How to attract bees to garden

Question

Are there specific plants or features that make a real difference to attracting bees or is it mostly about what you do not do?

Sean · Accepted Answer

Wild garden theres a wild flower grass seed put a patch of that down

Nathan · Answer

There are lots of plants you can plant, or use bee bricks, make areas perfect for bee hives to nest in crevices or high areas ideally.

Michael · Answer

I would also add to a lot of the answers here, that a lot of plants that you buy from garden centres now, actually have a Bee on the card in the plant, usually this is to indicate they are bee friendly and attract bee's.
I too love bee's and I'm also building the back end of my garden to attract Bee's. love them.

Sulcarinean · Answer

Both matter, but what you avoid makes a bigger difference than any single plant choice. Skip pesticides and go easy on tidiness, since bees need somewhere to nest and overwinter, and a slightly wilder corner with leaf litter or bare soil patches helps far more than it looks like it should. On the planting side, go for single flowered varieties rather than double or "fluffy" ornamental ones, since doubles often hide or lack the nectar and pollen bees actually need. Lavender, borage, foxgloves, comfrey and native wildflowers are reliable performers, and trying to keep something in flower from early spring through to autumn matters more than picking any one "bee plant." A shallow dish of water with some pebbles to land on is a small but genuinely useful addition too.

Josh · Answer

Bees love high pollen plants one of the best is lavender and fox gloves !

Kayden · Answer

Many flowering plants are excellent for attracting bees. Some of the best choices for UK gardens include:

* Lavender – One of the best bee plants, flowering for a long period and easy to grow.
* Foxglove – Particularly attractive to bumblebees.
* Sunflower – Provides both nectar and pollen.
* Borage – Often called a “bee magnet” because it continuously produces nectar.
* Heather – Flowers late in the season when other nectar sources are scarce.
* Crocus – A valuable early spring food source for bees.
* Sedum – Attracts large numbers of bees in late summer.
* Rosemary – An aromatic herb that bees love.

Sara · Answer

Bees are overwhelmingly drawn to purple, blue, and yellow flowers. 🙂

Dave · Answer

It is a mixture of both. Certain plants make a big difference, especially single-flowered, nectar-rich varieties such as lavender, foxgloves, hardy geraniums, catmint, salvia, thyme and flowering herbs.

It also helps to have flowers available from early spring through to autumn, as different bees are active at different times.

What you avoid matters too. Try not to use pesticides, leave a few undisturbed areas, allow some clover or dandelions to flower, and provide shallow water with stones for bees to land on. Even a small bee-friendly area can make a noticeable difference.

Hayley · Answer

Nepeta, lavender, marigolds and sunflowers are great for attracting bees. You can also get pollinator friendly wild flowers mixes from garden centres.

Ranjeat · Answer

Hi I Kelly
To attract bees, fill your garden with native, pollen-rich flowers that bloom from early spring to late autumn. Plant them in large clusters to create visual and fragrant "bee magnets". Finally, provide a shallow dish of water with pebbles for drinking, and ditch harsh chemical pesticides

How to attract bees to garden

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