Do you want to know the easiest ways to create your own bee-friendly garden? Here are 5 science backed ways that you should know about to attract more bees to your garden!!
Creating your own bee friendly garden is very exciting. But if you are confused on where to start or what is best. Don’t worry this blog post will give you many ideas. As an environmental scientist, I am going to give you the science backed ways to create a bee friendly garden today!!
You are going to learn about all the bee friendly tips from bee friendly plants, to bee friendly lawns, bee friendly wildflowers and more.
After learning about all of these ways to create a bee friendly garden, you are going to have an amazing understanding on what to buy for attracting the most bees and other pollinators to your garden.
This post is all about the 5 Ways to Create a Bee Friendly Garden!
5 Easy Ways to Create a Bee Friendly Garden
1. Reduce Chemical Sprays, especially ones containing Neonicotinoids
Neonicotinoids are a type of insecticide, which is used to kill pest species in gardens, horticulture and agriculture. This type of chemical isn’t selective to which type of insect it can kill. Which means it can kill the beneficial insects like our bees and butterlfies.
If you are concerned your sprays may contain Neonicotinoids have a look on the ingredients list. The most common names you may find on your spray bottle are Imidacloprid, Clothianidin, Thiamethoxam, Acetamiprid and Dinotefuran.
Consider switching your current spray to one containing natural active ingredients like Neem oil or Pyrethrin insecticides
2. Plant More Bee Friendly Flowers and Trees
To support your countries native bees, plant a variety of native plants. This is because those species have evolved together and the plant and flowers will be a reliable food source for your bees. Studies have shown that planting more native plants resulted in having around 80% beneficial insects and only 20% pest insects living in these native plants.
Bees see in an ultravoilet wavelength so cant see all the colours that we can. For a bee-friendly garden add yellow, white, blue and purple flowers to attract the most pollinators.
Depending on the seasons and the type of pollinators in your garden you want to focus on having a range of flowers and trees which flower at different times in the year. So this can support bees year-round.
Trees give bees lots of habitat and food sources. They are also larger so they provide insects with a lot more food compared to flower gardens. Trees also give you and your family the added benefit of yummy fruit, shade and decoration.
3. Water For the Bees
Water is key to pollinators survival so is a must have in your bee friendly garden.
Its generally not recommended to give bees sugar water in gardens. This is because it is easy for them to access and the bees may neglect their instincts to go and pollinate plants. Which will mean less pollination for your flowers, vegetable garden and fruit trees.
If you are watering your garden do so in the morning, to leave natural pockets of water in the flowers for the bees to drink while they are pollinating.
Or you could give you bees a reliable water sources. This could be easy as getting a small saucer and place sticks, rocks and water in it. This allows the bees to drink and climb in and out of the saucer easily. Just make sure this is algae free in the summer and somewhere where the water cant freeze in the winter.
4. Grow your own Fruit and Vegetables and/or buy Organic
Growing Your Own Food
The more we can be self-reliant in producing our food the better. This means we know exactly where our food came from and what fertilisers and pesticides were used. Being out in nature growing your own food can also give you positive mental health benefits. As well as providing you and your family food which is nutrient dense as its fresh from your garden to the table.
If you live in an apartment you can grow vegetables in vegepods, buckets, pots or even just grow a little herb garden. Just make sure it’s out on a balcony or somewhere where bees and other pollinators can access the flowers.
If you live on a larger property, you can plant your own bee friendly food forest, citrus orchard, vegetable garden, stone fruit orchard and so much more.
Buying Organic
Buy organic, local and in-season for the fruit and vegetables which you don’t grow in your own garden.
Buying organic food reduces the amount of chemicals in your diet. When food is in season this has the highest nutritional value, as food is grown in the right temperatures at the right time. Buying local also reduces the carbon footprint of your food as it hasn’t travelled long distances. These reasons help support your local farmers, economy, and environment.
When you support farmers which work with nature instead of against it, you can help move farming practices towards a better future for humans and pollinators.
5. Wildflower/ Groundcover Lawn or Kerbside
Creeping Thyme and Roman Chamomile
You can create a bee friendly lawn and kerbside by planting creeping thyme. It has a gorgeous purple flower, and they are evergreen and grow a max of 5-10cm tall, so it is a brilliant ground cover that you don’t have to mow. Another groundcover can be Roman Chamomile which has little white flowers.
Wildflowers, Fruit Trees and Cherry Blossoms
Another idea is putting wildflower seeds over your lawn or kerbside. This can provide an amazing habitat and feeding place for pollinators with the benefit of a colourful lawn. These will attract many bees and pollinators because bees love white and purple flowers. You can also plant flowering fruit trees on your kerbside which provides shade, habitats, and food sources for pollinators. Or trees like cherry trees which blossom every spring.
Thank You!
I hope you enjoyed learning about the 5 ways to create a bee friendly garden and the science behind why these changes will help make a difference! Tell me below what is your first step towards creating your own bee friendly garden?
Georgia xo
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