2 of 12

Write now Article Tools

As many of us know, bees are the key to garden growth. They pollinate flowers, which makes for tasty fruits and vegetables for us to enjoy. Unfortunately, there has been a noticeable decrease in bee populations, so anything gardeners can do to attract these busy workers is a wonderful idea.

The best way to draw bees into your garden is to grow flowers they are attracted to. The more species of flowers you have in your garden, the greater the chance is that you will find plenty of bees who are fond of one flower or another. The recommended minimum of different flower species is 10. The good news is that even plants that they might not necessarily like will still be pollinated by them.

When choosing bee-friendly flowers, one option to consider is native annual and perennial wildflowers which naturally grow in your region. They require less work to take care of, and local bees will love them.

Here is a list of other plants that bees are often attracted to:
Medico Alfalfa
Red Clover
Lemon Mint
Borage
Vitex
Mosquito Plant (which actually repels mosquitos)
Purple Horse Mint

Another way to make your garden a home for buzzing bees is to provide shelter for them. Some nest underground, so leave a bare spot in or around your garden for them to burrow. Others prefer other types of homes above the ground, such as dead trees or branches. You can purchase or even make bee houses.

Next, give them some source of water. Bird baths or man-made ponds make a lovely addition to any garden, while providing the water bees need. Likewise, some bees make nests using mud, so don't get rid of all those muddy areas in your yard.

The last thing you can do to keep bees coming your way is not to use insecticides. There are many other ways to get rid of nasty plant-eating bugs, so do some research and find what works best in your case. Bee-lieve it or not, bees are our friends. So let them buzz away while providing an important service to your garden.

Learn more about this author, Kelly A. Mello.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about How to attract bees to your garden?
We want to hear your view. Write now!