You can help the bees, all the bees, honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees, by planting more flowers for them to feed on.

It doesn't matter if your garden is a balcony, allotment, window box, pots and tubs or a swathe of green open space; with a bit of thought pollinators can benefit from a banquet of pollen and nectar right throughout the year. 

Choose plants with single, open flowers for easy access to the pollen and nectar and also think about different flowering periods so there is food available for the whole year.  You can find more information about suitable flowers in our BBKA leaflet: Ten favourite flowers to attract Honeybees 

       

Fruit trees are an excellent source of pollen and there are also a number of shrubs which are useful for providing pollen and/or nectar for bees.  You can find out more information in our downloadable BBKA leaflets: Trees for Bees and Shrubs for Bees.

Leave a section of your lawn to grow longer so the weeds and wildflowers have a chance to grow. Dandelions are a great source of pollen for bees early in the year at a time when there is very little other food about. Bees also like white and red clover. One of the best, and easiest, ways to encourage wildlife into your garden is to create a ‘mini meadow’ on your lawn. This helps not just honeybees but all pollinators.


Have a look at our 'Gardening for Bees' page and our planting blogs for further useful information.