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the more widely available chocolate cosmos, Cosmos atrosanguineus.More advice on growing scabiousGrowing scabious for seaside theme.Planting scabious to provide nectar and pollen for bees. Scabious plant inspiration.

they are transformed by the arrival of tonnes of imported topsoil and a bewildering rainbow of garden plants, for Gardeners' World Live.Whilst I was there I was asked to research and create a container of plants to attract wildlife, and despite the rain, it looked

candied stems to decorate cakes. Early flowering and rich in nectar, angelica is a vital food source for early bees and hoverflies. Birds also eat its seeds in autumn.AngelicaCarum carvi is a hardy biennial with feathery bright green leaves. It produces

-favourite feeding places for bees.It's vital you provide flowers throughout the bumblebee's life-cycle, from March to September. It's also a good idea to have at least two nectar- or pollen-rich plants in flower at any one time during this period. The nectar feeds

into the plant and can be present in concentrated forms in the nectar and pollen of flowers. If you do use these chemicals, remove any flowers before they open, as they will also kill any bees that visit them.mint, pennyroyalMay-SeptemberMore pests of herbs

elsewhere. Growing nectar-rich plants is a good way to entice them in, but they won't nest in your flower beds. Butterflies lay eggs in long grass, nettles and thistles (depending on the species), while bumblebees prefer undisturbed messy areas

. There was also a gorgeous sculpture of two boxing hares.Even more traditional ornamental gardens featured relaxed, wildlife-friendly planting. Cleve West's Daily Telegraph Garden was made using reclaimed Cotswold stone and yew hedging, along with nectar

that the plants are providing a late source of nectar and pollen for bees, hoverflies and other pollinators. Soon they'll be plenty of seed for the birds.How are your sunflowers coming along? Have they reached the dizzy height of 2m or more? Do let us know

speciesGrowing plants to attract beesPlanting nectar-rich plants to feed bees and other insectsFind out more about bumblebees with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust

.AdamDeadhead spent flowers regularly to keep the display looking fresh.More on late-summer colourAlan Titchmarsh's tips on growing plants for late-summer colour.Provide late-summer nectar for pollinators.Grow schizostylis for late-summer colour.