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Last year and this I’ve been concentrating on flowers for bees, I’ve had fantastic results, the garden has literally been humming with bees. During these hot sunny days there have been so many they have been impossible to count, in the large bed I’m talking in the hundreds rather than tens. They are not easy to capture as they move so fast but I got a few. All I need to do now is print of my bee identification sheet and take it into the garden so I know what “flavour” they are. Knowing which species they are seems very secondary to actually attracting them.
Here are a few I captured.
Echium “Blue Bedder”
Foxglove
Silene “Rockery Campion”
Capturing them on camera is a game of patience (something I’m not renowned for) but I’ll see if I can get some more.
I’ve discovered some excellent plants for bees which are very pretty at the same time.
What are the bees attracted to in your garden?
Build it and they will come.
HiyaThe bees in my garden are attracted to the Lavender and especially the Blue Sea Holly, they love it.
Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. ~ Mark Twain
What great photos. My Lavender hasn’t started flowering yet, Sea Holly is a plant I’d love to grow but unfortunately my garden is everything it would hate.
Great pics guys.I have downsized my home and garden but the large Hebes and Budleas i had, really brought in the Bees and Butterflies.Fantastic, that you care enough to ensure plants for wild-life.
An optimist sees the beauty of the complete rose.A pessimist sees only the thorn .
That's brilliant.
I would love to attract more bees, last year there were hundreds in the garden on the clover, but this year, hardly any?
What do you think I should plant, to encourage more bees?
WOW !! What a lot of bees WF. I'm very impressed. My numbers are well down this year, but my lavender isn't out yet. The white clover is a big success though, and when the penstemons come into flower the numbers should increase again, also the snapdragons are a favourite and they are just coming.
Brilliant photos everyone.
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Posts 487
20 June 2010 3:59 PM
I have foxgloves, poached egg plant, michaelmas daises, ivy, lonicera, marjoram, buddleia, yellow and purple loosestrife in my garden, which all attract bees. Apparently lavender never fails to attract them (I haven't any at the moment). Don’t be tempted by fancy species such as Lavandula stoechas, but go instead for common, sweet-smelling lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), but select a good variety. For compactness and good, deep colour try ‘Hidcote’, ‘Twickel Purple’ or ‘Munstead’ for its paler, lavender-mauve flowers. Grow it in any free-draining, multi-purpose potting compost. Prune back the flowers as soon as they are over to stimulate further bloom production.
Here is a link you which I hope you find useful:
http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk/index.htm
http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk/gardening_for_bumblebees.htm
This is a list of bee attracting plants but I am sure people will let you know the ones they have personally found successful. All the advice stresses the need to have plants flowering throughout the year to help the bees as much as possible.
Agrimony (agrimonia eupatoria)Angelica (angelica archangelica)Anise Hyssop (agastache foeniculum)AubretiaBergamot (monarda didyma)BetonyBird's Foot Trefoil (lotus corniculatus)Black Horehound (ballota nigra)Blackthorn (prunus spinosa)Bloody CranesbillBluebell (hyacinthoides non-scripta)Borage (borago officinalis)Bugle (ajuga repens)ButterburCardoon (cynara cardunculus)Catmint (nepeta cataria)Chicory (cichorium intybus)Chives (allium schoenprasum)Columbine (aquilegia)Cornflower (centaurea cyanus)Foxglove (digitalis)Germander Speedwell (veronica chamaedrys)Globe Flower (trollius europaeus)Globe Thistle (echinops ritro)Grape HyacinthGreater Knapweed (centaurea scabiosa)Greater StitchwortGypsywortHedge Woundwort (stachys sylvestris)Herb Robert (geranium robertianum)Hollyhock (althaea rosea)Hound's Tongue (Cynoglossum)Hyssop (hyssopus officinalis)Ice Plant (sedum)Lemon BergamotLady's Smock (cardamine pratensis)Lambs Ears (stachys byzantine)Lavender (lavendula)Lemon Balm (melissa officinalis)Lesser CelandineLovage (levisticum officinale)Marjoram (origanum majorana)Marsh MarigoldMeadow Clary (salvia pratensis)Meadowsweet (filipendula ulmaria)Apple MintMountain MintMullein (verbascum)Musk Mallow (malva moschata)OxlipPainted sage (slavia horminum)Pasque Flower (pulsatilla vulgaris)PenstemonPoached Egg (limnanthes douglasii)Poppy (papaver)Purple Loosestrife (lythrum salicaria)Ragged Robin (lychnis flos-cuculi)Red Clover (trifolium pratense)Red Valerian (centranthus ruber)Rock Rose (helianthemum mummularium)Rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis)Sainfoin (onobrychis vicifolia)Selfheal (prunella vulgaris)Small Scabious (scabiosa columbaria)Spiked Speedwell (veronica spicata)Sweet CicelySweet William (dianthus barbatus)Teasel (dipsacus fullonum)Thyme (thymus)Tickewwed (coreopsis)Toadflax (linaria vulgaris)Valerian (valeriana officinalis)Viper's Bugloss (echium vulgare)White CloverWild Basil (clinopodium vulgaris)Wild Clematis (clematis vitalba)Wild Mignonette (reseda lutea)Wild Privet (ligustrum vulgare)Yellow ArchangelYellow Flag Iris (iris pseudacorus)Yellow Loosestrife
Borderlass - Jef posted this list a while back - hope he/she doesn't mind me repeating it here.
Jazzcat
Fabbie, thanx jaz cat, x
thank goodness for cut n paste lol,