AS a new campaign is launched to urge gardeners to help bees, let's look at ways to encourage our buzzing friends into the garden

Bee Creative In The Garden! is a new campaign launched by the RHS in collaboration with The Wildlife Trusts to urge gardeners to help protect bees.

Ellie Brodie, senior policy manager of The Wildlife Trusts, says: "Anyone can take action to help wild bees whether you have a wall for vertical planting, window box, or back garden. It's easy to plant a bee haven and fun choosing between bee-friendly beauties such as borage, foxglove and honeysuckle."

The charities will be arming gardeners with the advice, insights and inspiration they need to create habitats that support wild bees as they emerge from their nests in early spring to forage for food.

So, what can we do?

Boost your bee-friendly plant stock

Grow more flowers, shrubs and trees that provide nectar and pollen as food for bees and other pollinators throughout the year - pussy willow, primroses and crocuses in spring, lavenders, meadow cranesbill and ox-eye daisies in summer, ivy and hebes in autumn and mahonia and cyclamen in winter. As a general guide, bees see purple and blue better than other colours and will use their senses to find other colours such as white apple blossom. Different bee species prefer different flower shapes, so aim for a range from tubular-shaped flowers like snapdragons and wallflowers, to open-headed flowers like yarrow and verbena.

Let it grow wild

Leave patches of land to grow wild with plants like stinging nettles and dandelions to provide other food sources (such as leaves for caterpillars) and breeding places for butterflies and moths. Take simple actions to manage your existing land, green spaces and gardens to provide food sources and/or breeding places for pollinators.

Cut grass less often

Native flowering plants in grass areas, field corners, verges and specially sown flower-rich habitats support the greatest diversity of insect pollinators by providing nectar and pollen resources, places to nest or breed, and leaves for caterpillars.

Do not disturb

Avoid disturbing or destroying nesting or hibernating insects in places like grass margins, bare soil, hedgerows, trees, dead wood or walls. Pollinators need to nest in safety so that they and the next generation can survive winter, to start again in the following spring.

Pesticides?

Try to avoid using them. Many people avoid chemicals and adopt methods like physically removing pests or using barriers to deter them. Try to encourage natural predators like beetles.

Build a pond

Dig a garden pond to act as a drinking spot and help biodiversity. Ponds are a magnet for beneficial insects and other wildlife.