Bees need nectar/pollen all spring/summer long. It's not just a matter of lots of nice flowers in high season. On a warm day a couple of weeks ago I had lots of bees on flowering heather and willow catkins. The number of bees multiplies in the hive until they peak in late june/early july when the numbers start to fall and some bees move to start new colonies. You have to help them "all" year round. Hope this helps.
They basically hibernate for the winter and rely on honey they have made the year before. If the weather is warm at all some may come out and look for anything that is in flower...daphnes, viburnams, flowering bulbs etc. i am not a bee keeper or expert!
Are there any other plants that can go under shade, as I'm wanting to buy an apple tree and have more shade plants round the trunk. I will put in some cyclamen and pulmonarias around here too, but really would like a big variety that flower around the same time
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Bees need nectar/pollen all spring/summer long. It's not just a matter of lots of nice flowers in high season. On a warm day a couple of weeks ago I had lots of bees on flowering heather and willow catkins. The number of bees multiplies in the hive until they peak in late june/early july when the numbers start to fall and some bees move to start new colonies. You have to help them "all" year round. Hope this helps.
Thankyou woodgreen...what would you say is the best plant for bees in the winter months, as I find it hard to decipher?
They basically hibernate for the winter and rely on honey they have made the year before. If the weather is warm at all some may come out and look for anything that is in flower...daphnes, viburnams, flowering bulbs etc. i am not a bee keeper or expert!
Thanks, think I'll treat myself to some viburnams and more snowdrops
And pulmonarias Ryan, if you've got a bit of shade. They can go under the tree with the cyclamen
In the sticks near Peterborough
Oh okay, I ordered some Pulmonarias yesterday...Do you think they'll still be in flower when I get them in a couple of weeks?
Might be lucky. But there's always next year
In the sticks near Peterborough
Are there any other plants that can go under shade, as I'm wanting to buy an apple tree and have more shade plants round the trunk. I will put in some cyclamen and pulmonarias around here too, but really would like a big variety that flower around the same time
There was a recent thread on things that grow inshade. I'll see if i can find it.
In the sticks near Peterborough
That would be great, thanks