Sketchnote: Encouraging bees to thrive

The clocks have sprung forward and, as the world around us springs to life, we’re really looking forward to getting out and about amongst nature.

At Lim, we’re big believers in the power of the great outdoors and how it contributes to our overall health and feeling of well-being. This is especially true for Ellie Pritchard, who’s big on gardening. This month, Ellie has been looking at the vital role bees play in the garden.

As a community gardener in her spare time, Ellie knows only too well that bees have an important part to play in maintaining our planet. That’s why she’s drawn an infographic based on simple things we can do to make our outdoor spaces bee friendly. Ellie’s inspiration has come from first-hand experience and also from a podcast by The Kitchen Garden Magazine where the editor, Steve Ott, explains why our black and yellow fuzzy friends are struggling and need our help.

Here’s Ellie to give you the lowdown.

'I’ve been a community gardener for about four years. Working on a green space with others brings a social element and it’s great for relieving stress. It also keeps me physically active which is brilliant if I’ve been visualising all day. The title of this podcast really appealed to me because I know bees are having a pretty hard time at the moment – with a changing climate and increasing habitat loss, it’s no wonder they’re struggling to survive. We rely on them so much when it comes to our crops – did you know apples, pears, broccoli, strawberries and tomatoes all rely on the pollination of bees and other insects? It’s up to us to protect and support them whenever we can – their existence is vital for our own survival.

Even if you don’t have a garden, you could create a mini meadow through planters on your patio, porch, balcony or window box.'

Take a look at the visual for Ellie's key takeaways on encouraging bees to thrive.

This episode is called 199 | Bring on the bees | Kitchen Garden Podcast

You can listen here.