Looking after the bees is becoming more important than ever as more of their habitat is being destroyed on a daily basis. So, attracting them in to your garden is a great way to help the environment. Plus, having them around can be lovely! Whether you have a huge garden or just a balcony, here are some tips to make your outdoor space bee friendly.
Bees are actually known to be the the heroes of the plant world. Pollinating the plants, allowing them to thrive and grow. Did you know, without these little heroes, we’d have no living plants at all on this planet! Now that’s a scary thought. So, making your outdoor space bee friendly is one of the most important things you can do for the environment.
Plant A Variety
As they love a varied diet, it’s good to plant a variety of different flowers in your garden to ensure they get a good feed. There are also several different species, all liking different flowers. So the more you can plant, the better!
Try flowers such as – borage, lavender, lupins, salvias, and agapanthus. Also, if you can, plant some fruit trees/bushes as they find these very attractive. Before it produces the fruit, they love the tasty flowers which are covered in delicious pollen.
Plant Colourful Flowers
Did you know different species of bees are attracted to different colours? They love blue, purple and yellow flowers.
However, don’t forget about the butterflies who love white and pink. So make sure you have lots of each to help these little heroes thrive.
Also, this explosion of colour and bee friendly plants will make your garden look amazing!
Plant Year Round Flowering Plants
Planting flowers that bloom year round will offer some bee friendly flowers they can snack on throughout the winter months as well. Yes, most flowers bloom throughout the spring and summer months, which is when they are most active.
Even though there won’t be many active in winter, they may still be around throughout the winter months, on warmer days looking for food. So make sure you have something to offer them then too.
Plants such as – Japonica and Ivy both flower during the winter months, so these would be perfect to have dotted around your garden. The Ivy will also provide some shelter for some species of the honey bee.
Deadhead Your Flowers
Deadheading simply means cutting off the wilted/dead flowers from your plants. If you pick off all of the dead flowers, you’ll encourage your plants to re-flower. Meaning you’ll have a better and longer crop of flowers, and more food for the honey bees.
Create A Temporary Home
Bees actually don’t spend all of their time flying around looking for nectar, they, like us, also need a rest. Especially if they have had to fly long distances to find food. Some like hives or nests, whereas solitary bees like to lay their eggs in any small holes they can find.
So all you need to do is provide them with temporary homes. Little bee hotels where they can rest in safety. You can do this yourself using sticks and pieces of wood that you bind together to sort of look like honeycomb. They will love you for this, and will often mean they keep coming back to your garden.
Things To Know If You Want To Attract Them
- Plant a variety of different flowers
- Plant flowers that bloom at different times throughout the year
- Deadhead your plants and flowers
- Provide temporary homes for the bees
How do you attract honey bees to your garden? Do you have bee friendly plants & flowers in your garden?
Leave a Reply