How to help bees in your garden

With the global and national decline in bee population it is vital that we do everything we can to help bees.

It is an amazing fact but the human race would not survive without these little insects and with the recent cold winters, wet weather and seasonal fluctuations they need all the help they can get.

How can we help bees?

Plant flowers that are nectar rich and have a long flowering season. Ideally choose flowers that will produce nectar from spring right until the autumn. Starting with something like aubretia and finishing with sedums.  A long flowering season will help bees stock up with nectar so they can survive the winter.

Trees are also a common source of nectar.

Climbing plants such as roses, honeysuckle and clematis are also popular.

What plants do bees like?

Lavender is adored by both honey and bumble bees (and humans too!). It has a long flowering season, looks and smells attractive to bees and can easily be grown in either a container or a flower bed.

 

 

 

Marjoram is another suitable plant. Indeed most herbs are good. Rosemary and chive flowers are popular with bees.

With all of these herbs you can use them in cooking so you benefit too!

Bees prefer single flowers as the nectar is easier to reach. I had a white climbing rose which was abuzz with bees last year.

I recently visited a garden designer client and we went for a walk round her wildlife friendly garden. She has a honeybee nest in the ground and I was taking photographs and videos of it with the bees flying all around me and very adroitly missing me. Quite an experience!

Could you keep bees?

If you have the space why not consider having a bee hive or asking a local beekeeper to put a hive onto your land. The British Beekeepers Association has lots of help and advice for anyone thinking of becoming a beekeeper.

Or if you can’t do that why not Adopt a Beehive?

Urban Gardens

Urban areas are apparently one of the few places that bee colonies are still thriving.

I have an urban garden in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK which is full of bee friendly plants (sedums, wisteria, roses, lavender, verbena bonariensis, hardy geraniums and lots more) and I have a pond, birdbaths and I’ve also put a small saucer of water on top of a wall for insects to feed from. I consider whether a plant is wildlife friendly before it goes into the garden.

I don’t get as much time as I would like to spend in the garden and it has ended up rather wild this year with the spring rains. I have let lots of plants seed all over the place and it is rather overgrown but full of bees, birds and the occasional butterfly (the buddleia is just coming out now).

What have you done in your garden to help the bees?