A vintage botanical illustration showing a diverse array of plants and insects, highlighting nature's intricate beauty and biodiversity.
Nurturing a bee-friendly garden is a delightful way to contribute to the environment while enhancing the aesthetic appeal of one’s outdoor space. This checklist runs the gamut from aromatic flowering herbs like lavender and rosemary, which provide bees with much-needed nectar, to robust perennial blooms such as coneflowers and asters that return year after year, ensuring a consistent haven for these vital pollinators.
Among the suggested additions are annuals that bloom vibrantly for a season, including sunflowers and marigolds, drawing bees with their rich nectar supplies. Not to be overlooked are trees and shrubs, such as linden trees and hydrangeas, which not only add structure and height to your garden but also serve as crucial food and shelter sources for bees. Whether compact herbs or grand trees, each plant on this detailed checklist plays a role in creating a thriving sanctuary for bees.
Herbs that attract bees with their flowers.
Lavender
Rosemary
Thyme
Borage
Mint
Basil
Sage
Chives
Annuals that need to be planted each year but are great for bees.
Sunflower
Poppy
Zinnia
Marigold
Calendula
Sweet Alyssum
Cosmos
Snapdragon
Long-lasting flowers that bloom year after year.
Coneflower
Aster
Sedum
Joe-Pye Weed
Bee Balm
Phlox
Hollyhock
Verbena
Larger plants that provide shelter and food for bees.
Linden Tree
Butterfly Bush
Crape Myrtle
Hydrangea
Rose
Rhododendron
Blackberry Bush
Apple Tree