Planting certain seasonal flowers is not only kind to bees, but you’ll also enjoy a ‘bee-autiful’ garden as a result! Here are five bee-friendly flowers to plant that are perfect for this time of year and will create a buzzing haven for our vital pollinators.
Wonders of Nature
Honeybees are wonders of nature. You may see them buzzing happily from flower to flower at this time of year – but that’s just one pollination pitstop, as honeybees can cover an impressive three miles in one trip foraging for sticky nectar! Their hard work doesn’t stop there… a strong colony of around 60,000 bees will travel the equivalent distance from Earth to the moon every day.
Honeybees are responsible for pollinating a third of the fruit and vegetables we consume. They produce delicious honey for us to enjoy too… In fact, different flowers produce very distinct flavours, some light and citrussy, others rich and earthy – but all equally as delicious!
Sadly, the UK’s honeybees have been in long-term decline. The good news is, that we can all play a vital role in protecting this incredible species. Planting certain seasonal flowers is kind to the bees and you’ll enjoy a ‘bee-autiful’ garden as a result! Watching your flowers bloom and bees delighting in pollination is a highly rewarding experience — especially when our buzzing friends’ food is in short supply over summer.
Lavender
The scent of lavender is as lovely as its pretty purple flowers. This plant can live for years, flourishing best when planted in a sunny spot, especially through June and July. With many flowers and a high nectar content, our buzzing friends are bound to make a beeline. This plant is popular with other pollinators too; bumblebees spend 1 – 1.14 seconds per lavender flower, while honey bees enjoy its pollen for 3.5 seconds.
Borage
Borage is an annual plant which grows very quickly from seed. This plant also re-seeds itself, so can easily be grown the next year simply by allowing the seedlings to grow, or they can be transplanted. Borage is a hotspot for honey bees because its flowers replenish nectar often, meaning our buzzing friends can frequently and reliably return to feed. For this reason, borage attracts other insects like butterflies too.
Marjoram
Marjoram has pretty pinky-white flowers which look lovely in the garden. It is great for attracting a whole host of nature’s visitors, from honey bees to bumblebees, butterflies and hoverflies. It blooms in summer when the bee food supply is most stretched and is also easy to grow.
Top tip: Marjoram belongs to the same family as oregano, so is delicious on a pizza! A little goes a long way as far as flavour’s concerned.
helianthus
Helianthus -otherwise known as sunflowers – bloom for several months throughout the year, starting in August. This towering plant makes a real statement in the garden and will certainly catch a honey bee’s attention! Its vibrant yellow petals also attract bumblebees, butterflies and hoverflies to the hundreds of tiny tubular flowers in the middle of the flower. This centre is brimming with nectar, which is the main source of carbohydrates for our buzzing friends, as well as fluffy protein-packed pollen that collects on their bodies.
Sunflowers are also considered to be ‘low-infection’ flowers; their pollen has medicinal and protective effects on bees, helping to improve bee colony health.
Fleabane
Fleabane belongs to the daisy family. This delicate British wildflower can be planted in grass or flower beds. Fleabane produces a mass of lovely white flowers that may be tinged by lilac or yellow, with a sunny centre that entices honey bees, bumble bees, flies and butterflies. A perennial plant that flourishes from late spring to autumn, fleabane is an oasis for honey bees at cooler times of the year when flowers are sparser.
Plant your bee-friendly garden today!
If you’re not sure where to get started, let our team help you create an oasis of nectar for our precious pollinators! We can help you plan and plant your flower beds and pots- tailored to your specific needs.
We also offer a comprehensive range of garden maintenance and landscaping services, guaranteed to get your garden shining in time for summer. Get in touch with our team to find out more.
