mikey at sustainweb dot org

 

[alanf]

councils could save money AND help bees by not cutting and/or spraying roadside verges at every opportunity.

In SW london the dandelions were cut before they'd had a chance to fully open. then the kerbs were sprayed a week later.

I wouldn't put a great deal of faith in some council contractors being able or willing to keep to any specific regime. Near my mum's they mowed the daffodils before they flowered.

 

[djg]

I am pleased to report that Southwark Council delivered its Cleaner, Greener, Safer (CGS)-funded "Bee-Friendly" planting of 363 plants and bulbs (11 each of 33 plant varieties) selected from the RHS bee-friendly list. Local volunteers pitched in to get the job done last Thursday - many thanks to all concerned !

The only disappointments were (1) the Council unilaterally picked a day on which I was unable to attend and (2) apparently, the budget did not stretch to dressing the plantings with an enriching and water-retaining layer of compost (although the standard layer of municipal woodchip is better than nothing).

But the outcome is that there are more bee-friendly plants in Southwark and that awareness has been raised at the Council and amongst local people. So I would urge London's urban beekeepers to seek out any available grants for planting bee-forage, but, more importantly, to lobby your local councillors and Parks / Public Realm Officers to ensure that they are aware of the various Bee-friendly planting lists (BBKA, RHS et al) and that the procurement protocol for municipal plants includes a requirement that at least 50% of all plants should be sourced from an approved "bee-friendly" list.

While a gentle hysteria mounts in the Press about forage for the Capital's bees (poor management of the message by the publicity-hungry LBKA has not helped), plugging away at local Councils to adopt long-term, bee-friendly planting protocols seems to me to be a far more practical solution for London's beekeepers.

 

[Mike E]

Thank you for undertaking all this work on behalf of the bees. I think it would also be very good to contact the Royal Parks with all the information you have put together. This year they planted, for the first time, a few mini meadows in Hyde Park; I was told by one of the Head Gardeners there that this was a special initiative for the Olympics; he was not sure whether it would be continued. I have written to them to encourage this, but more feedback from others would surely strengthen the case.
Generally, the seasonal planting in the Royal Parks was excellent this year; but there is always room for more. All the best for your fantastic endeavour.

Heidi

 

[itma]

I understand that specific (officially-selected-for-pollinators) seed mixtures were created for the Olympic Park.
Perhaps it might be an idea for local councils to piggyback on the work done (and funded) under Olympic budgets ...

Canterbury had an initiative ("Canterbury in Bloom") specifically including pollinator-friendly maintenance practices for council-owned (and managed) land - which was in part aiming at 'sustainable' practices (plantings requiring less management, better and cheaper, etc).
It might be well worth seeing what lessons they have learned over the past year - and which might help others with similar ideals (or hurdles).

 

[Dishmop]

Norwich council has a policy of leaving some areas like road side banks and parts of school playing area/gardens to grow wild and only cut once a year.

In reality I think they only do it to save money but at least it does achieve something.

Only this year for the first time have I seen my bees looking at any of the plants/flowers in my garden.
They normally leave the hive and fly off to lands far far away of where I know not, and showing their dislike of Ford Fiestas emmiting loud boom boom music.

 

[richardbees]

Totally unscientifically based conjectural suposition is being published on this subject.
Lower yields than normal reported by a majority of new London beekeepers who don't know what normal is!

Considering the June/July rain, I'm surprised how good this year's harvest is!

 

[Polyanwood]

Both the London BKA and the North London BKA are very interested in promoting more forage for pollinators. We already have some companies that are wanting to sponsor planting rather than have bees on their roofs. The BBKA honey survey is due out this week and we expect it to show tiny yields all over, but especially in London, so this will give another boost to the message that we need more forage. Much chat about it on the LBKA facebook page.

 

[djg]

The problem is that the LBKA's "message" is not as simple as "we need more forage". If it were, I would be more inclined to involve them in my forage-increasing activities. (I am a humble LBKA Member, who heard the London forage message from the LBKA's Chair John Chapple, at the same time as all the other Members a couple of years ago)

As it is, the LBKA appears to be just now getting around to talking to companies about sponsoring forage provision. Better late then never....but my Southwark Council plantings are now in the ground, ready to provide forage next Spring!

If the LBKA had spent less time making rudderless representations to the Press, which result in lots of jangling headlines, celebrity photos and laughable mistakes (if you court the press, standard PR tools such as stock of photos to accompany your articles are essential to avoid the howlers of hoverflies illustrating bee stories) and more time actually engaging businesses in supporting forage (rather than waging a war of words in the press with small businesses supplying beekeeping services to companies), then London would already be a better place for bees.

The LBKA has also perplexed me with the speculative assertion that the LBKA does not support urban beehives which are positioned over two storeys high. Criss-crossing the crucial forage message with unsubstantiated bee-keeping chatter undeniably dilutes the key message.

As a beekeeper whose hives sit 4 storeys up, enjoy robust health and produce reliable (per colony) yields, I have to scratch my head and wonder if the LBKA's forage "message" would be clearer if they just got on with it, rather than chatting on their Facebook page!