Bee-friendly flowers

VEGGIE PATCH: HERE ARE PLANTS THAT ARE SAFE

That means no poisons can be used in the garden.

There’s nothing new about planting flowers in between the veggies, or the fact that a bee-friendly garden is more productive. So, this is just a beginning of the season reminder, with suggestions for a mix of flowers that are edible, pickable, fragrant, attractive to beneficial predators and above all, loved by bees.

Veggies that benefit most from the pollinating action of bees are baby marrows, bush and runner beans, butternut and other hardshelled squash, cucumbers, eggplant, melons and watermelons, sweet peppers and chillies.

That does mean that no poisons can be used in the garden. Fortunately, there are organic options, such as Ludwig’s Insect Spray or Margaret Roberts Organic Insecticide that do not harm bees but will control pests like white flies, aphids, ants and thrips.

Fragrant alyssum

On hot days, honey-scented alyssum emits a powerful fragrance that delights both humans and bees. Kirchhoffs “White Carpet” and “Purple Carpet” are low-growing spreading groundcovers that are perfect as a border or for growing between taller plants like eggplant, sweet peppers, and squash. Because it remains dense at ground level is acts as a natural mulch.

Alyssum tolerates almost any soil, and comes into flower quickly, which makes it very rewarding. Sow in full sun to partial shade. Like most vegetables, it will do best with evenly moist soil, that drains well. Give it an occasional trim to keep it in shape or if it starts looking tired, sow a new batch.

The Plant Doctor

Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita) is a small-flowered herb with sweetly scented daisy like flowers. The flowers are used fresh or dried to make teas. It’s a low grower (15cm tall) for edging beds and pathways as well as interplanted with veggies.

Chamomile is often called the “plant doctor” because it stimulates the growth of nearby plants, and its aromatic foliage acts as an insect repellent. Plant in full sun or semi-shade in fertile, well composted soil that drains well and water regularly.

A feast for bees

Cornflowers (Centaurea cyannis) are old fashioned cut flower and cottage flower that provide both nectar and pollen for the bees.

Cornflower “Polka Dot Mixed” provides a range of shades and colours, from white to pale pink, purple and blues.

It’s a compact variety (30 – 45cm tall) that is ideal for the veggie garden. Cornflowers grow best in full sun in soil that drains well. Keep the soil moist.

Night scent

Evening Primrose (Oenethera Biennis) has bright yellow, fragrant flowers opening at dusk in early summer. They attract insects, such as hawk and other moths, butterflies and bees to fertilize the flowers and in turn, the flowers provide food for the insects.

The leaves can be cooked and eaten as greens, the sweet flowers added to salads, and the ripe seeds roasted. The flower spikes/ inflorescences are produced in the second year and reach up to 1m so it’s a good idea to position them towards the middle or back of a bed.

Fiesta of flavour

Mexican Mint (Tagetes lucida) has bright yellow marigold-like flowers for adding to salads and desserts, and intense tarragon-flavoured leaves with a strong liquorice/anise fragrance. The flavour is slightly sweeter than tarragon and the plant stands up to heat better.

It is a compact perennial that thrives in full sun in ordinary garden soil that needs to drain well. Grow from seed with tomatoes, peppers or basil. The aromatic leaves are an excellent pest repellent and the bright yellow flowers attract butterflies.

Easy grower

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) has edible flowers, leaves and seeds as well as adding colour to the garden. It acts as a trap crop for aphids, and is a good companion for cucumber, radish, and tomatoes, as well as other plants targeted by aphids.

Nasturtiums grow very easily from seed, in full sun, in ordinary garden soil. The Kirchhoffs seed range has single and double flower varieties as well as a “Ladybird Mix” of gold rose and cream blooms with wine red blotches (ladybirds) on dwarf. Do not fertilize as this develops leaves at the expense of flowers.