The best way to create a truly beautiful garden or flower landscape is to plant only those flowers which are truly bee friendly. Bees are a vital part of our ecosystem, but many other creatures may also be harmful to our gardens. Here are some suggestions to help make sure that your landscaping project will be both bee-friendly and a good ecological fit.
First, what exactly are “bee friendly flowers”? Those flowers that attract bees will also feed hummingbirds, butterflies, aphids and other beneficial insects. So is it time to come up with some new ideas for the bee garden? Whether you have only a few potted plants or a large space, you can still make a difference by landscaping with native flowers.
Some of the most useful “bee friendly flowers” are the bee balm, bracts and snapdragons. Bee balm, which grows in Europe and Asia, attracts bees with its fragrant flowers. When the flowers come into bloom, tiny yellow or white flowers are released that are irresistible to bees. This pollen is the nectar that beekeepers use to feed their hives with, thus creating a food source for the colony.
The bracts and snapdragons, on the other hand, attract bees by releasing resins when the wind blows them away from their flower petals. The bee balm acts as a barrier, drawing bees away from the flower so that the bees do not pollinate the garden. This resin also acts as a food source for the bees. When the resin is released, the bees scurry to the open pollinated parts of the flower to feast on the nectar, leaving behind the resin behind. This bee friendly flowers are an effective way to keep bees out of a garden and away from the honey or pollen.
A third type of flower that attracts bees is the native bee Balm. Bee balms vary in size depending on how much nectar they contain. Small blooms produced by species like the bee balm will not attract any fees at all. Larger blooms produced by larger species of bees will attract several bee species.
These three types of native flowers help make honey and collect pollen in order to feed the hive. In return, they collect vital nutrients for the colony that may be used for future reproduction. Beekeeper bees spend most of their time collecting honey and nectar. They do this in return for the benefit of all the species that live in the area. For these reasons, bee balm, bracts and snapdragons are important in maintaining a healthy local bee population.
Bee friendly flowers also provide several other benefits. When pollinating, native flowers provide pollen that encouraging a growth in plant life. The flower petals can also attract bees that are already in the area. This provides the beginnings of pollination. In addition, some native flowers provide pollen that can improve your garden soil.
Many native flowers provide nectar when the bloom is not blooming. Many people are unaware that flowers such as the lilac will produce seed in fall. The flower buds will then bloom in spring. This provides the opportunity to start flower gardening. If you take the time to notice, bees will be attracted to these blooms, which will provide the start for an amazing garden full of blooms and color!
The best way to keep bees working and increasing in numbers in your garden is by providing a source of food, which they will love. Wildflowers are a very good source of food, and there are many different types of wildflower plants that attract the bees. A great place to look for these is around your home. If you have an excess of fruit trees on your property, you may want to consider removing some of them, and placing them in your garden with butterfly bushes, or bee friendly shrubbery.
If you wish to provide food sources for your bees, you should place nectar producing flowers next to flower producing flowers. Some examples are sunflowers and camellias. Both of these flowers produce nectar when the flower blooms, and both will attract bees. However, when the flowers are blooming, the nectar from the flower will not be used.
As well as creating an attractive area for bees to be active in, the most popular and easy way to keep bees working in your garden is by using a beekeeper’s suit. Bee keepers suits protect the beekeeper from any stings and also acts as a deterrent to other bees. So, whether you just want to keep your bees for fun, or want to use them to help reduce insect populations – there is an ideal bee garden solution for you!