Planting For Bees and Butterflies

[BlueLotus]

I've been reading books on beekeeping and planting flowers for butterflies. I found out that lupines don't provide nectar but the plant is food for many caterpillars species. For bees, you have to make sure to plant different kinds of flowers because some bees have short tongues and others have longer tongues. I learned that the orchid bee and bumblebees are better for fruit trees. Mostly though, I've been trying to cram as many flowers into a small space as I can. Has anyone made a butterfly or bee garden? Any advice?

 

[Beth_B]

This spring I planted a bunch of new perennials and made sure every one was pollinator-friendly (and mostly native.) Butterfly bushes, coneflowers, milkweed, black-eyed susans. Bees also really really like clover! I have lots in my yard and leave the margins of my side yard un-mowed, so clover and other wild plants go nuts. Luckily I live in an area where nobody minds that I don't have a perfectly-groomed yard.

 

[marlingardener]

We keep bees, and have found that borage is a favorite flower of honeybees. They also love clover--we planted an acre of hubam clover specifically for our bees. Bees will go to almost any flower for either pollen or nectar. Bees like roses, zinnias, salvias, almost anything that blooms.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Has anyone made a butterfly or bee garden? Any advice?

My entire garden is intended to help native bees, butterflies, and all local wildlife. The best thing you can do is plant native plants. They're the best option to help native bees and butterflies. Obviously (to some more than others), native bee and butterfly species go hand in hand with native plant species, which makes it highly important to use natives if you intend to help native insects. Native plants generally refer to those that are native to your exact area, but I occasionally add plants that are native to other parts of the US if I find that they benefit the same species of insects/animals.

Gaillardia is one that is native to most of the US, but not my area. It greatly attracts bees and butterflies, so I added it.

Penstemon attracts long-tongued bees as well as hummingbirds.

Spiderwort is an early season bee-magnet.

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is another that attracts bees and butterflies, and they flower for months, so they're a reliable nectar source. Consider Purple Coneflower as well.

Milkweed is the host plant for Monarch Butterflies. So, not only is it a nectar source for pollinators, it's also the only plant Monarch Butterflies can lay their eggs on. I grow four different species, including the popular Orange Milkweed.

If you want the ultimate Monarch Butterfly magnet, consider adding Meadow Blazing Star (Liatris ligulistylis).



There are other ways to help bees, too. Leave dead stems cut at least 2' tall. Bees will use them to nest in as well as shelter in. You can also drill holes in logs and place them around the garden.

 

[Kathryn crook]

Gaillardia is also a favorite of my local bees, even more so then Rudebeckia or Coneflower. Some also really like lavender. Bumblebees, which are not honeymakers do love lupine tho. It depends on what bees you want to attract.

White clover is a favorite for bees, but invasive if you have grass...but there are honeys totally dedicated to clover honey! Just dont walk your grass barefooted! Lol!

 

[Fernsdaddy]

My gardens and lawns are 100% pollinator friendly, Pesticide and Herbicide free. right down to the white clover lawn that not only the bees love it but the Robins love the worms and other bugs they find, I don't see many honey bees until mid to late May, its still a little to cold for them. In a few weeks my grape vines will be full of honey bees.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Garden Phlox
https://flic.kr/p/wLW1tY

 

[LouisFerdinand]

I have seen Butterfly Weed with bright orange flowers.
Here is Hello Yellow Butterfly Weed.
https://flic.kr/p/61qDzo

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Hibiuscus Paraplu Violet attracts butterflies.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/48413764735247653/

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Our verbena benariensis attracted lots of butterflies last Summer, but this morning it was a charm of goldfinches, four of them going through the seed heads.
Don't tidy up too early and you might get the chance to use a really good collective noun.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Black Beauty Peony attracts butterflies.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/94716398406480936/

 

[Sabina515]

I planted a bunch of marigolds and have so many bees around.

 

[Susan BBPM]

The plants in our garden that absolutely swarm with bees are hebe (literally a mass of swarming bees when it flowers in May) and leeks that we let go to flower (which have been bee magnets all season - I don't think I've seen them without bees on them).

I've read that bee keepers often plant lemon balm by their hives to encourage their bees to find their way home, but I can't say I've seen bees near mine.

We also have sunflowers, borage, cosmos, marigold, calendular, sweet peas, red clover, cornflowers etc and generally there are bees buzzing around everything.

We see a lot of butterflies on the ground in late summer, but the plant I typically see them on are the sunflowers.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I've read that bee keepers often plant lemon balm by their hives to encourage their bees to find their way home,

That is a new one to me, I can't say any of my bees had trouble getting home
The unexpected one for bees in the UK is ivy, it blooms late in the year and gives them a good chance to make some winter stores.

 

[Susan BBPM]

That is a new one to me, I can't say any of my bees had trouble getting home
The unexpected one for bees in the UK is ivy, it blooms late in the year and gives them a good chance to make some winter stores.

More info here Oliver. It's something I just remembered reading in passing - but I haven't noticed bees around my lemon balm.

Lemon Balm: A Treasure For Your Bees' Health

Melissa officinalis, or the Lemon balm, is a plant that bees adore. It is also called bee balm, Melissa, sweet balm and heart's delight...

beekeepingbasic.com