Most ornamental plants on sale in garden centres are unattractive to flower-visiting insects.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Gardeners and park managers seeking to support biodiversity in urban areas often plant ornamentals attractive to flower-visiting insects. There is a huge diversity of garden plant varieties, and some recommendations are available as to which are attractive to insects. However, these are largely not based on rigorous empirical data. An important factor in consumer choice is the range of varieties available for purchase. In the UK, garden centres are a key link in the supply chain between growers and private gardens. This study is the first to determine the proportions of flowering ornamentals being sold that are attractive to flower-visiting insects.

Methods

We surveyed six garden centres in Sussex, UK, each over two days in 2015, by making 12 counts of insects vis

SUBMITTER: Garbuzov M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5344017 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature