help with flowers that attract bees!

[Lcottomsvcs]

Originally Posted by Lcottomsvcs

I am a beekeeper also, and my bees love a variety of flowers, regardless of color. They are most interesting in the food (nectar and pollen) they can obtain from the flower. Many hybrid plants which are bred for big, showy flowers are actually poor in nectar. Many plants we consider weeds, such as dandilion(spelling?), clover, golden rod and vetch are actually very good for bees. Plants that get alot of "bee interest" in my yard and are easy to grow include:

sunflowers
lambs ear
hyssop
mints
catnip
chives, garlic and regular
lemon balm
asters (important near the fall when other flowers have dried up)
bee balm
borage
poppies

There is one ground cover, Snow-on-the-Mountain (Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegata), which is bad for bees. It makes a toxic honey. I had to rip it out of my borders when we got our bees.

I hope this helps. Happy Gardening!

I meant "they are most interested in the food (nectar and pollen) they get from the flowers. So much for proofreading.......