Bee's, especially in the UK. Have been in rapid decline for these past few years. This is mostly due to excessive use of harmful chemicals like insecticides. Bee's cannot tolerate these potent concoctions and suffer great harm as a result. Sometimes death is inevitable.
You have to remember, without bee's doing there thing, pollinating the flowers of the fruit trees and vegetable plants that produce for us our bodies nourishment. There would be a drastic shortage of food. Bee's are one of the main pollinators which help plants produce fruit when they're in there flowering stage.
The easiest way to attract bee's is to plant lots and lots of flowers! Because of there design, bee's see certain colours more vividly so than others. For instance, the colour blue is highly attractive to a bee. It's easiest to plant loads of perennial flowers as they will re-sprout come next year completely on there own. Here's a short list of plants that will not only attract loads of bee's but will make your garden look beautiful! Remember, some of the same species of plants can be annual, biennial and perennial. Be sure to check with your local garden centre about which type you're buying.
If you don't know what these terms mean then let me explain, otherwise you may as well carry on reading the list below.
Annuals will only live for approximately one year. After that they will die and cease to return.
Biennials will have an extended lifespan, but usually only for two growing seasons. They will generally produce their foliage the first year then flower the next.
Perennials live longer than Biennials. Their lifespan can range from two years to many tens of years. They bloom during the spring and summer. Come winter they will die back before re-sprouting and flowering come spring next year.
Cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatus,Annual, Perennial,
Not native to Europe,
Fair tall, (5-20"),
Colour varies from Red to Pink and Orange to White,
Flowers: July to September
Tansy
Perennial,
Native to Europe
Grows tall (20-35")
Bright yellow coloured flowers
Flowers: August to September
Bellflower
Campanula,
Annual, Biennial, Perennial,
Native to Europe,
Height varies amongst species (5-90"),
Bright Blue, Purple, White or Pink flowers
Flowers: June to October
Lavender
Annual, Perennial,
Native to Europe,
Height varies amongst species (8-25"),
Deep purple colour,
Flowers: July to September
Cornflower
Annual,
Native to Europe,
Grows fairly tall (18-20") with a branched stem,
Intense deep blue colour,
Flowers: June until August,
Bluebell
Hyacinthoides non-scripta,
Perennial,
Native to Europe,
Small growing (5-10"),
Colours range from Blue to White, Sometimes Green
Flowers: April to June
Bee's also have a superb sense of smell. You can bring more bee's into your garden by planting herbs in addition to flowers. Many herbs can be used for cooking as well.
You should try to plant herbs such as: Thyme, Mint, Oregano, Basil, Sage, Rosemary, Borage, Hyssop.
These are just short lists, there is a massive diversity of plants available for attracting bee's and making your garden look stunning. You may find a more extensive list here:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Sustainable-gardening/pdfs/RHS_Pollinators_PlantList
You can also build a beehive if you're comfortable with that. You can collect and harvest the bee's honey then also! Although there is a potential safety risk. Especially with children around! I don't favour this approach because of the potential danger.
On a final note, please take the time to help bee's by planting just a few flowers in your garden. Bee's are such an important part of nature and as they're in decline it would be extremely nurturing and kind for anyone who helps these little creatures. Without bee's there would be a huge decline in food stores and a massive shift in nature's diversity as bee's are really that necessary.
Tips
- It's wise to use flowers that're native to your country or area. These will encourage alot more bee's and will also be easier to grow as they're already adapt to your climate. Take a stroll through a wild field or place where flowers are plenty near your area. See what flowers are growing naturally.
- Plant close together! If you look into a field full of wild flowers, you will notice how they're all bunched together. We want to mimic nature! So bunch your flowers together!
- Plant tall swaying flowers. As with nature again, lots of wild flowers are tall growing. They sway in the wind which will help bee's find the swinging flower tops
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