Many of us are familiar with the bee crisis, as a vast majority of bee colonies continue to experience concerningly high rates of collapse. Colony collapse is due to a mixture of mitigating factors involving pollutants, pesticides, climate changes, and habitat loss, to name a few. We must do our part, no matter how small, to help increase the bee population. Fortunately, you can start with your garden; find out the best plants to put in your garden to help the bees.
Native Plants
The bees in your region have evolved with the plants in the area. That’s why bees tend to favor native over non-native plants and flowers. You’ll be happy to learn that many native plants tend to be incredibly easy and cost-effective seeds to find. Keep in mind that you should stay away from planting nativars as they are usually sterile, and don’t produce seeds, so bees tend to avoid them.
Culinary Herbs
It’s no secret that bees are incredibly important to our environment, which is why it’s great to plant flowers that will benefit their populations. However, you might not know that some of the best plants to put in your garden to help the bees can serve two purposes. Bees love culinary herbs like lavender, catnip, basil, mint, and thyme.
You can use these herbs in the kitchen for a wide variety of dishes and drinks. It’s convenient to have an herb garden in your backyard, and it makes you feel better knowing you are helping your local environment.
Annual Flowers
Annual flowers are the gifts that keep on giving, as they blossom all season long. However, annuals only last one season and then die, so you will have to plant them again each year. You might consider planting annual flowers like calendulas, sunflowers, and cosmos. One aspect you will appreciate about these flowers is that they also look stunning in your garden.
