Bedding plants are commonly found in garden centres up and down the country. They’re often planted to add colour to gardens and attract a host of the UK’s pollinating insects.
Bedding plants are often seasonal and can be bought as seeds, seedlings or fully-grown specimens.
Here are some of the best bedding plants for attracting bees to your garden.
Name: Crocus
When to plant: Early autumn (from bulbs)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Hairy-footed Flower Bees, Bumblebees
Name: Bee Balm
When to plant: Spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Garden Bumblebees, Common Carder Bees, Wool Carder Bees
Name: Perennial Wallflower
When to plant: Spring or summer (from semi-hardwood cuttings)
When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Red Mason Bees, Common Carder Bees, Garden Bumblebees, Bumblebees
Name: Sedum
When to plant: Early spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Honeybees, Bumblebees
Name: Snowdrop
When to plant: Early spring (from bulbs)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Bumblebees, Honeybees
Name: Winter Acronite
When to plant: Late spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Winter
Popular with: Bumblebees, Honeybees, Mining Bees
When thinking of the plants that attract bees, herbs don’t always jump to mind. However, these plants can attract bees of all types.
Here are some additions you can add to your garden, balcony or window box.
Name: Chives
When to plant: Late Spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees, Honeybees, Mason Bees
Name: Lavender
When to plant: Spring
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees, Honeybees, Mason Bees
Name: Marjoram
When to plant: Early spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Bumblebees, Honeybees, Mason Bees
Name: Rosemary
When to plant: Spring (from ready-grown plants)
When they flower: Winter - Spring
Popular with: Mason Bees, Bumblebees, Honeybees
Name: Sage
When to plant: Spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Bumblebees, Leafcutter Bees
Name: Fennel
When to plant: Early spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Early summer
Popular with: Bumblebees
Fruiting plants can offer an attractive proposition for many bee species. As they feed, they will pollinate your plants, giving you a greater harvest of home-grown fruit and veg the following season.
Here are some bee-favourite fruiting plants.
Name: Apple or Crabapple Tree
When to plant: Autumn (from seeds)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Red Mason Bees, Mining Bees
Name: Raspberry Bush
When to plant: Late autumn or early spring
When they flower: Winter
Popular with: Bumblebees
Name: Blackberry bush
When to plant: Early spring
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Mining Bees
Name: Runner/Broad Beans
When to plant: Late autumn or early spring
When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Common Carder Bees
Name: Cherry tree
When to plant: Late autumn or early spring
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Mining Bees
Name: Kale
When to plant: Late autumn or early spring
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Bumblebees, Mining Bees, Honeybees
Name: Strawberries
When to plant: Spring, summer, autumn
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees, Mining Bees, Honeybees
Name: Pear tree
When to plant: Autumn or spring
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Mining Bees
Name: Plum tree
When to plant: Winter or early spring
When they flower: Spring or summer
Popular with: Mining Bees
Flowering trees and shrubs are a great draw for many rare bee species in the UK. You may feel a little intimidated by the idea of planting trees or large shrubs introducing these plants into your garden needn’t be labour intensive.
Choose fledgeling plants and plan when you to plant them. You’ll want to avoid planting in winter and consider when they will flower.
Here are a few ideas for your garden.
Name: Apple or Crabapple Tree
When to plant: Autumn (from seeds)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Red Mason Bees, Mining Bees
Name: Hawthorn
When to plant: Autumn (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Red Mason Bees, Mining Bees
Name: Honeysuckle
When to plant: Late spring to summer (from softwood cutting)
When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Bumblebees
Name: Ivy
When to plant: Autumn or spring (from vines)
When they flower: Winter
Popular with: Honeybees, Bumblebees
Name: Mahonia
When to plant: Spring, summer, autumn
When they flower: Winter
Popular with: Honeybees, Bumblebees
Name: Goat Willow
When to plant: Autumn (from cuttings)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Mining Bees, Bumblebees
The UK’s native bee species have evolved alongside domestic wildflowers for thousands of years. Unsurprisingly, these flowers remain some of the most irresistible items on the menu for many foraging bees.
Seeds can be easily bought and planted. And with so many varieties available, plants of all shapes, sizes and colours can be worked into your current bed.
Here are some of the most fancied wildflowers to consider.
Name: Bluebells
When to plant: Autumn (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees
Name: Clover
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees
Name: Lesser Celandine
When they flower: Winter
Popular with: Bumblebees, Mining Bees
Name: Lungwort
When to plant: Spring, summer, autumn
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Hairy-footed Flower Bees, Bumblebees
Name: Hellebore
When to plant: Early spring (from bulbs)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Bumblebees
Name: Field Speedwell
When they flower: Early spring
Popular with: Mining Bees, Bumblebees
Name: Viper's Bugloss
When to plant: Autumn (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees
Name: Wood Forget-me-not
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Mason Bees, Mining Bees
Name: Foxglove
When to plant: Late Spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Garden Bumblebees, Common Carder Bees
Name: Cowslip
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Hairy-footed Flower Bees, Bumblebees
Name: White Deadnettle
When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Bumblebees
Name: Yarrow
When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Mason Bees, Mining Bees