Bee Friendly

“The solitary Bee, Whose buzzing was the only sound of life, Flew there on restless wing, Seeking in vain one blossom where to fix.” - Robert Southey

Butterfly and hummingbird gardens are quite popular, and many gardeners select plants with the purpose of attracting these beautiful pollinators.  Gardening to attract bees does not always hold the same widespread appeal.   This may be due to some misconceptions. 

First, many people associate bees with stings and prefer not to have them around.  The fact is that bees very seldom sting aggressively, but rather use it as a last defense.  Even should a sting occur, only a very small minority of people suffer from a life-threatening allergy to bee venom. 

Second, some may think the only way of helping bees is to be a keeper of honeybee hives.  Not all gardeners have the time, space, resources, or even the desire to do so.   However, honeybees aren’t the only bees around. There are about 4,000 native species in the United States and about 20,000 worldwide. Native bees can survive just fine without human attention, but there are things we can do to help them.

Why be concerned about helping bees?  Many species of bees, including both honeybees and native species, are experiencing a population decline.  It is estimated that bees pollinate about a third of the world’s food crops.  Aside from that, the buzz of bees around a blossoming fruit tree or patch of blooming flowers adds another dimension of pleasure to your fragrance garden, appealing to the ears as well as the eyes and nose.

What can you do to help native bees? First refrain from harming them with pesticides; then help them by providing food and shelter. Some ways to appeal to bee preferences include:

·        Choose plants native to your area

·        Single, rather than double, flowers, and flowers with short or no tubes make nectar more accessible

·        Garden with fragrant plants

·        Choose plants in the mint family – mints, balms, oregano, sage, and lavender, for example

·        Bees love flowers in shades of blue, purple and yellow

·        Keep something blooming all season long

·        Don’t overdo the mulch – many bees need to burrow and nest in the dirt

From my personal observation, the plants most attractive to bees in my garden have been raspberry and apple blossoms, oregano, bee balm, lavender and thyme.