Top performing bee plants
How did plants gain top bee-friendly scores, and which are the best if you only have room for a few?
The first finding in my research was that different plants really do attract very different numbers and types of bee. Some plants only attract a few bees but flower for many weeks, while others attract dozens of bees but finish flowering very quickly. The plants that I ranked top scored well on both bee numbers and length of flowering.
My top 12 list includes two heleniums, two Origanum and two lavenders. This is no accident, as their plant families tend to attract a lot of bees, as long as the specific plant has not been overbred.
If you’re limited on space, then I’d recommend an Origanum, free-flowering Geranium ‘Rozanne’ and borage. This selection will provide food for a wide range of bees, as well as blooms for you to enjoy, plus aromatic sprigs for the kitchen.