Ainsect-friendly gardenNot only is it pleasing to the eye with a large variety of flowers and perennials, but it is also environmentally friendly. We explain how you can create a bee-friendly bed and offer you three planting plans that will attract bees and bumblebees to your garden.
Creating a bee-friendly bed: the basic rules
In order for a bed to be described as bee-friendly, it should above all have a diverse design. A variety ofPlants and flowers, which bloom at different times of the year, provide food for bees and other pollinating insects throughout the year. It is also important that these plants have unfilled flowers that are easily accessible to bees. The flowers should also produce plenty of nectar and pollen.
Which bee plants for sun
First, we offer you a planting plan for a sunny location that meets these requirements.
- A: Hanging pussy willow (flowering period March – April)
- B: Silver bush (flowering period August – September)
- C: Raspberries (flowering period May – June)
- D: Beard flower (flowering period July – September)
- E: Purple coneflower / yarrow (flowering period July – September)
- F: Real lavender (flowering period July – September) / sage (flowering period May to July)
- G: Cranesbill / Asters (flowering period March to October)
- H: Yellow coneflower (flowering period August to October) / Sunflower (flowering period June to October)
- K: Real milkweed (flowering period July – August) / common goldenrod (flowering period July – October)
- M: white sedum (flowering period June – August)
- N: Cotoneaster (flowering period May – June)
- P: Borretsch (Blütezeit May – Juli)
- Q: Strawberries (flowering period March – June)
- R: Catnip (flowering period April – July)
- S: Forget-me-not (flowering period March – June)
- T: Thyme (flowering period May – September)
All plants listed prefer a wind-protected location in full sun.
Planting plan for an insect-friendly garden: Create a bee-friendly bed with a nesting box
The next planting plan is for an insect-friendly flower bed in a sunny corner of the garden. Not only bees, but also other pollinating insects will fly to the plants during the flowering period. Not all plants have to provide food. Pink hair grass, for example, is a perennial that provides the bee colony with plenty of material for their nests. If you wish, you can also install a nesting aid for wild bees. The food supply will attract even rare insects and they will be happy to settle. These include, among others, the carpenter bee, which likes to fly to the prairie coneflower.
Attract pollinating insects: Not only the type of plant, but also the variety plays a role
Of course, when choosing a plant, it's not just the species that matters, but also the variety. Only a few hybrids are bee-friendly. And sometimes it may be that one variety has more nectar than the others and is therefore more suitable for the bee-friendly bed. This is the case with penstemon, for example. Therefore, be sure to seek advice from the garden center before you buy the young plants or seeds.
Which bee-friendly perennials, grasses and flowers for the bee meadow? 20 plants from North America that also feel at home here
Other plants planted in the front include:
- Prairie lilies
- Little Braunelle
- Aster
- Grindelie
- Iris
- Desert golden aster
- Canadian Columbine
- Prairie mallow
- Götterblume
- Tiger lily
- Wild strawberry
By the way, wildflowers are not the only option for the bee meadow. Certain shrubs and grasses can also contribute to biodiversity in the garden and provide food for bees, bumblebees and butterflies. A good idea is to create the kitchen garden right next to the bee meadow. This means that bees can also pollinate vegetables and fruit. In this case, however, you should definitely avoid pesticides and chemicals. In some cases, you can use certain products to combat pests in the garden because they are considered “bee-friendly.” However, be sure to seek advice on this from the garden center first.
Wildflowers for bee pastures
In recent years, bees have been able to find less and less food in the fields. It is therefore all the more important that each of us makes an effort to think about pollinating insects when designing our own garden and balcony. Native wildflowers work best for this purpose.
The common dandelion, carrot, bellflower, horn trefoil, verbena, red carnation, daisy and catnip are rich in nectar and pollen and attract wild bees.
Even a small bed planted with wildflowers is beneficial for wild bees. They need as many of these small oases as possible where they can find sufficient food. But other pollinators also fly to the wildflowers.
Creating a bee-friendly bed is very easy. Opt for shrubs and flowers whose flowers are rich in nectar and pollen. The flowers should also be easily accessible. Whoever the basic principles ofbee-friendly garden designIf you don't know, you can get a ready-made wildflower mix from the garden center.
