Garden paints brand Cuprinol Garden Shades is buzzing to announce the appointment of its first resident beekeeper and honeybees in collaboration with pollinator protection initiative Bee1. This comes as part of their long-term partnership raising awareness of the decline of bees and pollinators by encouraging people in the UK to fill their gardens – from their flowerbeds to garden sheds – with a kaleidoscope of colour to help encourage pollinators.
Bees and pollinators are important factors for biodiversity, as well as for the economy. Declining bee populations in the UK – attributed to factors like land use, habitat loss, disease, pesticides, farming practices, pollution, invasive species, and climate change – are concerning, as bees contribute almost £700 million annually to the economy and perform 80% of pollination which includes one-third of the food we eat1. Statistics also show that in 24 years, the UK has 13 lost species of bees with a further 35 considered under threat of extinction2.
This honey-sweet collaboration aims to drive biodiversity on a local level whilst encouraging the public to follow suit, making an impact on a national one. Founder of Bee1, and Cuprinol Garden Shades’ new resident beekeeper, Mark Douglas, has been fostering biodiversity through the technicolour decoration of his own apiary, which have created happier and more comfortable environments for the nation’s most prolific pollinators.
Building on research which shows that bees are attracted to bright colours as they serve as visual cues for them, Cuprinol Garden Shades and Bee1 are coming together to create suitable homes at their site in South Wales Valleys – allowing bee, bug and butterfly populations to thrive and grow, while encouraging us to do the same at home. The collaboration seeks to further support Cuprinol Garden Shades’ wider manifesto that encourages people in the UK to see there is more to life outdoors, inspiring us all to connect with nature by relaxing, learning and entertaining in our gardens.
Cuprinol Garden Shades has sponsored two double long hives, with each containing around 10,000 honeybees. Resident beekeeper Mark estimates each colony of bees will pollinate around 200 million plants, flowers and fruit within a three mile radius of his farm – the equivalent of 7 plants for every UK household.
Mark has found the colours of the Cuprinol Garden Shades used to paint the outside of hives and bug hotels particularly influential:
“There’s been great research into the fact bees are very perceptive to colour, and we know this through centuries of natural selection; the gorgeous flowers in our gardens have evolved to be as bright and beautiful as possible in order to attract such pollinators,” Mark explains.
“We decided to apply this knowledge when painting the outside of our beehives. We want to encourage the return of bees to our 800-acre heritage site of hives, and since using the Cuprinol Garden Shades range to rejuvenate them into a rainbow of colours, we have seen an uplift in the number of happy bees calling our hives, home.”
Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Cuprinol, adds:
“Our Cuprinol Garden Shades colour selection is inspired by nature, celebrating the wonderful spectrum of colours provided by nature’s own colour palette. It’s so heart-warming to see them used in a way that not only celebrates the environment but encourages it to thrive, honouring a life outdoors across the board.”
