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Produce => Non Edible Plants => Topic started by: mr onion on April 14, 2010, 18:41:40

Title: What flowers atrackes Bees?
Post by: mr onion on April 14, 2010, 18:41:40
Hi all just wanta know what flowers would be good to plant with my vegtable to atracke bees/butterflys please?  ???
Title: Re: What flowers atrackes Bees?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on April 14, 2010, 19:00:50
Borage if you've got space; it grows big. Poached egg plant. Dandelions, but you've probably got them already. Snowdrops if you've got hives nearby, but they won't fly far that time of year. If you let surplus parsnips go to seed the second year, the bees are likely to be all over them for the pollen, and you'll get nice fresh seed as well.
Title: Re: What flowers atrackes Bees?
Post by: :( on April 14, 2010, 19:11:21
Phacelia, comfrey
Title: Re: What flowers atrackes Bees?
Post by: Squash64 on April 14, 2010, 19:37:33
I recommend Phacelia too.  A big advantage is that it will self-seed easily so you only need to sow it once.  
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Title: Re: What flowers atrackes Bees?
Post by: raisedbedted on April 14, 2010, 19:47:07
Borage, Comfrey and Echium (Bugloss) , Foxgloves, Echinops and Alliums for Bees.

Hesperis, Sedum and Verbena Bonariensis for Butterflies.

Basically any flower that hasnt been hybridised to within an inch of its life and that has open flattish flowers.
Title: Re: What flowers atrackes Bees?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on April 14, 2010, 19:55:53
Phacelia is a good one; someone once used it as green manure in their front garden half a mile from my hives. The flowers were covered with my black bees.
Title: Re: What flowers atrackes Bees?
Post by: grannyjanny on April 14, 2010, 20:21:47
What a wonderful sight that must have been Robert :).
Title: Re: What flowers atrackes Bees?
Post by: mr onion on April 15, 2010, 11:41:32
wow thanks everyone
Title: Re: What flowers atrackes Bees?
Post by: Bugloss2009 on April 15, 2010, 11:49:29
borage will also attract greenfinches after the seeds. They go mad for them
Title: Re: What flowers atrackes Bees?
Post by: Lilyanne on April 15, 2010, 19:44:29
They seem to like the flowers of Chives.
Title: Re: What flowers atrackes Bees?
Post by: FennelandFern on April 17, 2010, 19:30:12
Last year I let some coriander bolt in my veg patch so I could collect the seeds for my spice rack. It also looked amazing: a big white froth at the edge of the carrot bed, and the bees and hoverflies loved it so much. Going to do that every year now.

At this time of year, the bees in my garden are going crazy for the pulmonarias.