Over the years, there’s been a huge decline in honey bees. Unfortunately, many flowers in garden beds that are honey bee friendly look too weedy and not visually appealing. Thankfully, there’s a few flowers and plants that will look good in any landscape while still attracting those honey bees.
The best honey bee plants provide a good supply of both sugary nectar and protein-rich pollen sought after by these and other long-tongued bees. Honeybees visit flowers for two reasons, to collect pollen and collect nectar. Below we’ve listed just a few of the flowers you can grow to attract honey bees to your garden.
Willows are beautiful flowers and are a great source of nectar for honeybees who emerge early. They can sometimes grow to huge proportions so if you are looking for something smaller try giving Salix caprea or Salix cinerea a try. Male willows provide nectar and pollen for the honeybees. The willows are rarely sprayed for pests so it’s okay for the honeybees to collect the pollen and nectar from them.
Hellebores are much like willows as they provide a great source of spring nectar for honeybees. Hellebores are great to grow in the shadier part of your garden but don’t like to be moved once they are planted. It’s best to plant them in a spot where you plan on keeping them so the honeybees can enjoy them year after year.
Crocus are one of the first flowers to appear in spring and are naturally loved by honeybees. The crocus flower prefers a sunny spot to be planted in and comes in a variety of colors. You will find that the purple colored flower varieties are most common.
Grape hyacinths (Muscari) are another favorite of honeybees. They adapt well and do not require rich soil to flourish. Grape hyacinths enjoy places that are partly shady and have well drained soil. Grape hyacinths provide nectar and pollen for the honeybees.
How to save bees is a hot topic right now as we have come to understand the impact they have on our food chain. Without bees, our whole ecosystem would suffer so it’s important that we take responsibility in providing them with vital nutrients and habitats that will allow them to grow and reproduce. An estimated one third of the food we consume each day relies on pollination so if we want to continue eating the food we love, then we need to show these small yellow and black insects some love, too!
Planting flowers doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. Our professionals here at Stoney Acres are ready to help you! Are you ready to get started on that beautiful garden? Give us a call! 925-6826