Keeping bees makes you think hard about your garden plants . . .

For those of us with gardens, the plethora of flowers, shrubs and trees on the market is daunting at the best of times.  Now we have bees we look at each one critically and ask "what will it bring to our honey bees?".  The answer has to be either pollen or nectar, but even more so if it produces these things early in the year or late in the year then it scores massive brownie points.

We now go to the garden centre armed with a mental or written list of plants we are searching for.  Mostly we are unsuccessful.  It is very difficult to get the exact balance of plants you want without spending an absolute fortune.

When you focus on either end of the growing season you end up with plants like Mahonia, Alder, Snowdrops, Aconites, Willows and Hazels, all offering early spring pollen to the bees.

Willow

Then at the other end its a case of leaving some Ivy to flower and finding those late flowering Asters

There are many useful trees, shrubs and flowers that are a welcome addition to any garden and help all bees.  

For more info go to our main site page http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/plants-for-bees.html