Ten flowering herbs and perennials for a sunny, freely draining border, with an open front and repeated summer colour.
The selection shares a sunny, draining site. Chives start the recorded season, followed by overlapping herbs and flowering perennials. Leave some herb stems unharvested so they can flower.
The plant choices draw on published guidance. The combination and layout are design suggestions, not a trialled plant community or a guarantee of pollinator numbers. [1] [2]
These are the original catalogue months, shown as a planning guide. Sources may use broader seasons or different regional dates. Weather, plant age and management affect actual flowering.
Swipe the calendar to see all months
| Plant | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Eryngium planum | January: no flowering recorded | February: no flowering recorded | March: no flowering recorded | April: no flowering recorded | May: no flowering recorded | June: recorded flowering | July: recorded flowering | August: no flowering recorded | September: no flowering recorded | October: no flowering recorded | November: no flowering recorded | December: no flowering recorded |
| 2 Achillea millefolium | January: no flowering recorded | February: no flowering recorded | March: no flowering recorded | April: no flowering recorded | May: no flowering recorded | June: recorded flowering | July: recorded flowering | August: recorded flowering | September: recorded flowering | October: recorded flowering | November: no flowering recorded | December: no flowering recorded |
| 3 Nepeta cataria | January: no flowering recorded | February: no flowering recorded | March: no flowering recorded | April: no flowering recorded | May: no flowering recorded | June: recorded flowering | July: recorded flowering | August: recorded flowering | September: recorded flowering | October: no flowering recorded | November: no flowering recorded | December: no flowering recorded |
| 4 Salvia nemorosa | January: no flowering recorded | February: no flowering recorded | March: no flowering recorded | April: no flowering recorded | May: no flowering recorded | June: recorded flowering | July: recorded flowering | August: recorded flowering | September: recorded flowering | October: no flowering recorded | November: no flowering recorded | December: no flowering recorded |
| 5 Lavandula angustifolia | January: no flowering recorded | February: no flowering recorded | March: no flowering recorded | April: no flowering recorded | May: no flowering recorded | June: recorded flowering | July: recorded flowering | August: no flowering recorded | September: no flowering recorded | October: no flowering recorded | November: no flowering recorded | December: no flowering recorded |
| 6 Salvia officinalis | January: no flowering recorded | February: no flowering recorded | March: no flowering recorded | April: no flowering recorded | May: no flowering recorded | June: recorded flowering | July: recorded flowering | August: no flowering recorded | September: no flowering recorded | October: no flowering recorded | November: no flowering recorded | December: no flowering recorded |
| 7 Hyssopus officinalis | January: no flowering recorded | February: no flowering recorded | March: no flowering recorded | April: no flowering recorded | May: no flowering recorded | June: no flowering recorded | July: recorded flowering | August: recorded flowering | September: recorded flowering | October: no flowering recorded | November: no flowering recorded | December: no flowering recorded |
| 8 Origanum vulgare | January: no flowering recorded | February: no flowering recorded | March: no flowering recorded | April: no flowering recorded | May: no flowering recorded | June: recorded flowering | July: recorded flowering | August: recorded flowering | September: recorded flowering | October: no flowering recorded | November: no flowering recorded | December: no flowering recorded |
| 9 Thymus pulegioides | January: no flowering recorded | February: no flowering recorded | March: no flowering recorded | April: no flowering recorded | May: no flowering recorded | June: recorded flowering | July: recorded flowering | August: recorded flowering | September: recorded flowering | October: no flowering recorded | November: no flowering recorded | December: no flowering recorded |
| 10 Allium schoenoprasum | January: no flowering recorded | February: no flowering recorded | March: no flowering recorded | April: no flowering recorded | May: recorded flowering | June: recorded flowering | July: recorded flowering | August: no flowering recorded | September: no flowering recorded | October: no flowering recorded | November: no flowering recorded | December: no flowering recorded |
| Species recorded in flower | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Months with no recorded flowers: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec.
The recorded selection covers late spring to autumn, with its strongest overlap in summer. Add a separate spring-flowering planting for earlier forage; this border does not provide flowers all year.
Use a broad border with taller clumps behind a low, open edge. Repeat small groups as space allows, using the mature spread of the plants you buy to set distances.
Keep height behind the open front.
Repeat groups along the border.
Leave the thyme exposed to light.
Conceptual arrangement, not to scale. Choose quantities and spacing from the available area and mature plant spread.
Water during establishment. Give chives the fresher part of the bed; keep lavender and thyme out of winter-wet pockets. Control self-seeding catnip and spreading oregano as needed.
Every plant links to its existing database profile. Original nectar and pollen ratings remain on those profiles; the references here do not certify those numeric values.
Upright sea-holly accents
A sunny, dry-tolerant position with good drainage.
Catalogue flowering: Jun–Jul
RHS includes Eryngium planum in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies, pollinators.
Yarrow flower platforms
Full sun and a draining soil; allow room for spreading clumps.
Catalogue flowering: Jun–Oct
RHS includes Achillea millefolium in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies, pollinators.
Catnip flower spikes
Good drainage; give relief from intense afternoon heat in hot locations.
Catalogue flowering: Jun–Sep
RHS includes Nepeta species in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies, moths.
Repeated flowering sage
Sun and a draining soil that can retain some moisture.
Catalogue flowering: Jun–Sep
RHS includes Salvia species in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies, hummingbirds.
Lavender framework
Good drainage is essential; avoid a persistently wet root zone.
Catalogue flowering: Jun–Jul
Listed as attracting: butterflies, pollinators.
Sage allowed to bloom
A sunny, freely draining place; retain some flowering shoots.
Catalogue flowering: Jun–Jul
RHS includes Salvia species in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies.
Later hyssop spikes
Sun and draining soil; suitable for the drier part of the border.
Catalogue flowering: Jul–Sep
RHS includes Hyssopus officinalis in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies, hummingbirds.
Oregano flowering patches
Sun and good drainage; keep spreading growth within its patch.
Catalogue flowering: Jun–Sep
RHS includes Origanum vulgare in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies, moths, pollinators.
Low thyme edge
Full sun and draining soil, with taller plants kept back.
Catalogue flowering: Jun–Sep
RHS includes Thymus pulegioides in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies.
Chive flower clusters
Use the fresher, draining end of the border and let some clumps flower.
Catalogue flowering: May–Jul
RHS includes Allium species in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.
Listed as attracting: pollinators.
General guidance supports the design principles. Plant references support individual traits or recorded flower visitors. A source does not endorse this complete planting recipe. Review date: 2026-09-08.
Recommends plants across seasons and simple, accessible flowers. This is general planting guidance, not a trial of these combinations.
Match plants to local growing conditions and native ranges, provide nesting habitat and avoid pesticide exposure.
Recommended pollinator plants; some entries apply to a whole genus.
Growing conditions and reported flower visitors for the named plant.
Recommended pollinator plants; some entries apply to a whole genus.
Growing conditions and reported flower visitors for the named plant.
Recommended pollinator plants; some entries apply to a whole genus.
Growing conditions and reported flower visitors for the named plant.
Growing conditions and reported flower visitors for the named plant.
Growing conditions and reported flower visitors for the named plant.
Growing conditions and reported flower visitors for the named plant.
Growing conditions and reported flower visitors for the named plant.
Growing conditions and reported flower visitors for the named plant.
Growing conditions and reported flower visitors for the named plant.
Growing conditions and reported flower visitors for the named plant.