Tree for spring blossom to help our bees in the garden 🌸🐝

If you want to help the plight of bees probably the best thing you can do is to plant trees for spring blossom, even one can make a big difference!

My top ten trees for spring blossom for southern areas of the UK (US Zone 9)

🌸Cherry trees, some would argue produce the most beautiful blossom around mid-April in the UK. The genus is ‘Prunus’ with some of the most popular for gardens being the Japanese varieties, eg. Prunus ‘Kojo-no-mai’ perfect for a small garden. 🌸Blackthorn – Prunus spinosa, which produces sloes in autumn used for making sloe gin in the UK. It’s popular as a hedging plant ( it’s thorns are a deterrent!) much prettier than a fence  and perfect to attract birds for nesting. The common name is witches hazel because it is said that witches used to us the branches for making wands! 🌸Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) is also known as Quickthorn. It is native to the UK and makes a perfect hedge with thorny branches. In the spring, Hawthorns produce masses of creamy white, fragranced flowers, followed by shiny, red haws in the autumn – a wonderful shelter for wildlife, much prettier than a fence! 🌸Pear trees (Pyrus)  usually flower in mid-March in the UK. There are various types but the ornamental pear  ‘Chanticleer’ is a popular specimen tree for a small garden, with its gorgeous white blossom. The Common Pear Pyrus communis is native to Europe and is too large for most gardens.There are thousands of cultivated varieties such as ‘Conference’ which produce good fruit. 🌸Plum and damson trees – prunus domestica are a good choice for a medium sized garden. 🌸Crab apples (Malus sylvestris)  is a perfect tree for a small garden. In spring, they produce clouds of blossom, very attractive to pollinators and in autumn the fruits and foliage provide rich autumnal colour and food for birds.  

🌸Apricot trees – Moorpark is the most commonly grown apricot in the UK, but is only reliable in milder areas, a late frost can catch the blossom and ruin the crop.

🌸Wild Cherry – prunus avium produces beautiful blossom and a bounty of bright red fruits adored by birds. It is one of the prettiest native trees in the UK and widely grown in gardens.

🌸Apple – malus if I only had one tree to choose an apple would be it. Great for bees in spring, 🐝reliable fruit in autumn, there’s a variety for every garden… or orchard! 😀🍎 💚

Read more ideas on how to help bees in our gardens here.

For more ideas on trees for your garden we find Barcham Trees really useful.