Bedding Flowers For Bees

Bedding flowers 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 flowers are often seasonal and can be bought as seeds, seedlings or fully-grown specimens.

Here are some of the best bedding flowers for attracting bees to your garden.

Attract Bees - flower - bedding plants - crocus

Crocus

When to plant: Early autumn (from bulbs)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Hairy-footed Flower Bees, Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflower - hawthorn - gold-balm

Bee Balm

When to plant: Spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Garden Bumblebees, Common Carder Bees, Wool Carder Bees

Attract Bees - wallflower

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 BumblebeesBumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - stonecrop

Sedum

When to plant: Early spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Honeybees, Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - Snowdrop

Snowdrop

When to plant: Early spring (from bulbs)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Bumblebees, Honeybees

Attract Bees - Winter acronite

Winter Aconite

When to plant: Late spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Winter
Popular with: Bumblebees, Honeybees, Mining Bees

Herbs For 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 herbs to attract bees to your garden, balcony or window box.

Attract Bees - flower - herbs - chives

Chives

When to plant: Late Spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees, Honeybees, Cavity Nesting Bees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflowers - lavender

Lavender

When to plant: Spring
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees, Honeybees, Cavity Nesting Bees

Attract Bees - flower - herb - marjoram

Marjoram

When to plant: Early spring (from seeds)
Popular with: Bumblebees, Honeybees, Cavity Nesting Bees

Attract Bees - flower - herbs - rosemary

Rosemary

When to plant: Spring (from ready-grown plants)
When they flower: Winter – Spring
Popular with: Bumblebees, Honeybees, Cavity Nesting Bees

Attract Bees - flower - sage

Sage

When to plant: Spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Bumblebees, Leafcutter Bees

Attract Bees - fennel

Fennel

When to plant: Early spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Early summer
Popular with: Bumblebees

Fruit & Veg For Bees

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 fruiting plants that bees love.

Attract Bees - flower - apple

Apple or Crabapple Tree

When to plant: Autumn (from seeds)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Red Mason Bees, Mining Bees

Attract Bees - flower - fruit - shrubs - raspberries

Raspberry Bush

When to plant: Late autumn or early spring
When they flower: Winter
Popular with: Bumblebees

Attract Bees - blackberry

Blackberry bush

When to plant: Early spring
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Mining Bees

Attract Bees - flower - runner-beans - broad beans

Runner Beans / Broad Beans

When to plant: Late autumn or early spring
When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Common Carder Bees

Attract Bees - flower - fruit - cherries - cherry tree

Cherry Tree

When to plant: Late autumn or early spring
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Mining Bees

Attract Bees - flower - vegetable - kale

Kale

When to plant: Late autumn or early spring
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Bumblebees, Mining Bees, Honeybees

Attract Bees - flower - strawberries

Strawberries

When to plant: Spring, summer, autumn
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees, Mining Bees, Honeybees

vAttract Bees - flower - fruit - pear tree

Pear Tree

When to plant: Autumn or spring
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Mining Bees

Attract Bees - flower - fruit - plum tree

Plum Tree

When to plant: Winter or early spring
When they flower: Spring or summer
Popular with: Mining Bees

Trees & Shrubs For 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 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.

Attract Bees - flower - apple

Apple or Crabapple Tree

When to plant: Autumn (from seeds)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Red Mason Bees, Mining Bees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflower - hawthorn

Hawthorn

When to plant: Autumn (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Red Mason Bees, Mining Bees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflower - honeysuckle

Honeysuckle

When to plant: Late spring to summer (from softwood cutting)
When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflower - ivy

Ivy

When to plant: Autumn or spring (from vines)
When they flower: Winter
Popular with: Honeybees, Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflowers - mahonia-common-3548347_1920

Mahonia

When to plant: Spring, summer, autumn
When they flower: Winter
Popular with: Honeybees, Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - salix-caprea

Goat Willow

When to plant: Autumn (from cuttings)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Mining Bees, Bumblebees

Wildflowers For Bees

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 for your garden.

Attract Bees - flower - wildflowers - bluebells

Bluebells

When to plant: Autumn (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflowers - clover

Clover

When to plant: Autumn
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflowers - Lesser celendine

Lesser Celandine

When to plant: Autumn
When they flower: 
Winter
Popular with: Bumblebees, Mining Bees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflowers - lungwort

Lungwort

When to plant: Spring, summer, autumn
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Hairy-footed Flower Bees, Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflower - hellebore

Hellebore

When to plant: Early spring (from bulbs)
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - Speedwell

Field Speedwell

When to plant: Autumn
When they flower:
Early spring
Popular with: Mining Bees, Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - Viper bugloss

Viper’s Bugloss

When to plant: Autumn (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Bumblebees

Attract Bees - forget-me-not-forest

Wood Forget-me-not

When to plant: Autumn
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Cavity Nesting Bees, Mining Bees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflower - hawthorn - foxglove

Foxglove

When to plant: Late Spring (from seeds)
When they flower: Summer
Popular with: Garden Bumblebees, Common Carder Bees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflowers - cowslip

Cowslip

When to plant: Autumn
When they flower: Spring
Popular with: Hairy-footed Flower Bees, Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - wildflower - hawthorn - dead-nettle

White Deadnettle

When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Bumblebees

Attract Bees - flower - yarrow

Yarrow

When they flower: Autumn
Popular with: Cavity Nesting Bees, Mining Bees