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Planted traffic islands or flowerbeds along roads bear a great responsibility, not to say a burden: they absorb dust in the midst of car exhaust fumes, their soil absorbs rainwater in the middle of the asphalt surface and releases moisture into the environment.
In order to use these areas as a habitat for insects such as bees, bumblebees and butterflies, traffic islands were deliberately planted with native wild plants. Cornflowers, corn poppies, daisies, mallow and the like provide our insects with valuable food in the form of nectar and pollen. They also brighten our mood with their colorful flowers amidst the dreary gray of the streets.
Did you know?
Traffic island with viper's bugloss.
Bees and butterflies in particular benefit from the abundance of flowers in urban gardens and green spaces - but of course only if the appropriate flowering plants are provided. In addition to seed mixtures that are offered as "bee or butterfly pasture", native perennials are also suitable for insect-friendly gardens. These are long-lived, so they sprout again year after year and are very easy to care for.
Whether daisies, bellflowers or soapwort - if you want to give biodiversity a place in the garden, you should leave the dried stems and seeds standing over the winter and not remove anything from the garden. This is because insects like to overwinter in the cavities. Incidentally, the perennial likes to use its own leaves as fertilizer - so the leaves can be left in the garden.
Portrait: Mallows
Musk mallow.
These insect friends bloom pale pink to deep purple from summer to fall. Mallows (genus Malva) are not very demanding: on dry soils, gravel, embankments and preferably in sunny locations next to fields, meadows and paths, they belong in our native natural landscape.
The wild mallow (Malva sylvestris) - also known as the "cheese poplar" - is one of the oldest known useful plants. It has many medicinal properties, e.g. against flu-like infections or stomach complaints, and its leaves and flowers are edible.
Naturefriends tip
If you want to do something good for insects, find out about so-called butterfly and bee pastures before buying ordinary garden flowers. The choice should primarily fall on native perennials such as helichrysum (Stachys officinalis), meadow sage (Salvia pratensis) and other butterfly and labiate plants. Clover species and composite plants, such as the meadow daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), are also very popular with bees and bumblebees. But be careful! Overbred, double flowers may look extravagant, but they do not provide pollen or nectar as insect food. After all, nature prefers nature - even in the garden.
And another tip: over 20 native butterfly caterpillars develop on stinging nettles - so a nettle corner is a "must" for every natural garden!
