Best flowers and plants for bees that you should have in your garden from Flying Flowers

Whether you love being out in the garden or you're getting out your trowel for the first time, Flying Flowers has got you covered. 

20,000 species of bee face extinction which would have a devastating impact on our eco-system, the economy as well as other animals, Friends of the Earth says.

Here's how you can pull your green finger out and help bring bees into your garden with these top 10 flowers and plants for bees from Flying Flowers.

A watering can watering some pink flowers. Credit: Canva

What types of flowers are best for bees?

The colours of flowers can help pollinators find nectar, according to scientists. 

Since bees have a broader range of colour vision than humans, they tend to be attracted to certain colours more. 

These colours are specifically in deeper shades including purple, violet and blue.

Bees also have a preference when it comes to flower shape, finding some shapes like a long funnel or tube-shaped more appealing than others. 

Foxgloves and snapdragons, in particular, are great for long-tongued bees, like the garden bumblebee. 

Meanwhile, bowl-shaped flowers, like Poppies and Buttercups, are easy for bees to hop between and they provide plenty of pollen too.

10 best flowers and plants to bring bees into your garden

Lavender field. Credit: Canva

1. Lavender

Lavender is a wonderful addition to any garden and they also happen to be one of the most-loved plants by bees since they’re high in nectar.

As a bonus, Flying Flowers suggests that you dry out the leaves, to create lavender bags or potpourri for your home.

2. Crocus

Growing in beautiful shades of cream, violet, and orange, the Crocus is a truly beautiful flower.

Its cup opens up to reveal a large yellow centre, bringing all the bees to its nectar bar, including the esteemed Queen bumblebee! 

Bluebells. Credit: Canva

3. Bluebells

Bluebells are a fantastic plant for bees and other pollinating insects, such as butterflies.

Their bright punchy colour helps attract them in and they have sweet nectar to offer.

They also make a great colourful display in any garden when they bloom in spring.

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4. Rosemary

Ok, so it’s a herb, not a flower, but rosemary is so popular with bees, that it feels worthy of a mention.

It doesn’t just liven up your dishes, rosemary is a herb that’s sure to liven up your garden with its attractive light fragrance and it’s easy to grow, even when you don’t have oodles of space.

Better still, the bees love it!

5. Comfrey

If you want to attract a range of bees, be sure to plant a Comfrey.

This subtle flowering shrub with long thin leaves is a pollen powerhouse.

As such, it’s great for both honeybees and bumblebees.

Honeysuckle. Credit: Canva (Image: free)

6. Catmint

Catmint is another herb-like plant that brings a touch of colour with its micro purple petals to attract our favourite buzzy friends.

They’re not only a popular plant for bees and other pollinators, this one is also perfect for all you cat owners out there.

7. Honeysuckle

With its unmistakable sweet scent, Honeysuckle is a delightful plant for the garden.

Its tube-like flowers are also ideal for long-tongued bees, such as the Carder bumblebee.

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8. Single-flowered Dahlias

Double-bloomed varieties of Dahlia may look lovely but these are not great for pollinators.

Single flower Dahlias, on the other hand, are very popular for bees and butterflies alike and are just as stunning for your garden.

Some pretty options to choose from are; Bishop of York, Annika, Twynings Candy and Magenta Star.

Snowdrops. Credit: Canva

9. Abelia

Affectionately known as the ‘bee bush’ this beautifully scented shrub is adorned with gentle white flowers opening up to welcome bumblebees and honeybees when in bloom.

10. Snowdrop

Alongside the bees, the first touches of Spring also bring Snowdrops.

With their gorgeous white petals, it’s no wonder these humble little flowers are so popular.

They’re also loaded with yellow pollen, a delicious lure for hungry bees.

Flying Flowers is a flower delivery service that delivers across the UK.

World Bee Day 2022

Bees are disappearing at an alarming rate. A recent study showed that a quarter of all known bee species haven’t been seen in 30 years.

As flower fans, Flying Flowers wanted to shout about the plight of bees in their new campaign.

It aims to raise awareness of how vital they are and encourage everyone to take steps to protect them.

The flower retailer has built the world’s first bee-tirement home to encourage the UK to act now to protect these amazing creatures.

“At Flying Flowers, bees are vital to our livelihoods and passions - and to the ecosystem, we live in. The world would be a very different place without the help of these little creatures, so we wanted to do all we can to help protect them, " Sandra Varley at Flying Flowers, said.
"We could think of no better way than by creating the Honeysuckle Bee-tirement home to capture the nation’s attention. We hope this world's first will inspire people to support our fuzzy friends when they need it most. The time to act is now, so be(e) ready!”

How you can help protect bees

If you don’t have the resources to create an entire miniature retirement home for bees, don’t worry. There is plenty you can do at home to help these creatures:

• Put up a bee hotel, this gives bees the opportunity to rest and hibernate
• Plant flowers that bee’s love - particularly ones that bloom in spring and summer
• Avoid using synthetics on your garden, like pesticides and fertilisers
• Make a bee bath so our fuzzy friends can drink and clean themselves

You can shop its full range of flowers, plants and hampers via the Flying Flowers website.