Each year we sow two strips of annual ornamental wild flowers in the meadow in front of the cottage.  We buy the seed from Pictorial Meadows.  

These strips provide a rich variety of annual flowers which provide a succession of  sources of nectar and pollen for a wide range of bees and other insects.  Probably no surprise that we have a bumble bee nest between the strips!

The flowers attract a wide range of insects, on the left above is a Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidaruius) on a Blue Cornflower.  The picture on the right is another Bumblebee species which has a nest between the two strips of flowers, probably in an old mouse hole.

Annual wild flower seeds from Pictorial Meadows are not only beautiful to look at, but are also great for our bees and insects. Pictured below are their Classic Mix (left) and their Candy mix (right).