My Cotoneaster horizontalis always attracts loads of bees. A lot of herbs are popular with bees - Lavender, Sage, Oregano and Thyme. Snowberry is also very attractive to them but I would be wary of having it in a smalll garden it is invasive.
In our garden the top five are comfrey, borage, lavender, red clover and Malva. I managed to get a pic last week of a honey bee having great fun in one of our Malva plants!
Bob is right though, it's a challenge to provide plants year round for pollinators....
Lonicera fragrantissima is a brilliant winter flowerer...provides nectar and pollen from December through to March providing on the weather;bees forage on warmer days. And it smells divine (well to me anyhow!)
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My Cotoneaster horizontalis always attracts loads of bees. A lot of herbs are popular with bees - Lavender, Sage, Oregano and Thyme. Snowberry is also very attractive to them but I would be wary of having it in a smalll garden it is invasive.
In our garden the top five are comfrey, borage, lavender, red clover and Malva. I managed to get a pic last week of a honey bee having great fun in one of our Malva plants!
Bob is right though, it's a challenge to provide plants year round for pollinators....
Last edited: 28 July 2016 06:56:17
My Lavender hedge is dripping with bees, but not a single butterfly to be seen even on my Buddleia.
Lonicera fragrantissima is a brilliant winter flowerer...provides nectar and pollen from December through to March providing on the weather;bees forage on warmer days. And it smells divine (well to me anyhow!)
Nonea lutea is another good one for the early bees.
In the sticks near Peterborough
the bees are absolutely addicted to geranium rozanne which grows very wild in my garden,and the ceanothus in spring time
I don't know but I noticed lots of bees around the following in my garden this year - lavatera, annual poppy, snapdragons