Flowers that make your garden more bee friendly

If you want to plant a flower that will not only make your garden bee-friendly, but also butterfly-friendly, plant a butterfly bush. These large shrubs are fast-growing deciduous shrubs, so they shed their leaves annually, but the lilac and pink flowers are completely irresistible to both bees and butterflies alike.

Goldenrod is a perennial that grows again every year, so plant it once, then be done with it. Its bright yellow flowers add a pop of color to the late summer garden keeping bees buzzing as we head into early fall. This makes goldenrods another valuable food source for bees at the end of the summer season. Plus, they grow almost anywhere without any fuss. Goldenrods attract not only bees but also butterflies.

Honeysuckle is incredibly popular garden flowers because they are so scented. This makes it a popular choice not only among gardeners, but also among bees. Keep in mind that honeysuckle flowers are climbers, so plant them in a place where they can be draped over some sort of support system to really shine and show off their natural beauty.

Lavender and its luscious scent may be known for its relaxing properties, but it’s also another flower that can make your garden more bee-friendly. This aromatic perennial herb blooms all summer long. Both the flowers and foliage are highly aromatic and come in a variety of colors including bluish lavender, deep indigo, lavender, light purple and sky blue.

Lilacs are beautiful and available in shrubs and small trees depending on what you want to grow. They give off a sweet, floral scent in the spring that keeps bees and butterflies coming back to your backyard for more visits.

These bright crepe flowers come in both annual and perennial versions and are another nectar-rich flower that attracts pollinating insects including bees.

Snapdragons add a bright pop of color to any backyard garden. These hardy flowers provide food for bees in the colder months, and they have a lovely scent for you to enjoy too.

Sunflowers are cheerful, pollen-filled flowers, which means they provide a pollen playground for pollinators, including bees. Their almost flat petals provide an easy resting place for bees after a long flight. Sunflowers also attract birds and butterflies.

Wildflowers and native plants are some of the best flowers and plants for bees. Ideally, every backyard bee garden should have at least a few wildflowers as a nice little border.