As any gardener knows, bees are crucial for pollination, which yields a bountiful harvest of fruits, seeds, flowers, and veggies. While it’s relatively easy to entice bees to visit your garden, creating an environment that welcomes them takes more than just scattering some plants around. It requires a thoughtful approach that balances the needs of both humans and honeybees. A key part of this strategy is incorporating bee-friendly plants into your garden beds.
These aren’t just beneficial for the bees; many varieties also attract other pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds, adding to the garden’s diversity and beauty. When selecting plants, be mindful that some popular options can also help control pests naturally, eliminating the need for harsh chemicals. For instance, ladybugs, spiders, and praying mantises are all natural pest controllers that coexist peacefully with bees.
By combining these elements – bee-friendly plants, natural pest control, and a thoughtful approach to garden design – you’ll be well on your way to creating a thriving, pollinator-rich environment.
Bee-Friendly Plants
Bee Balm
Bee balm, commonly known as monarda, is an irresistible attraction for local bees in your area. As a perennial member of the mint family, this flowering plant produces a stunning array of colors, including red, pink, and purple varieties. With its vibrant blooms flourishing from mid-summer to early fall, bee balm is sure to draw attention – and a buzzing crowd – to your garden or landscape.
Strawberries
Indulging in the sweet pleasure of homegrown strawberries is a delight that transcends species. As the warm summer sun shines down, the tiny white blooms of strawberry plants burst forth, drawing in an array of buzzing admirers – from busy bees to curious kids and enthusiastic homeowners alike.
Lavender
Lavender, a member of the mint family, is a beloved herb that’s easily grown and highly sought after by pollinators like honey bees, bumblebees, and humans alike. Its intoxicating scent draws these visitors from afar, making it an attractive addition to any garden or landscape design. But lavender’s charm doesn’t stop there – its showy flowers and fragrant foliage also attract birds, hummingbirds, and butterflies, making it a hub of activity in the garden.
While many people appreciate lavender for its ornamental value, it also has practical uses as a culinary and medicinal herb.
Summer Squash
When cultivating zucchini, it’s essential to recognize the crucial role that bees play in its growth. As part of the Cucurbita family, zucchini and its relatives are natural magnets for these busy pollinators. In fact, having a diverse array of bee-friendly plants nearby can significantly boost your chances of a bountiful harvest. This is because zucchini, like many other plants, has both male and female flowers that rely on the transfer of pollen between them to produce fruit.
Bees are the perfect facilitators for this process, as they gather pollen from the male flower and transport it to the female flower, allowing for successful pollination. By incorporating a variety of bee-friendly plants into your garden design, you can create an environment that supports these vital pollinators, ultimately ensuring a healthy and thriving harvest.
Cucumbers
One of the most beneficial bee-friendly plants is a type of veggie crop that produces an abundance of flowers, which ultimately lead to the growth of cucumbers. As you observe these blooms, you’ll discover that they’re packed with nectar and pollen – the perfect treats for busy bees seeking to stock their hives with vital nutrients.
White Clover
Among the top bee-friendly plants for your garden, white clover stands out as a notable choice. Also known as Dutch clover, white trefoil, or creeping Trifolium, this cool-season perennial legume thrives in various environments. Its adaptability to different conditions makes it an excellent addition to any garden. Long-tongued bees are particularly drawn to the plant’s nectar-rich flowers, which provide a sweet source of sustenance for these important pollinators.
Additionally, honey, bumble, mason, and Cuckoo bees all benefit from the white clover’s bounty, making it an excellent choice for any bee enthusiast looking to support local pollinator populations.
Mahoniaor Oregon Grape
During the colder winter months, all bee species face a significant challenge in finding sufficient sustenance. This is where mahonia comes into play – a valuable food source for bees that can be utilized throughout the year. Mahonia, an evergreen shrub, boasts vibrant yellow flowers that bloom during the winter, providing a much-needed nutritional boost to these vital pollinators.
Interestingly, this plant also goes by the name Oregon grape, with edible fruit that, although bitter in taste, are rich in nutrients. Furthermore, mahonia is said to possess medicinal properties, making it an even more valuable addition to any bee-friendly garden or landscape.
Pot Marigold
Native to the northern Mediterranean region, pot marigold – also referred to as calendula – is an annual flower with a unique life cycle. While it blooms only once a year, this brief period is crucial for attracting pollinators like bees that swarm around its vibrant petals. Interestingly, new flowers emerge every few weeks, allowing you to harvest the fresh petals for adding a pop of color and flavor to your salads.
Beyond its culinary appeal, calendula has been revered for centuries as a potent medicinal herb, renowned for its remarkable ability to soothe and heal skin wounds and irritations.
Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster is a versatile shrub that boasts a range of forms, from compact and upright to sprawling groundcovers and larger hedge-like plants. One of its most striking features is the production of vibrant red berries in the fall, which can persist through winter months – although it’s essential to note that these berries are poisonous and should not be consumed.
When it comes to growing conditions, cotoneaster shrubs thrive in full sun and moist soil.
However, they also display a remarkable ability to tolerate drought, and some varieties can even flourish in partial shade. This adaptability is matched only by the plant’s appeal to local wildlife – bees of all types, including bumblebees and honey bees, are drawn to its nectar-rich blooms, while birds and butterflies also find cotoneaster an attractive source of sustenance.
Rhododendron
Rhododendron bushes are an excellent choice when it comes to creating a bee-friendly garden. These versatile plants produce clusters of bell-shaped flowers in the spring, which are particularly appealing to bumble-bees. However, mason bees, miner bees, and wool carder bees also visit these shrubs to collect nectar and pollen from their evergreen foliage.
As members of the Ericaceae family, rhododendrons share a common ancestry with azaleas, heathers, blueberries, and arbutus trees – all of which are attractive to bees. With thousands of cultivars available, you can find ones that fit your landscaping needs, ranging from small to large and featuring diverse shapes, colors, and bloom times. Some rhododendrons even offer staggered blooming throughout the spring, allowing for a prolonged display of beauty in your garden.
Honeysuckle
The sweet scent of honeysuckle is a familiar and beloved fragrance in many perfumes and body sprays. But its appeal goes beyond just its aromatic properties – honeysuckle is also a popular garden plant, renowned for its highly scented flowers. There’s something special about sitting near climbing honeysuckle, surrounded by the intoxicating aroma as it wafts gently through the air. It’s no wonder then that this fragrant plant is often used to adorn pergolas and arches.
And it’s not just humans who appreciate the scent of honeysuckle – bees are also big fans, frequenting the plant in search of its sweet nectar.
Butterfly Bushes
These majestic bushes are renowned for their rapid growth and deciduous nature, producing vibrant lilac-pink or purple flowers that entice a variety of pollinators to your garden. The intoxicating aroma of the blooms is particularly irresistible to bees, solidifying its position as a premier bee-friendly plant. Its versatility allows it to thrive in a wide range of environments on your property, making it an excellent addition to any outdoor space.
Viper’s Bugloss
While viper’s bugloss might not be a household name, it holds a special place in the hearts of bee enthusiasts. According to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, this unassuming plant is one of the top picks for attracting bumblebees. Between June and September, its vibrant blooms release a sweet nectar that serves as a lifeline for these busy bees, providing them with the sustenance they need to thrive during their busiest months.
Crocuses
As the cold winter months give way to the warmth of late winter and early spring, bees rely heavily on the vibrant blooms of crocuses to sustain themselves. These striking flowers not only provide a vital source of nectar for the busy bees but also add a pop of color to any garden, making them a delightful addition to any outdoor space.
Bluebells
For a charming addition to your garden beds, look no further than the humble bluebell. As the early spring blooms, these petite flowers create a breathtaking display that’s sure to attract a lively entourage of pollinators. Fields awash in bluebells are often teeming with bees, hoverflies, and butterflies, all busily flitting between the delicate petals as they collect nectar.
Sunflowers
Growing sunflowers is an experience that can be enjoyed by both children and adults alike. The numerous varieties available ensure that you’ll never tire of cultivating these beautiful flowers and marveling at the results. Moreover, sunflowers are a haven for pollinators like bees, birds, and butterflies, making them an essential addition to any garden. Their impressive stature also makes them ideal for creating striking borders.
Roses
The humble rose bush is a staple in many gardens worldwide. Its intoxicating aroma has captivated not just our senses but also those of the busy bees, which are drawn to its sweet fragrance like moths to flame. Whether you opt for a classic red rose or one of the numerous hybrid varieties, your garden will be abuzz with these buzzing visitors, attracted by the alluring scent that is synonymous with romance.
Echinacea or Purple Coneflower
Echinacea, commonly known as purple coneflower, is a buzzworthy addition to any garden. Its showy purple-rose flowers gradually transform into a cone as they mature and droop towards the ground, earning it its distinctive name. Beyond being a reliable bloom and a vital source of sustenance for bees, echinacea also boasts impressive medicinal properties, making it an incredibly versatile plant that deserves a spot in your outdoor space.
Anise Hyssop
As a perennial plant, anise hyssop exhibits remarkable regenerative properties, returning each spring to bloom profusely throughout the spring and summer seasons. This herb’s value extends beyond its aesthetic appeal, serving as a vital nectar source for bees during periods when other plants are dormant or absent. Its popularity among pollinators is not limited to bees alone; hummingbirds and butterflies also find anise hyssop to be an attractive and rewarding destination.
Borage or Star Flower
A crucial bee-friendly plant that can thrive in most gardens is Borage. Its popularity has surged recently, with many individuals cultivating it specifically to support the well-being of local pollinators. As Borage blooms, its vibrant blue and purple flowers add a captivating splash of color to your garden, making it an attractive addition for any green thumb.
Dahlia
The dahlia is a show-stopping flower that’s sure to captivate anyone who lays eyes on it. Its striking appearance makes it a magnet for attention, drawing people in with its vibrant colors and intoxicating fragrance. As the summer wears on and dahlias reach their peak bloom, they become the focal point of any garden, attracting passersby with their statuesque beauty. And the best part?
Their display remains intact until the arrival of fall’s first frost, providing a prolonged period of visual delight.
Bring Bees to Your Yard
While bees may strike a note of apprehension in some, the presence of these tiny creatures in your garden serves as a sign of the overall health of your flora and fauna. In fact, without bees, we would lose numerous plants that are integral to our daily lives. To facilitate their visitation and reproduction, incorporating bee-friendly plants into your garden is a simple yet effective strategy for supporting these vital pollinators.
