How to Create a Bee Friendly Garden
Bees are one of the most important pollinators in our gardens, therefore it is vital that we provide as many plants as possible to help look after them. You don’t need to have a large garden to provide flowers for bees to feed on. There are plenty of plants which will grow happily in window boxes, hanging baskets or containers. So whether you live in a house or flat, we can all do our bit to help the bees.

Why do bees need our help?
Bumblebee populations have been in decline for a number of years due to loss of habitat as a result of changing farming practices; the development of land for housing and road verges being mowed frequently.
As bees are amazing pollinators, it is vital we do all we can to provide as much food for them as possible. Many varieties of fruit and vegetables such as strawberries, apples, raspberries, broad beans, peas and courgettes rely on bees for pollination. If bee populations decline then growers will have to rely on other methods of pollination which will increase the costs of these foods.

Scabious with Bee

What can we do to help bees?
Did you know that there are 24 species of bumble bee in the UK and only 1 species of honeybee? Bumblebees can feed from a variety of different flowers as they have varying tongue lengths, whereas honeybees have short tongues so prefer open flowers.
To help provide enough nectar and pollen for all bees to remain happy and healthy, it is important to grow as many different types of plants as possible.

Perfect Plants for Pollinators
If you’re looking for some gardening inspiration to encourage more bees into your garden, then here are some easy bee friendly flowers for you to try:

  • Erysimum or perennial wallflower - the bees absolutely love this plant in our gardens! It has an incredibly long flowering season (February - July) so will keep the bees happy for months on end. To keep it flowering, remember to deadhead regularly. 

  • Nepeta (Cat mint) - is a great plant for attracting bees to your garden. It produces flowers from late spring to late autumn, is easy to grow and is fairly low maintenance.

  • Scabious - available in various colours, this is another long flowering plant which will keep going all summer long.

  • Oregano - plant in a sunny location and watch as the bees flock to the small pink/purple flowers of this herb.  

  • Penstemon - If you’ve got a container garden, then these are the perfect plants for you. The bees love their bell shaped flowers which come in a variety of bright colours. If you deadhead them regularly, the flowers should last right through to October. Penstemons are also hardy perennials so will come back year after year. 

  • Foxgloves - Perfect for growing in shady spots, it isn’t too late to buy flowering foxgloves in the garden centre to enjoy this summer. Or you can plant foxglove seeds over the next few months which should flower next year. 

  • Lavender - Bees absolutely love lavender. It is perfect for sunny spots in your garden and once it is well established, lavender can cope with dry and hot conditions. Just remember to deadhead regularly to ensure the plant keeps flowering. 

  • Winter flowering heather - A great plant to add a bit of winter colour to your garden as it will flower from December - April.

  • Winter honeysuckle - Flowering from November - February, as well as providing vital winter food for bees, it also has wonderful, fragrant flowers.

Bee Friendly Garden Products
Another threat to bees has been our use of pesticides in our gardens. Some chemicals used in common garden products have been found to affect bees' navigational abilities and breeding success, leading to further declines in their populations.
The ecofective brand has been specially formulated without pesticides making it the bee friendly option for your garden. As well as being good for wildlife, all the products in the range are safe to use around children and pets. What’s more, the packaging in the whole ecofective range is made from recycled material and is 100% recyclable making it the perfect choice for your garden.
From plant feeds to slug deterrents and bug sprays, there is a product in the ecofective range for all your gardening needs! Many of the products are also available as 200ml refill bottles for use with your original spray bottle. As well as helping you to save money, the refills also help you to cut down on your plastic waste making the ecofective range a win-win for your budget, the environment and the bees.