
About
#BulbsForBees
To celebrate 35 years of Gaisce – The President’s Award and to protect one of the most important players in the climate change battle, we have a special Gaisce challenge for you. We’re asking everyone in Ireland to plant pollinator-friendly bulbs to help safeguard the future of our vital bee population. It’s that simple.
📲 Tag us @GaisceAward and use #BulbsForBees
Why #BulbsForBees is important 🐝
While small and often overlooked, bees play a significant role in the pollination of vital food crops. It’s estimated that one third of the food we consume each and every day, relies on pollination by bees. Pollinator friendly bulbs provide these hard little workers with a world of sweet, sugary, carbohydrate-rich nectar, which they depend on for energy.
One third of our bee species is threatened with extinction in Ireland. This is because we have drastically reduced the amount of flowers they eat and places where they can safely nest.
Get involved in Gaisce’s special challenge today: #BulbsForBees
An tábhacht atá le #BulbsForBees 🐝
Cé go bhfuil siad beag agus go ndéanaimid dearmad orthu go minic, tá ról suntasach ag beacha i bpailniú na gcineálacha bia is tábhachtaí. Meastar go mbraitheann aon trian den bhia a ithimid gach lá ar phailniú beach. Soláthraíonn bleibeanna a thaitníonn le pailneoirí flúirse neachtair atá milis, siúcraithe agus saibhir i gcarbaihiodráití, agus braitheann na beacha air chun fuinneamh a fháil.
Tá an baol ann anois in Éirinn go gcaillfimid trian dár speiceas beiche. An chúis leis sin ná go bhfuil líon na mbláthanna a thaitníonn leo agus na háiteanna inar féidir leo nead a dhéanamh go sábháilte laghdaithe go mór againn.
Glac páirt inniu i ndúshlán speisialta Gaisce: #BulbsForBees
How can I take part today? 🐝
Taking part in #BulbsForBees is easy! Gaisce – The President’s Award is asking people across Ireland to plant a pollinator friendly bulb in whatever patch they have (garden, pot, planter or field!) Simply plant a pollinator friendly bulb in a pot, a container or directly into the soil in your garden.
If you are a community or youth group, you can call into your local development office to collect bulbs free of charge which have been made available with support from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth. A full list of participating Irish Local Development Network pick-up points are available here.
Get the best from your bulbs! 🌱
- Bulbs can be planted in a pot, a window box or container or directly into the soil.
- Ensure that bulbs have good drainage and access to sunlight to ensure a full bloom in the Spring.
- Prepare and loosen the soil and place the bulb with its pointy end up and roots down.
- As a general rule, bulbs should be planted 2 to 3 times as deep as the bulb is tall.
- Newly planted bulbs will be thirsty so give them a good watering!
- These hardy bulbs will return year after year meaning you will get lots of enjoyment from one season of planting.
Conas is féidir liom a bheith páirteach inniu? 🐝
Is furasta a bheith páirteach in #BulbsForBees! Iarrann Gaisce – Gradam an Uachtaráin ar dhaoine ar fud na hÉireann bleib a thaitníonn le pailneoirí a chur i cibé píosa talún atá acu (gairdín, pota, soitheach plandaí nó páirc!)
Más ball de ghrúpa pobail nó óige thú, is féidir leat glaoch isteach i d’oifig forbartha áitiúil chun bleibeanna a bhailiú saor in aisce. Cuireadh na bleibeanna seo ar fáil le tacaíocht ón Roinn Leanaí, Comhionannais, Míchumais, Lánpháirtíochta agus Óige. Gheofar liosta iomlán de na pointí bailithe i Líonra Forbartha Áitiúíl na hÉireann anseo.
Bain gach taitneamh as do bhleibeanna! 🌱
- Is féidir bleibeanna a chur i bpota, i mbosca fuinneoige nó i gcoimeádán nó go díreach isteach san ithir.
- Déan cinnte go bhfuil draenáil mhaith agus solas na gréine le fáil ag na bleibeanna chun go mbláthóidh siad san earrach.
- Ullmhaigh agus bris suas an ithir. Cuir an bhleib agus a ceann ag gobadh aníos agus na fréamhacha i dtreo na talún.
- Mar riail ghinearálta, ba chóir bleibeanna a chur a dhá nó a trí huaire níos doimhne ná airde na bleibe.
- Beidh tart ar bhleibeanna nua-churtha agus mar sin uiscigh go maith iad!
- Fásfaidh na bleibeanna crua seo bliain i ndiaidh bliana, ionas go mbeidh bláthanna agat arís agus arís eile as bleib a chuirtear uair amháin.
Know your pollinator friendly bulbs

#BulbsForBees is a nationwide pollination project being run by Gaisce – The President’s Award and is approved by the All Ireland Pollinator Plan! The All Ireland Pollinator plan is run through the National Biodiversity Data Centre, and is all about coming together to try to create an island where pollinators can survive and thrive.
The All Ireland Pollinator plan have approved the following pollinator bulbs as appropriate for planting September-October 2021:
You can also be in with a chance to WIN an exclusive signed copy of Our Wild World if you post about planting your bulb and where using #BulbsForBees and tagging @GaisceAward before October 21st. Scroll down for competition details below too!
Crocus Tommasinianus Barr’s Purple
Barr’s Purple’ has rich purple-lilac flowers, silvery outside, with orange stigmas and stamens. It has tufted green leaves with a central silvery-white stripe. They grow well in a sunny spot, or under deciduous shrubs. They grow well in most soil types, once they are not too wet for too long. This variety of crocus is a good source of pollen for honeybees early in the season.
Flowers in February – Approx. 10 cm in height

Allium Moly
Otherwise known as “Yellow Garlic”, this is a popular ornamental onion, and certainly one of the easiest to grow. It bears bright yellow, star-shaped flowers which are attractive to bees and other pollinators. Grow Allium moly in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. It’s well suited to growing in a mixed herbaceous border and also beneath trees and shrubs.
Flowers June – July – approx. 25 cm in height

Muscari Armeniacum
Otherwise known as Grape Hyacinth – a good supply of nectar which attracts the butterflies and bees. M. Armeniacum is a strong-growing bulbous perennial, with narrow, arching green leaves and erect stems bearing dense spikes of deep violet-blue, egg-shaped flowers. They grow well in a sun or semi shade area and are a super at naturalising!
Flowers in March/April – approx. 15 cm in height

I’m in a Youth or Community Group 🐝
📲 If you are a community or youth group, you can call into your local development office to collect bulbs free of charge which have been made available with support from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth. A full list of participating Irish Local Development Network pick-up points are available by clicking below ⬇️

📸 ‘Bulbs For Bees’ Photography Competition 🐝
Submit your photograph to be in with a chance to win a #BulbsForBees prize pack with Gaisce – The President’s Award 📸
Celebrating Gaisce – The President’s Award’s 35th anniversary and nationwide #BulbsForBees campaign, we are calling on all budding photographers across the country to snap their best bulb selfie to be in with a chance of winning a special #BulbsForBees prize pack!
The theme of the competition is “Safeguarding the Future of our Bee Population” and we will be picking 3 winners to be announced on the 21st of October who have impressed us with their planting, eco-activist and photography skills!
We want to see our pollinators at work – so whether that’s a photo of you in the mud planting your bulbs or a snap to highlight the work you’ve already done in your back yard or balcony to promote pollination – we want to hear about it!
To enter simply email your best photo to competitions@gaisce.ie by Monday 18th October at midnight and don’t forget to include your name, location, contact number and a title for your photograph!
Winning photographs will also be displayed at the Gaisce – The President’s Award offices in Phoenix Park, Dublin as well as on our website and social media channels.
‘Bulbs For Bees’ Weekly Prize Packs up for grabs!
Use #BulbsForBees on Instagram or Twitter to be in with a chance to win a #BulbsForBees prize pack each week from now until the end of October with Gaisce – The President’s Award 📸
Celebrating Gaisce – The President’s Award’s 35th anniversary and nationwide #BulbsForBees campaign, we are calling on everyone to show us your bulbs!
Every week we’ll enter all those who have tweeted/instagrammed using #BulbsForBees into a randomised generator, and you could bee in with a chance to win a signed copy of Éanna Ní Lamhna’s new book Our Wild World, additional bulbs, and lots more Gaisce swag!
Share where you’ve planted your bulb or tell us a little bit about why you care about saving Ireland’s bees population or why pollination is important. All entries will be considered whether there is a photograph you have taken attached or not.
To enter: Tag @GaisceAward in your social media, use #BulbsForBees
Winners: Winners will be chosen each Thursday from a randomised generator. Winners will be contacted directly by direct message or underneath the photo/post in question and informed. They don’t have to accept the prize!

Frequently Asked Questions 🐝
Ceisteanna Coitianta 🐝


Have questions or a query about #BulbsForBees? Firstly, check out our FAQ section above! If it’s not answered there, we are happy to help. Email our team today 💌 comms@gaisce.ie.

For all press/ media enquiries please contact Niamh Dillon, Communications and Digital Media Officer Gaisce – The President’s Award
Email: niamh@gaisce.ie 💌
Phone: 087 7142495

© 2023 Gaisce – Gradam an Uachtaráin, The President’s Award is a company limited by guarantee (CRO 251020) and with a CHY and CRA number (8482 and 20020903 respectively)