The current moment is not a favourable one for insects dressed in black and yellow. Essential and indispensable for the pollination of flowers, their communities have been declining all over the world. Here, then, is a list (not exhaustive) of some species and flowers you can grow to supply them with pollen and nectar all year round. "The best plants to choose may be those that are also useful for other purposes, such as those used in cooking," suggests Michele Tagliabue, beekeeper and technician at Apilombardia. "And then other plants that are easy to sow and watch grow, to eat and not to eat. All species that, among other things, give wonderful flowers to our balconies and gardens."

Seasonal. First of all, choose seasonal plants and flowers — ones that bloom in spring, summer and autumn. This way you can provide nourishment throughout the entire growing season, boosting the presence of these precious pollinators.

A little of everything. Vary the colours and sizes. Choose flowers and plants of the most varied colours and dimensions. Bees are generalist species, and therefore love a wide variety of flowers. By creating small flower beds of the same plant species, you will help bees recognise them even from long distances.

SPRING

Tulip. Tulipa sp. This is a member of the lily family and one of the very first flowers to bloom in spring. The bulb is planted during the cold season, where it will remain dormant throughout winter. It is a flower with a fascinating history, capable, in the 19th century, of ruining entire noble families, who spent all their wealth just to obtain the rarest bulbs, such as the famous black tulip.

Chives. Allium schoenoprasum. Another member of the lily family, another annual and spontaneous plant that flowers in spring. Its delicate purple blooms are eagerly sought out by insects. It is also grown for culinary use, to flavour a wide range of dishes.

Rosemary. Rosmarinus officinalis. A perennial Mediterranean plant. Hardy and easy to grow, it also tolerates the cold. The small branches with their wonderfully fragrant new leaves flower in spring in shades ranging from pale blue to soft violet. If you approach a shrub on those days, you will literally hear it buzzing.

SUMMER

Borage. Borago officinalis. An annual plant used for a great many purposes, both in agriculture and horticulture as a pest repellent, and in cooking and herbal medicine. Easy to grow, even in pots. The star-shaped flowers of an intense blue attract bees thanks to their exceptionally high nectar content.

Sage. Salvia officinalis. "Chi ha la salvia si salva." So our grandparents used to say. Which speaks volumes about the properties of this perennial. The shrub, if well tended, grows quickly and enjoys full sun. Its blue-violet flowers are gathered at the tip of the stem and are very popular with bees.

Lavender. Lavandula officinalis. A hardy plant that adapts well to the varied climatic conditions of our region. You can indeed find it growing in flowerbeds and public parks. Throughout the summer it will offer you the classic lavender blue-violet, flooding the surrounding area with its fragrance and its endless properties. Grow a shrub of it — the bees will thank you.

Basil. Ocimum basilicum. A well-known and widely used aromatic herb. But did you know it is also very popular with insects and bees? The white flowers bloom in summer and, with their calyx-like shape, seem to issue an invitation to the banquet.

Phlox. Although little known here, these perennials offer such a range of flowers and colours that they make ideal guests for balconies and gardens, even in small flowerbeds. They are ornamental plants that reward you with generous blooms.

AUTUMN

Jerusalem artichoke. Heliantus tuberosus. A member of the sunflower family, this composite plant also grows wild and flowers with its vivid yellow in October, when the days are already growing shorter and colours become more muted. Widely cultivated in pre-Columbian times, it was later used throughout the world for its edible root.

Chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemum sp. A perennial plant, suitable for pot cultivation and resistant to colder climates. In October and November, in temperate climates, it produces flowers in the most varied shades — bright red, golden yellow, lilac. It continues to bring colour to grey November days, already given over to the icy winter ahead. And it continues to nourish the bees before their long sleep.