At Fleur de Brume, a micro plant nursery located in Mellionnec, Central Brittany
Current favourite flowers for insects
organic flowers and wildflowers
Emerald wasps on dill flowers / Guêpe-coucou sur fleurs d’aneth
It seems like a contradiction, cultivating wildflowers. Doesn’t cultivation take the ‘wild’ out of the flower?
I propose flowers with an attention to their beauty and function. Far from domesticating the wild, it is a step to re-wild.
To spread the seeds and make room for plants and the creatures who find food and shelter here. To facilitate novel ecosystems where humans and myriad organisms can thrive. To make the place buzz with the busy sounds of insects, birds, frogs and other kin.
Help insects — grow flowers for them!
A single flower helps. Whether in a small garden, a balcony, or a big field, each holds the potential to support local biodiversity
Stachys byzantina (perennial): Lamb’s ear / Oreille de lapin
Wool carder bees collect the ‘wool’ of this plant for their nest! Flowers in summer. / L’abeille cotonnière récolte le ‘duvet’ des feuilles pour leur nid! Floraison estivale
Learn more
These flowers are valuable for creating pollinator-friendly gardens in a European context. If they capture your imagination and want to learn more, please take a look these initiatives, organic nurseries and seed suppliers, or contact a local organisation for biodiversity in your area.
Ireland: World Bee Sanctuary
The Netherlands: Plant nursery Inhemia
Organic seed supplier: Lottta