Some things I have in several colours and others I do have, but only one of. I didn't cheat, honest! I haven't actually got the annuals as plants yet, but all the seeds are sitting here on the table, as I was plannig a seed planting day tomorrow - so they will be there. I didn't include one or two things that I might have, but I'm not sure yet if they've survived winter. I do have lots of wild flowers though, and some of the ones I haven't got, grow in the farm next door.
It is a large garden too, so room for lots of things. I rely entirely on bumble bees, so glad of the score, as I have never seen a honey bee here - we are high up and surrounded by rough pasture, with not that many flowers.as they get eaten off. No other gardens for a mile or more.Do get several different bumbles though in various sizes and colours. Some big ones were out enjoying the crocuses and the hellebores when the sun was shining earlier in the week. They'll be holed up again now as it is chucking it down again
Wowzer! Check you guys out!! We got 3344, have made a note of suggestions to up our game and that will be my mission this summer (well that and all the other garden missions I'm on!! ?)
Saw a poor little chap on the lawn, still alive, scrambling for food - made a concoction of water and sugar in a shallow lid. Most fascinating watching his notoriously long 'tongue' appear to drink! Probably a solitary bumble I am guessing, definitely not a queen & too early for workers?
We are lucky enough to garden on 2 acres where we keep our hives of honeybees.
I've planted big swathes of Phacelia tanacetifolia and Sainfoin around the hives for them. This year I'll be adding in some perennial chicory which they should like.
Muscari and aconites are also great early plants, and later in the year the persicarias are also busy.
Good trees for bees are lime, hazel and alder.
Did you know that a single honeybee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime ... and that of the 100 crop species that provide 90 per cent of the world's food, over 70 are pollinated by bees! (source United Nations Environment programme).
I think you can have a low score and still do well for bees. More important would be do you have flowers early in spring, throughout summer and autumn and are they single flowers. Also, I think research has shown that bees prefer large clumps of the same flowers. So lots of phacelia might be better than one plant of many different species, but the score wouldnt' reflect that. Some of the things they asked about (roses, daffs, tulips) are mostly only good for bees in species forms.
I think a better question would be "I use chemicals in my garden to..." or "I do not use any chemicals in my garden."
But...this was lots of fun. I enjoy these kind of quizzes. (I got 3457)
You're right Watery, the main thing is to have a succession of bee-friendly flowers so that there is always something in bloom throughout the year. That might be possible with just a dozen or so different species if you choose them carefully.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
If I think about the things that the bees home in on in big numbers then it would be borage, phacelia, sedum, lime trees (they will work these until late evening if the temperature is reasonable - and the honey is superb!) and ivy ... which they get a great feed from to set them up for the winter.
I have to say though that when the oilseed rape is flowering in nearby fields, I don't see half so many bees in the garden. The same is true later in the season when the himalayan balsam is flowering on the riverbanks here.
Watery makes a really important point about planting in big clumps. The bees will go back to the hive and perform a waggle dance to let other bees know the location of a good source of nectar / pollen .. and before you know it there is a horde of bees enjoying themselves!
Bob is also right about the need to have a succession of plants across the year. Gorse is a great bee plant as there's usually some flowering somewhere.
We've been beekeeping for 10 years now ... and every year is different ... the weather plays a big part, and the bees are always teaching us things.
Bee
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Posts
I hardly dare post this,but I got 6064!
Some things I have in several colours and others I do have, but only one of. I didn't cheat, honest! I haven't actually got the annuals as plants yet, but all the seeds are sitting here on the table, as I was plannig a seed planting day tomorrow - so they will be there. I didn't include one or two things that I might have, but I'm not sure yet if they've survived winter. I do have lots of wild flowers though, and some of the ones I haven't got, grow in the farm next door.
It is a large garden too, so room for lots of things. I rely entirely on bumble bees, so glad of the score, as I have never seen a honey bee here - we are high up and surrounded by rough pasture, with not that many flowers.as they get eaten off. No other gardens for a mile or more.Do get several different bumbles though in various sizes and colours. Some big ones were out enjoying the crocuses and the hellebores when the sun was shining earlier in the week. They'll be holed up again now as it is chucking it down again
Great score Buttercupdays
In the sticks near Peterborough
Wowzer! Check you guys out!! We got 3344, have made a note of suggestions to up our game and that will be my mission this summer (well that and all the other garden missions I'm on!! ?)
Wow, we have a winner Buttercup
Saw a poor little chap on the lawn, still alive, scrambling for food - made a concoction of water and sugar in a shallow lid. Most fascinating watching his notoriously long 'tongue' appear to drink! Probably a solitary bumble I am guessing, definitely not a queen & too early for workers?
3444, average I suppose for front and back tiny gardens 1 mile from city centre
In your experience Bee witched, which plants that you already provide are honeybees' favourites?
Last edited: 19 March 2017 17:36:22
I think you can have a low score and still do well for bees. More important would be do you have flowers early in spring, throughout summer and autumn and are they single flowers. Also, I think research has shown that bees prefer large clumps of the same flowers. So lots of phacelia might be better than one plant of many different species, but the score wouldnt' reflect that. Some of the things they asked about (roses, daffs, tulips) are mostly only good for bees in species forms.
I think a better question would be "I use chemicals in my garden to..." or "I do not use any chemicals in my garden."
But...this was lots of fun. I enjoy these kind of quizzes. (I got 3457)
You're right Watery, the main thing is to have a succession of bee-friendly flowers so that there is always something in bloom throughout the year. That might be possible with just a dozen or so different species if you choose them carefully.
I agree Watery and don't larger clumps of one thing look better aesthetically too?
Hi Mark,
If I think about the things that the bees home in on in big numbers then it would be borage, phacelia, sedum, lime trees (they will work these until late evening if the temperature is reasonable - and the honey is superb!) and ivy ... which they get a great feed from to set them up for the winter.
I have to say though that when the oilseed rape is flowering in nearby fields, I don't see half so many bees in the garden. The same is true later in the season when the himalayan balsam is flowering on the riverbanks here.
Watery makes a really important point about planting in big clumps. The bees will go back to the hive and perform a waggle dance to let other bees know the location of a good source of nectar / pollen .. and before you know it there is a horde of bees enjoying themselves!
Bob is also right about the need to have a succession of plants across the year. Gorse is a great bee plant as there's usually some flowering somewhere.
We've been beekeeping for 10 years now ... and every year is different ... the weather plays a big part, and the bees are always teaching us things.
Bee
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime