If you’re looking to make your garden more bee-friendly, you’re in luck because it’s easier than you think! Not only will you be helping these essential pollinators, but you’ll also create a beautiful space that’s full of life. By adding a few bee-friendly plants, you can provide bees with a safe place to thrive.
Bees are vital to our ecosystems, but sadly, their population has been in decline, with one-third of the U.S. bee population disappearing in 2019 alone. That’s a huge deal because bees play a crucial role in pollinating the foods and flowers we rely on. Without them, we would lose many of the fruits, vegetables, and flowers that make our lives colorful and delicious, like citrus, broccoli, and avocado.
This is why creating a bee-friendly garden is more important than ever. By avoiding harmful pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, and choosing a variety of plants, you can help give bees a fighting chance. Keeping your garden blooming all season long with plants that attract bees is one of the best things you can do.
Why Should You Care About Creating a Bee-Friendly Garden?
Without bees, many of the foods we eat daily would cease to exist, and the stunning flowers that brighten up our spring and summer would vanish. Bees rely on both nectar and pollen to survive. Nectar provides them with energy (carbs), while pollen is their main source of protein. So, when you grow plants that offer both, you’re giving them exactly what they need to thrive.
What Types of Flowers Do Bees Love?
Bees are attracted to flowers that provide nectar and pollen. They prefer flowers that are easy to access, meaning single-petaled blooms are usually better than those with lots of overlapping petals. Bees are also drawn to bright colors, especially blue, purple, and yellow. But don’t worry—other colors will do just fine too.
Here’s a list of the best flowers to attract and help bees:
1. Lavender (Lavandula)
Lavender is a classic favorite among bees. Its sweet scent and vibrant purple flowers are irresistible to them. This hardy, low-maintenance perennial is perfect for dry conditions and poor soil, and it blooms for a long time, offering bees a steady supply of nectar.
2. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
With its bright yellow petals and dark center, Black-eyed Susan is a bee magnet. It thrives in a variety of soil types, making it easy to grow. It’s a reliable late-summer bloomer, so bees will have a fresh source of food well into the fall.
3. Bee Balm (Monarda)
As the name suggests, Bee Balm is perfect for attracting bees. It comes in many colors, including pink, purple, red, and white, and it has a strong, pleasant scent. Its open blooms are easy for bees to access, making it a favorite in any bee-friendly garden.
4. Common Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens)
The sweet vanilla scent of Heliotrope is what makes it stand out, but its small, colorful clusters of purple and blue flowers also draw bees. It’s a low-maintenance plant that thrives in damp soil with minimal sunlight.
5. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
These stunning flowers in shades of pink and purple will attract bees and other pollinators. Purple Coneflowers are also known for their medicinal properties, especially for boosting the immune system, making them both useful and bee-friendly.
6. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)
Sunflowers are not just a beautiful addition to any garden—they also provide bees with plenty of pollen and nectar thanks to their large central discs. They are easy to grow, making them a great choice if you want to attract a lot of bees.
7. Crocus (Crocus sativus)
These early-blooming flowers come in a range of colors, from rich purples to bright yellows and blues. Plant Crocus bulbs in the fall, and once they bloom in the spring, they’ll offer bees an early source of food.
8. Shrub Roses (Rosa spinosissima, Rosa canina, Rosa rubiginosa)
While not all roses are bee-friendly, fragrant, single or semi-double shrub roses are perfect for attracting bees. They have open centers that make it easy for bees to land and gather pollen.
9. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Although Butterfly Weed takes a few years to bloom, it’s totally worth the wait. Once it flowers, bees can’t resist its bright orange blossoms. This flower is a great long-term addition to your garden, but if you want quicker results, consider adding other flowers like Salvia.
10. Salvia (Salvia divinorum)
Salvia is easy to grow and blooms from summer into fall, providing a long-lasting food source for bees. It comes in many colors, including red, apricot, blue, and pink, so you have plenty of options to match your garden’s aesthetic.
11. Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
Snowdrops bloom before the last snows of winter have melted, making them a welcome sight for bees when their energy reserves are low. These early bloomers are perfect for providing bees with food at the start of the season.
By adding these flowers to your garden, you’ll be supporting the bee population and creating a beautiful, lively space for yourself as well. Whether you have a small backyard or a larger space, there’s a bee-friendly flower for every garden. Happy gardening, and let’s make the world a little better for our buzzing friends!
