The Best Blooms for Bees

When bees venture out from their hives in the spring, it’s because they have used their stores of honey to survive the winter inside their hive.

They are hungry!

And unfortunately, if there is nothing for them to eat, some bees, or even a whole hive can die in early spring.

What blooms are best?

Helleborus ‘Frilly Kitty’

The earliest spring bloomer is the Helleborus. These hardy perennials bloom in March, sometimes pushing blooms up from under a layer of snow. Another early blooming favorite are Pieris japonica. Varieties like ‘Valley Valentine’ and ‘Browers Beauty’ are floriferous and provide bees with much needed pollen and nectar. For bees the earlier blooms are literally a lifeline they need to sustain their hive in March and April.

Helleborus ‘Royal Heritage’

In May, a great option for bees and other pollinators are annuals. Two of their favorites are Lantana and Sweet alyssum. These beauties will bloom all season long, providing sustenance for bees, butterflies and humming birds.

Lantana (annual)

Once we enter the full swing of summer, bees happily buzz from bloom to bloom in a literal garden of plenty. Two of their summer favorites are lavender and Scabiosa (the pincushion flower).

Lavender

Later in the summer, as other perennials peter out, these flowers are working overtime to extend the color in your garden and the food supply for busy bees who are now working to fill their stores for winter: Veronica, Leonotis leonurus (Lion’s tail), Penstemon, Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker), Salvia, and Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly weed).

(dark purple) Salvia

Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker)

Echinacea (Coneflower)

Autumn is not only the second planting season, but it also can provide boisterous color in your garden—even as the leaves change! Plant Aster x frikartii, Buddleja (Butterfly bush), Gaillardia (Blanket flower), Echinacea (Coneflower), Yarrow, and Sedum to provide bees (and humans) with continuous blooms right up to the first killing frost. 

Yarrow

Hydrangea Pinky Pollen Ring Smooth Hydrangea

You can see just how much the pollinators flock to this Hydrangea Pinky Pollen Ring Smooth Hydrangea in this video!