not sure if it qualifies as "compact" but bees love echiums. I grow them from seed and in the second year, they send up a massive flower spike covered in tiny flowers - I have grown a variety from Plant World seeds - snow tower or snow mountain. It promised white flowers but in fact they were more mauve. Smothered in bees. Good for the back of a sunny border, but they are tender so you have to protect them in a cold winter and make sure they have good drainage
I was pleased to see this post as I am forever pushing the need to Save our Bees. I have a gardening blog and created a category of Plants for Pollinators. Perhaps you might see something under that category. I am constantly adding to the list as, like everyone else, I learn as I go along adding new plants to my small garden.
Posts
not sure if it qualifies as "compact" but bees love echiums. I grow them from seed and in the second year, they send up a massive flower spike covered in tiny flowers - I have grown a variety from Plant World seeds - snow tower or snow mountain. It promised white flowers but in fact they were more mauve. Smothered in bees. Good for the back of a sunny border, but they are tender so you have to protect them in a cold winter and make sure they have good drainage
I was pleased to see this post as I am forever pushing the need to Save our Bees. I have a gardening blog and created a category of Plants for Pollinators. Perhaps you might see something under that category. I am constantly adding to the list as, like everyone else, I learn as I go along adding new plants to my small garden.
VJ
http://gardeners-word.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Plants%20for%20pollinators%20-%20bees%20etc
http://gardeners-word.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/save-our-humble-bumblebees.html