We all badly need bees. If we have some fruit trees and vegetables, bees will pollinate them. Just think about the buzz under blossoming apple trees… We can do the bees a favour by planting at least some of the species. They love their nectar.
It is not only gardens where we grow flowers that attract bees. It is also our balconies! If you want to help bees, it is important that you only use natural pesticides. If you really have to apply some chemicals, do it after sunset when bees do not fly.
Also remember to put out some watering stations for the bees, especially now that the summers are getting hotter and hotter.
#1 Pansy
Pansy starts blooming in the early spring so first bees get attracted to it the moment it is warm enough
#2 Lavender
Lavender is good for both people and bees. Plant it in your garden and dry the flowers. They repel a lot of intruders we don’t want to get inside. When lavender withers, trim it. You can enjoy its flowers next year.
#3 Crimson beebalm
A honey producing perennial. It has some healing properties so you can make beebalm tea, too. It blooms from June till the end of September smelling wonderful.
#4 Heather
Remember that only the blooming varieties attract bees.
#5 Borage
Borage, due to its healing properties, is a herb. It tastes like a cucumber.
#6 California poppy
California poppy does not require much watering so it is a good idea bearing in mind the dry summers we have. It blooms from May to November. It is also resistant to moderate frosts.
#7 Chives flowers
Bees love chives flowers. However, you need to remember that blooming reduces the number of leaves of this plant.
#8 Lupins
They are wonderful tall flowers available in so many colours that each gardener will find something right.
#9 Tagetes
While we are put off by the smell, this is actually what attracts the bees.
#10 Zinnia
Another flower with colours that amaze everyone.
#11 Dahlia
#12 Nasturtium
Nasturtium is edible so you can add it to your salads. It blooms all summer long and looks charming.
#13 Calendula
Its healing properties have been known for centuries. Just sow it in your garden and enjoy the flowers. Its petals might be added to a number of dishes.
#14 Thyme
The flowers of this herb are also an ingredient of salads and a number of other dishes. It blooms from the spring till mid-summer.
#15 Sunflower
Bees, birds and people – we are all fans of sunflowers. While sowing them remember that they grow really high.
#16 Basil
Another herb worth having on our balcony or in the garden. Bees will be really grateful.
#17 Peony
Peony smells divine. The flowers are beautiful and huge. It comes in plenty of varieties so you will definitely find one just for you.
#18 Peppermint
Peppermint grows really fast, so even in the garden you can grow it in pots. Mint is good for everybody and peppermint flowers are good for the bees. Of course if you want to pick mint, it can’t bloom, so you need to reach some compromise with the bees.
#19 Purple coneflower – echinacea
Another herb that will be good for bees and us, especially our immune system.
#20 Hyssop
This herb blooms in June and August.
Of course this is just a fraction of plants that attract bees. Their list is much much longer. Every meadow full of flowers is ideal for these insects. That is why some towns and cities give up grass lawns and go for flowery meadows instead.
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