Bee Guide December

01 Dec, 2023

Summer is finally here! A wide variety of bee-friendly plants will now be out in bloom.

Bee-friendly Plants In Flower

Summer offers bees an abundance of flowering bee-friendly plants.


The following plants are out in flower now and feeding hungry bees:

Cornflower - Instore only

One of the best flowers to offer bees and an old fashioned favourite, cornflowers are easy to grow and add height to any flower garden. Plus, they self-seed and will pop up in your garden again the following year.

Echinacea

A well-known attractant for all bees and many butterfly species. Echinacea’s leaves, flowers and roots also have natural therapeutic uses.

Thyme

A perfect drought-tolerant ground-cover with culinary uses and small, sweet flowers that are great for bees. Plant in dry areas, and water until established.

Lavender

Being a bee favourite, Lavender are still in bloom and easy to look after, even in summer. Perfect for patio pots or borders for flower beds.

Bee-friendly Plants Ready For Planting

Summer fills our gardens with colour, and bees with full bellies. Remember to water, mulch and add SaturAid to your garden so your plants don't dry out in the summer heat. Fertilise with an organic liquid fertiliser such as Organic Garden Booster once every three weeks.

Sage

Sage is best planted in the hotter, drier places in the garden and is a perfect herb for the summer heat. Be sure to add some organic matter in free-draining soil for this herb. Check out our different varieties instore!

Lemon Verbena

A perennial with small white flowers and long slender leaves used in herb teas and natural soaps. A great addition to the herb garden or in a large container in full sun.

Alyssum – Instore only

This cascading bedding plant with its bunching white flowers is a favourite choice for hanging baskets and patio pots. Plant from spring to autumn in a partly shaded to sunny area in well-draining soil.

Bergamot (Bee balm)

As the name suggests, bee balm attracts bees and other pollinating insects. This herb also can be used as a substitute for oregano. Plant in full sun in moist, but well-draining soil.

Rosemary

Rosemary is hardy, tolerating dry spells in the hot summer sun. It can also be used as a tall screening plant, or as ground cover depending on the variety. Plant with rich organic matter such as compost and sheep pellets, and mulch well.

Monthly Bee Tip

Now that it’s coming into summer, it’s a good time to think about giving bees access to water. Although bees don't drink water for hydration like humans do, they do still need it for digesting sugars and for temperature control within colonies and hives. If you have a birdbath or small water feature, make sure to add small rocks for them to perch on. Once bees find a reliable source of water, they will return regularly.

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