Planting your garden for bees

It’s amazing when you think about it? One third of mankind’s food relies on our plants being pollinated by bees. Without bees we would live in a world without vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts. And while honeybees as a species are not presently in danger of extinction, their ability to support commercial pollination is seriously threatened. It has been estimated that our bee population in the UK has decreased by 50% in the last two decades and worldwide 30%.

So it can be seen we owe this tiny little creature quite a lot: he works for us for free and asks nothing in return except for flowers rich in nectar, a little water and maybe a home. Few realise just how drab our gardens could become without the services of the humble bee. To this end we’ve listed here a few bee facts together with some suggestions for encouraging this gardener’s best friend.

The bee requires food from March to September: nectar for the adults and pollen for the youngsters. So, if we have nectar-rich flowers all through that season, the friendlier our gardens become, not only for bees and butterflies but also a myriad of other species. Bees can have long or short tongues so it is important to have a mixture of tubular flowers and those that are daisy like. It’s worth remembering that while we may find an elaborate showy flower beautiful, bees find it impossible to reach the nectar of blooms with tightly packed petals so choose single-flower plants.

So, no matter how large or small your garden, or even if you have no garden at all, everyone can do their bit by growing plants that are both welcoming and sustaining to our busy buzzing friends.

Here are just 7 beautiful plants that are easy to grow and are guaranteed to attract bees to your garden:

Marigold

One of the easiest flowers to grow and will give your garden a splash of golden sunshine. As well as in springtime, the seeds can be sown in August and September for flowering the following year. They provide pollen and nectar from June to October so is a good regular food source for our bees.

Rosa Rugosa

The Rosa Rugosa is commonly used as a hedging plant, and its single flowers attract bees as well as butterflies. You can create a charming informal hedge loved by all manner of wildlife and, with its sharp thorns, it is a great burglar deterrent.

Aubretia

Aubretias are early spring flowering plants drenched in vibrant purple blooms. They are a good source of nectar when food for the bees is at a premium. The colour purple is seen more easily by bees than any other colour and thankfully, one of the most popular shades in the garden.

Foxglove

The long tubular flowers of the foxglove are perfect for bees. They follow the map of markings inside the tube to reach the rich nectar treasure.

Aquilegia

The common name of this plant is ‘Granny’s Bonnet’ and it produces attractive flowers that nod in the wind.

Although only the long-tongued bees can reach the nectar through the flower tube, the short-tongued pierce a hole at the base of the bloom to access their prize.

Lemon Balm

This is a lovely understated plant with delicate flowers and golden scented leaves. Absolutely loved by bees, it also has many uses in the kitchen, both culinary and medicinally.

Lavender

This traditional cottage garden plant is always seen buzzing with bees and butterflies. They have narrow aromatic leaves and spikes of tubular flowers. Potted plants sit beautifully on a sunny patio where you can enjoy the fragrance every time you brush by.

Someone once said “If the humble bee disappeared from the surface of the earth, man would have around four years of life left. No bees results in no pollination, which equals no more plants. No plants mean no more animals, which means, no more man”. This statement might be thought laughable, if it were not for the fact it was uttered by the brilliant physicist Albert Einstein. So next time you see a bee, don’t shoo it away from your prized flowers…plant more!

Published July 1st, 2015 by Jordan. Article ref 3812

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