Old Speckled Hen Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 What do I plant for early bumbles. I moved into this house last January and the last year has been a journey of garden discovery but one thing I noticed was the number of bumbles that visited my one large hellebore. I'd love to plant more plants for early insects. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Herbs, herbs and more herbs clover (sold as 'green manure') flowers early and long. Anything with a thistle shape, you can go huge with globe artichokes or smaller with any member of the Eryngium family (as a general rule of thumb, the bigger the flower head the later they flower ) Also for later in the summer any 'simple' flowers, that is, those with a proper daisy shape so sunflowers, Rudbeckias e.t.c Bees need all the help they can get Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 Herbs, herbs and more herbs Bees need all the help they can get Thanks I'm off to the garden centre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Mahonia is good for winter - our bees were all over ours in December and again the other day when the weather was mild. We have a lot of lavender and herbs around the hive area but we need to plant more variety now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moochoo Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 The bees seem to love my catnip / catmint plants and my buddleia plants. They have loads on them busily collecting nectar all summer long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Yer, I would say lavender is definetly a hit with my bees. They also seem to really like fruit pollen, such as that from an apple tree or blackberry bush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Hebes seem to have the odd flowers in winter. Daphne is another winter one and viburnum. Bees love viburnum any time. Foxgloves, penstemons and borage are good for them. Valerian (can be a pain because it sows itself everywhere) is good nectar source. Aubretia is another early source of nectar. Take trips to the garden centres - or nurseries and see what is popular with the bees at different times of the year. Primulas can provide some early nectar for them, also I think daffodils are visited by the bumbles. Ooh and heather, clover and bugle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 They like blue flowers too!! and runner beans - you can plant those in any border!! Louise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I forgot to mention winter flowering jasmine - I saw my first bumble bee this afternoon on this plant which grows under my living room window. It was a small black and yellow one with a white bottom - not a queen - but a welcome sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 ooooh Koojue!!! I was going to say winter jasmine! H'rmf beat me to it. Crocus' are also reasonable popular with bees and early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Well great minds think alike. Sorry CA! Your turn next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbug Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Was watching.... It's not Easy being Green. on BBC I player last night espisode 2. It was talking about Bees and how they are dying. Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
