Outdoor

May 25, 2017

5 Honey Bee–Friendly Plants To Grow In Your Garden This Year

Bring colour to your garden all summer long! In honour of National Planting Week (June 5 to 12), Bees Matter is giving away free seed packets that include five vibrant flowers which support honey bees and look great.

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Blazing Star

For a sophisticated English country garden feel, a stone urn and white flowers pair well with the soft purple blooms of the Blazing Star. Its thin and tall profile adds colour without overwhelming the garden. Even better, pollinators love the long spikes of clustered flowers provided by this perennial.

Honey bees having access to a wide variety of flowers is crucial to the development of the food we eat. A healthy hive can mean stronger yields for a variety of farm crops. Home gardening can be a vital link in a network of plants across the country, so you should really take care of your garden, which could be easier if you get advice from sites like Homegardenscare online. Think of your garden as a helpful stop for pollinators on their journey.

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Golden Tickseed

If you like the free-flowing wildflower look in your garden, the Golden Tickseed offers a vibrant touch in sun or partial shade. For you, this flower provides an intense red splashed onto a yellow canvas. For honey bees, it provides a pollen source necessary for keeping gardens and nearby farm plants healthy.

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New England Aster

The straight, slender petals of the New England Aster don’t just come in a vibrant purple. There are more than 50 varieties of this flower, though all provide that signature pollen-rich floret. (Perfect for pollinators!) Year after year, these bright bushes will continue to bloom.

Sneezeweed

Sneezeweed

A strong hit of colour and a unique shape contradict the inelegance of the Sneezeweed’s name. With a skirt of petals surrounding a prominent orb, Sneezeweed also offers a friendly site for pollinators to gather nectar to support their hives.

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Lance-leaved Coreopsis

Lance-leaved Coreopsis delivers major appeal with daisy-like blossoms. This flower may be short in stature, but it’s strong enough to make it through the hot months. It’s also a bountiful source of nectar to support the rising population of honey bees in Canada. If you see insects other than honey bees and you believe that these are pests infesting your garden, then call a pest control company ASAP for professional pest control services, e.g., mice control

Photographer:

Virginia Macdonald (1), André Rider (2), Stacey Haines (3a).

Source:

House & Home magazine (1, 2, 3a), Bees Matter (3b, 4-6).

Designer:

Garden and landscape design, Sheilagh Crandall, Gardens by MsPlants (1). Landscaping, Caroline Bouchard (2).