Conservation charity, the National Trust for Scotland is urging landsapers to follow its lead and plant patches of wildflowers to boost the bumblebee population.
Wildflowers like bird’s foot trefoil, yellow rattle and red clover were once common in Scotland’s countryside, but have declined in recent years because of changes in agriculture and in the way that roadside verges are cut. These plants are important food sources for many insects, especially bumblebees, whose populations have also been in decline.
The National Trust for Scotland is stepping up its work to create wildflower meadows at many of its properties, including Falkland Palace and Kellie Castle in Fife, the David Livingstone Centre in Blantyre and Inveresk Lodge Garden in Musselburgh. Areas of the grounds, including orchards, will be planted with important native plants to help conserve wildflowers and preserve natural habitats for insects.