Making and tending a garden is a doorway into connection with the intelligences of nature, including the honeybees, and it can be a meaningful practice in which you can come to know the spiritual side of nature more intimately.
A garden gives you ample opportunity for quiet observation, offering you a sense of connection to nature and to the bees—think of your garden as the emissary that brings you and these beautiful creatures together. To create a bee-friendly garden, all you have to do is choose plants that are known to be sources of nourishment for them, and tend your plot naturally without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. You can make use of whatever space you have, however small.
I recommend filling your garden sanctuary with native flowers (those that occur naturally in a given region and have not been introduced by humans).
It is best to plant the flowers in groups because bees will skip over individual flowers, which are not in a cluster, in search of a mass of specific blooms. Color is an important consideration, too. As gorgeous as red flowers are, they are as good as invisible to the bees who tend to leave them alone. The best colors for attracting bees are yellow, blue, purple, and white.
PERENNIAL FLOWERS
These types of flowers live for more than one growing season, some for many years, but most have a relatively short bloom season. Unlike annuals, perennials go dormant in the winter but reliably return the following year.
Sage (Salvia species): There are more than 500 varieties in the Salvia genus, including Salvia farinacea ‘Strata’ and Salvia splendens. Their nectar-rich blooms, which vary in color from blue to purple to white to apricot, call the bees in great number.
Coneflower (Echinacea species): Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is the most commonly recognized species in this genus. It is a hardy flower with a long bloom time and a tolerance for drought. Its prominent blooms provide bees with an excellent source of nectar and pollen.
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis): This is a herb in the mint family. A favorite of foraging bees, it blooms for almost 50 days and produces a light-colored honey with a delicate, pleasing taste. Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder spoke of this plant, writing that bees were “delighted with this herb above all others.”
Lavender (Lavandula species): These hardy plants are a bee favorite. They bloom prolifically in midsummer when bee colonies are at their largest, making them an important nectar source. Bright purple, aromatic flowers are produced in tight groups for easy foraging by bees. English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is probably the most common garden lavender.
ANNUAL FLOWERS
These types of flowers complete their growing cycle in a single season and will die in the winter. Once planted, they are quick to bloom and may continue to flower until the fi rst frost arrives.
Borage (Borago officinalis): A fast-growing herb that grows 1–3 ft (30–90 cm) tall and 9–18 in (23–45 cm) wide, borage sports deep blue, star-shaped flowers and attracts large numbers of honeybees.
Cosmos (Cosmos species): These sun-loving, low-maintenance beauties grow 1–6 ft (0.3–1.8 m) tall and 1–3 ft (30–90 cm) wide. They produce flowers all summer long in red, white, pink, orange, and yellow. The wide, open blooms provide bees with easy access to pollen. Species include yellow cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) and garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus).
Mustard (Brassica species): The bright yellow flowers on these 3-ft (90-cm) tall plants provide abundant pollen and nectar for honeybees. These plants prefer loamy soil rich in organic matter with good moisture and full sun.
Zinnia (Zinnia elegans): This plant is known for its large bright blooms in red, yellow, pink, orange, purple, and white, which are produced from mid-season to the first hard frost. The nectar and pollen are a magnet for honeybees, providing nourishment well into fall. Plant them in well-drained soil with full sun exposure.
TREES AND SHRUBS
Since they are densely covered with flowers, trees and shrubs are vital sources of pollen and nectar, providing tremendous nourishment to the bees from spring through summer, while also bringing drama and beauty to the landscape. A single tree or shrub enables the bees to forage in one place, which saves precious time and energy trying to locate sources of food. In exchange, the bees pollinate the flowers. Here are some suggestions for bee-friendly trees and shrubs.
Maple (Acer species): A beautiful, fast-growing tree with vibrant red leaves in spring and fall, red maple (Acer rubrum) grows to 60 ft (18 m) tall. Another species, the fi eld maple (Acer campestre), grows to 50–82 ft (15–25 m) tall. Both bloom early, producing dense clusters of tiny flowers that hold a significant amount of essential pollen and nectar for early foraging bees.
Crab apple (Malus species): These trees provide copious blooms loaded with nectar and pollen for bees in spring. Species include the American crab apple (Malus coronaria) and the European crab apple (Malus sylvestris), which both grow to around 25 ft (8 m) in full sun, sporting showy flowers.
Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia): This fast-growing tree reaches up to 50 ft (15 m) in height and produces dripping clusters of fragrant, pea-shaped, white flowers in spring, which provide essential nectar for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Find the full list of flowers, trees and shrubs, plus even more ways to connect and communicate with bees in The Wisdom of Honeybees by Shonagh Home. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.