The Best Plants for Attracting Bees
Here’s the second instalment in our Mini Bee Series - how to attract bees to your outside space.
If you love being outside, enjoying all that nature has to offer, then you’ve probably spent some time sitting and watching pollinating insects such as bees, going about their business. As we learned in our article on the difference between nectar and pollen, bees need carbohydrate-rich nectar, provided by flowering plants, for energy.
The trade-off for plants giving up their reserves of nectar is the transfer of pollen on the bodies and back legs of bees from the male stamen of one plant to the female stigma of another, encouraging reproduction, and therefore the survival, of the plant species.
But in the race to attract bees, plants must do all they can to make their nectar the most irresistible. The tastier the nectar (and the brighter the flower), the more bees they’ll attract, and the more their species will thrive.
And as humans, watching this dance is a real treat, so planting the most attractive flowers in your outdoor space is more likely to provide you with front row seats at the show.
So, here’s the top ten flowers you can plant, encourage to grow or leave to grow wild in your garden to attract bees and other pollinating insects such as bees:
1. Borage
2. Clover
3. Lavender
4. Sunflowers
5. Bluebells
6. Echinacea
7. Marigolds
8. Honeysuckle
9. Foxglove
10.Comfrey
For more advice on creating a haven for bees, head over to Friends of the Earth.
The beauty is, you don’t necessarily need a garden to attract bees. Planters on a balcony, window boxes in a flat and plenty of pots in a concrete backyard all serve just as well. Or, you could try some guerrilla gardening by throwing some wildflower seeds in any local neglected green and open spaces!
We’ll see you next time for the next in our Mini Bee Series. In the meantime, if you’re looking for some delicious honey to inspire your bee-friendly garden, look no further than Necta & Hive!
