Definitely Linaria purpurea Canon Went. They literally fight for the best place. I took out the Leucantheum, and planted another Linaria purpurea knowing that this makes them happy.
Alliums are still the big hit here, closely followed by the ragwort, Buddleja and Oregano (ornamental Rosenkuppel seems to have a slight lead over the edible variety)
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
Our beautiful Shetland white tail bumble bees absolutely adored the flowering currants and liverwort in the spring, the honeysuckle and roses in early summer and now are going mad on some bright yellow flowers that are growing in the garden, but unfortunately, I have no idea what they are as I inherited them when we bought the house.
Having watched the visible pollinator activity closely through this year, I think my two plants that the bees go most crazy for - fight over- seem to be allium (Purple Sensation and Sphaerocephalon) and veronica longifolia 'Marietta' (purple). I have a similar white veronica and the bees didn't seem to go near it. It might be more popular with night fliers.
On pavement plots, Rozanne wins hands down.
I haven't had a good year with bush salvias, the spring was too odd. I suspect the wet summer (locally) has been very hard work for pollinators and owls.
I'm not sure it's just the flower type that attracts bees. I think it's also how much sun they have had that 'ripens' the flower and makes the nectar sweet? or ripe? for the bees too. I noticed they totally ignored the buddleia until the flowers had had some hot sun on them - then they were a bee magnet.
Currently, the bees are on the single flower dahlias, salvia, nepeta, runner beans, borage, clover in the lawn, marjoram, crocosmia, hollyhocks.
Earlier in the summer they loved foxgloves, lavendar and were all over Jasminum beesianum
Do people notice a clear colour preference for bees in particular? They are supposed to like the pink/purple part of spectrum as their eyes can see this best. Is that what you observe?
Many plants have a stamen and pollen colour different from the petal colour. The central 'target' can be the bit the bees see - as with a dahlia like Bishop of Llanduff, which has a bright yellow centre.
Also, are there any 'bedding' plants to do ok for wildlife, you have found? Lots of GC bedding is advertised as "perfect for pollinators" but this often seems to be a con. I planted some nemesia last year and allysum but I didn't see anything go near them all the season.
Posts
I took out the Leucantheum, and planted another Linaria purpurea knowing that this makes them happy.
I ♥ my garden.
East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
They're also loving my golden marjoram, sunflowers and single dahlias.
Currently, the bees are on the single flower dahlias, salvia, nepeta, runner beans, borage, clover in the lawn, marjoram, crocosmia, hollyhocks.
Earlier in the summer they loved foxgloves, lavendar and were all over Jasminum beesianum