What are the best flowers for Bees?
With everybody turning their attention to the health and well-being of the planet, we find ourselves looking into different ways we can help keep flowers and plants protected and thriving, but did you know they have their very own protectors? Every avid gardener will know that bees are the world's best pollinators; their purpose is to spread pollen from plant to plant and flower head to flower head, helping spread stunning varieties across the country.
The nectar they receive from flowers gives them the energy they need to fly and also work in the hive, with pollen providing their food, and job bees need protection, so the main question is, what are the best flowers for bees? Can you plant them in your garden and help the world's best pollinators survive? Without bees, the world would not be the same as we know it.
If you are looking to plant your garden with flowers that will help these loveable little creatures survive, continue reading or speak to one of our team members today, we are always more than happy to help you find the best flowers for bees without them the ecosystem would not be the same.
What Are The Best Flowers For Bees?
The main question we get asked regularly here at Seeds4Bees is, what are the best flowers for bees? After years of study and research, we have learnt that singular flowers offer the best pollinating chances for bees; they are easy to access and depart and offer an abundance of nectar. Bees need easy access to flowers; they are only minor and can use a large amount of energy flying from plant to plant, so having something easy to access can transform their ability to collect nectar.
Wildflowers offer one of the best bee options, but we understand that only some people want their garden to be a haven of wildflowers. Still, you should consider a section of your garden or even a plant pot full of wildflowers as a haven for the little fuzzy creature.
Some top choices of flowers for bees are listed below;
Flowering Plants
- Wallflowers
- Primroses
- Crocus
- Bugle
- Hellebores
- Clematis
Herbs
- Sage
- Thyme
- Borage
- Lavender
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Mint
What Are The Best Early Season Flowers?
When we talk about pollinating species that need early-season flowers, we refer to animals such as butterflies, bees and hoverflies; these are the three creatures emerging from hibernation early year on year. Even if you plant a handful of early-season flowers in a small area of your garden, you can genuinely make a difference in the chances of bee survival.
We recommend you opt for plants and flowers that are nectar-rich, have singular flower heads and are easy to grow; with this combination, you are almost guaranteed to succeed in protecting the wildlife in your garden. Keep in mind that both native and non-native plants are crucial to the survival of the bees, and with a variety, they will be more than happy to come back time and time again.
How To Grow Flowers For Bees?
If you want to help your local bee colony survive, the best type of flowers you can plant for them are single, open flowers; this allows the bee to see directly into the pollen, giving them a precise landing.
It is essential to know when bees come out of hibernation as this is when you will need your flowers to bloom; with a vast range of bees, you will find some come out of hibernation as early as February, with some still active and foraging in November.
Suppose you want to give your garden bees the best chance you need to grow flowers from late winter through to autumn; even better if you can grow flowers all year round! One of the best tips we can give you is, if you enjoy planting spring bulbs, why not consider planting them in autumn?
They are incredibly hardy little things and will provide a much-needed source of pollen, nectar and water to the bees when everything else is in short supply. If you are worried you might miss the bulb's beautiful flowering and colours; you can even plant them in a planter on your windowsill; not only will you see the beautiful flowers, but also the buzz of activity that follows.
Make Sure To Grow Single Flowers
As we touched on just above, planting single flowers is crucial for the survival of the bees, it is worth knowing that single flowers are the best options for bees pollinating, feeding and drinking. In contrast, double flowers make it nearly impossible for bees to feed; they cannot make it through the heavy and thick petals to get to the golden nectar!
Generally, flowers such as Roses and Dahlias have been modified to grow into double flowers. Still, they will offer your bees the best flower to pollinate and feed on if you can get the stunning single-flowering variety.
Do You Grow Purple Flowers?
This may seem odd, but do you have purple flowers in your garden? Lavender, Alliums, Buddleia? Anything that offers a purple hue to the flower is undoubtedly one of the best flowers you can have in your garden for bees.
If you have purple flowers in your garden, the bees will thank you for them because they can see the purple colour clearer than any other colour on the spectrum and plant as many different flowers as you can in your garden. You can focus on something other than purple flowering plants, but adding a handful will help guide the bees to your garden sanctuary.
Bees Prefer Tubular-Shaped Flowers
If you are open to suggestions on what to plant in your garden for the bees, we recommend planting something such as Foxgloves, Penstemons, Snapdragons or Honeysuckle. These plants and flowers have one thing in common, they all have long-tubular-shaped flowers.
These plants and flowers are perfect for long-tongued bees; you will find the generic garden bumblebee falls into this category!
Please Remember To Plant Flowers All Year Round
If you are genuinely passionate about bringing bees to your garden, you must plant flowers all year round and between March and September. However, we recommend planting all year round because some bees emerge from hibernation earlier due to the mild winters.
With the effects of global warming being felt more evident year after year, bees are becoming regularly confused throughout the seasons, appearing earlier and earlier and staying till later in the year. It is essential to know that the buff-tailed bumblebee will begin nesting throughout autumn rather than hibernating, meaning a ‘winter colony’ is active; they will need pollen to survive.
Bumblebee colonies would have a much higher survival rate if every garden had at least two pollen-rich plants active and flowering over winter.
Top Tips For Designing Your Garden Around Bees
Having worked hard over the past several years to protect the bees in any way we can, we want you to be able to transform your garden into a haven that can protect the bees; they are, as we have said, vital to our ecosystem. Here are some things you can do and provide to make your garden a bumblebee sanctuary.
Comfortable Home
Believe it or not, not all bees create a colony that you would expect; in the form of a hive; some bees prefer to be in nests underground, buried deep in the soil where they can dig structured tunnels and stay safe. You can purchase products such as ‘bee hotels’; these are perfect for both hive and burrowing bees.
Provide Water
Similar to any other animal, bees need to drink water; more often than not, they can do this by drinking straight from a flower, but if you want to provide them with a little extra helping hand, you can place a small dish with some stones in for them to stand on whilst they drink.
Choose Native & Non-Native Flowers
When it comes to flowering plants, the best thing you can do for the bees in your garden is offer a variety of both native and non-native plants; this gives your bees a chance to choose a plant or flower they are comfortable with, whilst non-native plants such as lavender offer something truly unique!
Order Plants And Flowers For Bees Online Today!
Thank you for reading our post on the best flowers for bees; we have established that the best flowers for bees are purple, tubular flowers that bloom all year round, along with a wide variety of other flowers.
We hope you will take the time to plant some of these flowers in your garden and help support our bee population. If you are interested in learning more about how to help bees or looking for a company that specialises in supplying bee-friendly plants and seeds, please contact Seeds4Bees today.
We would be happy to answer any of your questions or provide more information on how you can make a difference for these essential pollinators. Our goal is to protect the bees and the ecosystem; without these fuzzy little creatures, we would all be in trouble.