Heirloom Plants (Vegetables)

Heirloom plants, often referred to as ‘heritage plants,’ are used for food and are grown for non-commercial purposes. They are direct descendants of old varieties and are usually handed down or gifted. These plants are usually cultivated in isolated groups.

Heirloom plants have been tried and tested as a method to attract bees to gardens – they’re an age-old method of catching any bee’s attention, and this method continues to work. Several of our ancestors who had an interest in gardening have planted these varieties in their days, but it might be tricky getting your hands on a rare and genuine selection in the modern day.

You can reach out to organizations such as Seed Savers Exchange (US) and Plants of Distinction (UK) to ask for heirloom plants. A quick online search may also show similar organizations run by local planters and farmers in your area, who can also provide gardening tips. These organizations carry unique heirloom vegetable seeds that would become interesting plant additions to your garden.

One reason solitary bees love heirloom plants is that they are usually ‘single blossom’ plants with nectarine linings that bees find easy to navigate, making pollination a lot easier. Organic varieties such as rainbow carrots, Brandywine pink tomatoes, Big Jim peppers, and Yellow Pear tomatoes will be safe.

Heirloom plants are a known bee favorite, and growing the right plants in your garden, including some heirlooms, could guarantee the attention of bees.

What Are Bees' favorite flowers

Plants that flower, especially native varieties, should be easy for you to get your hands on. Simply ask for those grown in your particular region. Native flowering plants won’t be difficult to grow either at your location because of their suitability to the local climatic and geographical conditions.

Honey bees love a variety of flower species because they are flat, open, and tubular in structure. Therefore, The flower shapes make it easy for bees to enter and ensure that pollen brushes on their bodies. They also have bright colors and exotic scents, which are particularly appealing to the honey bee. They love purple, blue, and yellow flowers the most.

It won’t be difficult to find or grow flowering plant species because they can thrive in most living conditions. You can check out the local nursery to see what varieties are available. A website such as Native Plant Finder could be a useful guide in figuring out which flowering plants native to your region perfect for attracting pollinators.

Great options for some of the best flowers that attract bees include:

Mint Leafs

Bees indeed love sweet nectar, but they’re suckers for mint too! It does not matter which variety of mint it is: catnip, apple mint, chocolate mint, spearmint, or even peppermint – bees love them all. You don’t want to go overboard with mint, so plant them around your flowering species. You'll also taste the difference if you’re lucky enough to have local honey bees.

Another good reason to grow these bee plants is that they’re fairly easy to maintain. They’re also a multi-purpose culinary herb, meaning you can use them for cooking purposes.

This aromatic herb can be used to add flavor to several beverages and pack a punch in dessert recipes. Don’t shy away from growing mint varieties (even lemon balm, which technically falls in the mint family) because of the benefits they hold for both you and your bees!

Other Herbs Flowers

Apart from mint, other herb varieties such as borage, thyme, and rosemary deserve a mention of their own. Rosemary is a bee favorite because of the differently colored flowers it has to offer in the spring season. There are several different types of rosemary herbs, all attracting bees equally well.

Fruits Vegetables and Flowers

Certain vegetable species produce different male and female flowers that bees can help pollinate when they come to gather nectar. This is true for vegetables like pumpkins, melons, squashes, and cucumbers which develop long vines as they grow, sprouting flowers as they do so that bees can be drawn to them for pollination.

Bees also enjoy flowers produced by vegetables such as onions, cauliflower, and chives. You could maintain a vegetable garden that is also bee-friendly, one in which you can grow regular kitchen-use greens.

Bees enjoy the flowers of almost every fruit tree because of the steady supply of nectar that they have to offer. Choose fruit trees that produce a lot of flowers, and have variety in fruit trees as well.

For the summer, apple and cherry trees make for a big hit with bees because of the large colorful blossoms. In fall, you can grow plum and peach trees that bloom later but are attractive to your little bee friends.

Calendula

No list of bee favorites is complete without the mention of the iconic calendula flower. The flower is noticeable from afar due to its vivid orange and yellow appearance, making it more attractive to bees.

It produces nectar and pollen, which interests bees and gives off a good scent. Plus, it’s great for your garden’s aesthetics because the plant is quite appealing. Additionally, calendula is a very low-maintenance plant, and while it enjoys mild climates the most, it will also go through some harsh winters.

The plant will also grow itself because it is a self-seeding variety – so you don’t have to worry about growing bunches every season.

For a long time, homeopathic medicine has used Calendula, and it has pharmaceutical properties as well. This edible plant makes calendula tea, calendula shortbread cookies, and calendula cupcake sprinkles. Planting these in your bee-friendly garden can yield benefits for both of you.