How to Attract Bees to Your Garden – Bee Garden
Bee Garden – One of the best ways to contribute to the at-risk population of bees is to plant a bee garden. In fact, the benefits of taking on these type of projects is helpful in a number of different ways. From providing bees with specific types of flowers to pollinate as they continue to thrive to growing herbs with medicinal properties, there are a wide range of useful benefits.
Here are some of the main benefits that you and others can expect after you have planted your bee garden.
- Important for humans to live and thrive in close proximity to bees.
- Bee gardens are not only beneficial for the bees, but they are also beneficial to the butterfly and other insect populations as well.
- You can choose specific types of flowers that the bees are attracted to.
- Double the benefits when you plant a bee-friendly garden, including providing food for the bees to eat when it is needed most.
Best Flowers to Attract Bees
So, let’s get started by discussing what you need to know about the best flowers to attract large numbers of bees and other pollinators to your garden.
1. Bee Balm
To start this list off, you may want to consider the bee balm flower. In fact, because of its name ‘bee’, this may be one of the best flowers to add to your list. This is because the bee balm is not only great for attracting bees but also an excellent choice that applies to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators.
It is also important to note that there are a wide variety of bee balms and they are common options for starting a bee garden.
Additionally, you will not only get the benefit of growing flowers with medicinal and edible properties, but you can also get the benefits of making a pleasant-tasting medicinal tea. This tea can be used to relieve your cold symptoms.
2. Yarrow
The Yarrow flower is ideal for bee gardens, too. This is mainly because the yarrow flower’s design seems to be made for gathering pollen. For instance, whenever you look at the design of the yarrow, it is semi-flat and broad in shape. And, this shape is good for bees to land on and rest easily without any unnecessary problems.
The color of the yarrow flower is white, even though you may see the yarrow in colors such as orange, red, yellow, and pink.
You can also take advantage of its many useful benefits, including the following:
- Self- seeding.
- Easy to grow because it is a common wildflower.
- Normally easier to forage compared to other flowers.
- Good for its edible qualities and is a super source of medicine for humans in a number of different ways, especially for anyone who needs help with healing a wound.
- This flower can also be used for its blood clotting abilities, healing urinary tract infections, and reducing fevers.
3. Borage
Another great choice is the borage flower. It is also a favorite flower for many novice and seasoned gardeners. This is primarily due to the benefits that this plant offers to the environment that it grows in.
For instance, when you plant borage flowers in your garden, you will not only be attracting good pollinators but you will also be preventing bad bugs from destroying your plants.
Typically, borage flowers can easily be identified by their blue colors. However, on some occasions, you may see pink and white flowers in its mix.
These flowers can be used in several different dishes, including salads and desserts. This type of flower is highly recommended for medical conditions like cardiovascular diseases and respiratory problems.
4. Sunflower
When you are planting your bee-friendly garden, you should always add a section for sunflowers every year. Sunflowers have a lot of benefits that everyone may not be aware of.
In fact, aside from its natural beauty that brightens up any property, these flowers can provide the following benefits.
- More than enough generous space for being a landing pad for bees.
- Because bees love sunflowers, they are easily attracted to your garden.
- Filled with pollen and they are a great source of food for bees to consume easily.
- Edible sources of food since people may prefer the sunflower.
- Useful for some medicinal purposes.
5. Candela
The candela flower is also known for its many benefits. More importantly, bees love this flower and they are attracted to it when it is planted in any garden. You can identify this flower by its yellow color and bright orange colors and they are considered to be super easy to plant and grow.
Here are just a few reasons why the candela flower is highly recommended for bee-friendly gardens.
- Advantages to its readily self- seeded properties.
- Easy to grow in mild climates.
- Even though these flowers can grow easily during the winter and colder climates, they are usually the first flowers to bloom in the spring.
- Early bloomers are ideal for attracting bees to garden and to bee forage.
- Good for its edible qualities and is a good source of medicine for humans in a number of different ways, especially for anyone who needs help with hydrating their skin.
- This flower is useful and beneficial to make other byproducts like creams, soaps, lotion bars, and salves.
6. Baby’s Breath
The baby’s breath flower is a common flower that is known for its beauty. Across the globe, this flower is used to create bouquets and has many excellent benefits such as the following:
- Easy to plant in a honey bee garden.
- Attracts lots of bees.
- Creates a nice visual effect in the garden because they are bright and vibrant in color.
7. Honeywort
Even though this is a tricky plant to grow in your bee-friendly garden, once you’ve mastered the first steps of this planting process, you will be good to go.
These are beautiful blue and purple flowers that can also attract bees to your garden for pollination purposes.
8. Cosmea
If you are looking for simplicity in the garden that you create, you may want to seriously consider the cosmea flower. The cosmea flower can be planted in a wide range of varieties and can offer the following benefits.
- Easy to plant.
- Illuminates the areas where other plants grow outdoors.
9. Cornflower
Even though this flower is considered to be a unique solution for flowering, it can be a favorite for some gardeners for a number of reasons.
- Bees cannot resist their small cluster of petals.
- When they are in bloom, they look like small bouquets that look very attractive in design.
- The cornflower is also cost-effective to grow. Therefore, gardeners on a budget can easily prefer them as an excellent option for growing a bee-friendly garden.
10. Garden Nasturtium
The garden nasturtium can be very useful for large gardens. Some people use this flower for medicinal purposes.
Also, if you choose to do so, you can plant this flower as a single pot option.
11. French Marigold and Common Marigold
Some flowers can be planted in your bee garden to pollinate it for you. Therefore, you may want to take a look at all of the benefits of planting both the French Marigold and the Common marigold inside of your garden.
On the other hand, you will also need flowers to prevent insects from destroying your garden. For instance, the French version of the Marigold can be used to get rid of pests. This is because this flower is not liked by pests so it can be used to protect whole populations.
12. California Bluebell
The California Bluebell is commonly known for its many benefits.
Some of which include the following:
- Attracts a large number of bees with little to no extra effort.
- Great for gardeners who are dealing with dry soil.
- Easy to plant.
Herbs to Attract Bees
1. Chives
Some people love adding chives to their dishes and bees are easily attracted to them, too. In fact, if you want to grow the same herbs year after year, this is an herb that needs to be added to your list.
Here is why
- Bees cannot get enough of this herb.
- Large patches of these herbs are perfect for a number of reasons, including making it easy for bees to forage a lot more efficiently.
- Used in many salad preparations to dress up its looks.
- Has multiple medicinal properties.
2. Mint
Even though mint’s reputation is not good because of its invasiveness in the garden, bees and other insects love all types of different mint.
Varieties include:
- Spearmint
- Horsemint
- Peppermint
- Apple Mint
- Catmint (commonly referred to as catnip)
- Wild Mint
- Lemon Balm (yes, this is also in the mint family)
- Chocolate Mint
My personal favorite is the last variety, chocolate mint. Great with iced tea and any type of ice cream.
3. Oregano
When oregano plants are in full bloom, lots of bees are all over them. Because of their never-ending attraction to this plant, even the hummingbirds love the close relatives of the oregano plant (i.e. marjoram).
It is also a favorite herb for many gardeners, especially because of its culinary uses and its medicinal properties.
Here are a few medicinal purposes that you can use oregano for:
- Powerful boosts the immune system
- Possesses strong antifungal and antibacterial properties
4. Lavender
The lavender flowering plant is also a significant part of the mint family. It is easy to identify by virtually anyone since it can be easily identified because of its sweet floral aroma.
This is also one of the primary reasons why bees are strongly attracted to this plant in the summer season.
Also, this plant has many other useful benefits including the following:
- Good for being an effective attraction to bees and pollination.
- This is an edible flower that can be consumed internally.
- Manufactures use the lavender plant in many of their all-natural skin care beauty products.
5. Rosemary
It is also important to note that no garden is fully complete unless you incorporate rosemary shrubs into its overall layout.
Similar to other bee-friendly garden, rosemary can be planted in the garden with a host of different varieties (i.e. pink, blue, purple, and white). Each of these varieties can be appreciated by large swarms of bees.
Rosemary is used for many purposes including those that have been listed for you below.
- Kitchen herbs.
- Used in the hair and scalp for its health benefits.
- Beneficial for health problems and their related ailments.
- Used in shampoos and pine beard palm products.
6. Thyme
Thyme is also an excellent herb that can be grown in your garden.
Even though many cooks use thyme for flavor in many dishes today, some people use thyme for its medicinal properties. This is especially the case for people who want to boost and protect their immune systems.
7. Sage
If you decide to plant sage in your bee friendly garden, you can take advantage of a wide variety of benefits.
This spice is used to pick up the flavor of chicken and other dishes.
These plants can be distinguished by their beautiful colors, purple and blue spikes.
Therefore, when it is grown in your garden, you will love it, and the bees drawn to and love thyme, too.
8. Basil
Basil is currently known as the king of herbs. In fact, one of the top reasons for this herb’s high-ranking reputation is honey bees are said to be simply mad about this herb.
It is also easy to plant and grow.
Be careful, though. Basil will spread like wildfire and take over you garden. So, it can easily become a sanctuary for bees to hang out.
Pesticides and Bees
Pesticides and bees cannot co-exist. This is primarily because pesticides are toxic to a bee’s immune system.
Therefore, if you want to ensure that you can keep and maintain a bee-friendly garden, it is important to get rid of all traces of a pesticide in your garden.
Bees and Weeds
Before you decide to pull up all of the weeds in your garden, here are a few things that you need to know.
Dandelions, loosestrife, milkweeds, clovers, goldenrods, and other flowering weeds are not only beautiful to at, but they are also an essential source of food for bees.
You can create a sanctuary for bees inside of your garden if you continue to let these flowering weeds grow.
To save the bees, you can also blow the seeds from the dandelions so that they can spread on your property.
Some Final Advice
The information in this article can help you to grow a healthy garden filled with bee-friendly flowers and herbs.
Also, even if you do not have a green thumb, this information is very simple to work with.
You can also start this process by buying seeds from a nearby hardware store or big box retailer in your city or town. When you buy your seeds, you need to focus on creating a diverse bee-friendly flower and herb garden.
Also, to save the bees that you attract, the grounds and their surroundings must be toxic-free. And, your success in growing a bee garden is essential for a number of different reasons, including playing a vital role in the growth of the orchards that we eat from daily.
