Flower shapes - umbellifers

Flower shapes - Umbellifers

To enhance the biodiversity of insects you can maximise pollen and nectar available in your garden with a variety of flower shapes. 

Umbrella-like flower heads with many small flowers in a cluster. The flowers are shallow so they openly present nectar. Convenient for the lighter weight insects such as hoverflies and lacewings which love them and their larvae helpfully eat aphids. Also visited by solitary bees rather than the larger bumble bees. 

Astrantia

Pin cushion shaped flowers available in a range of colours. Also happy in partial shade. 

Bishops flower (Ammi majus)

Annual with dainty white flowers that look like lacework. 

Sedum or stonecrop (Hylotelephium telephium)

Brilliant for late summer and autumn colour and nectar. On a sunny day they are literally buzzing with life.

Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)

Wild form of the cultivated eating carrot, large flowers are a purple colour to start and then open up to white. The seedheads make attractive winter interest. 

Yarrow (Achillea filipendulina)

Large flat heads of small flowers in yellow or white.