Bee friendly herbs
Bees are essential to a healthy environment, we rely on them and other insects to pollinate most of our fruit and vegetables, but bees are under threat. 35 UK bee species are near extinction, and all species are facing a decline so do your bit to help the bees and add some bee friendly plants to your garden.
Choose plants that are rich in nectar and pollen, nectar contains sugar they need for energy and pollen contains protein and oils. Also various shapes and sizes of flowers are great as bee species have different tongue lengths!
By growing plants that bloom at different times throughout the year, the bees will have a source of food all year round. Here is a guide to which herbs flower in which season, if you pick some from each season you will have bee friendly garden all year round!
Spring
Lungwort, Crocus, Chives, Borage, Comfrey, Primrose, Cowslip, Bugle (pictured above), Sweet Woodruff, Betony, Angelica, Heartsease, Solomon Seal, Apple Blossom, Willow, Rosemary
Winter
Snowdrop, Rosemary (pictured above), Crocus, Aconites, Ivy, Evergreen Clematis, Winter Flowering Heather, Winter Flowering Honeysuckle, Mahonia. (Not all of the plants in this category are herbs, as few herbs are flowering during the winter so we have added some other plants!)
Summer
Lavender, Bergamot, Chives, Marjoram, Oregano, Sage and the Ornamental Salvias, Strawberry, Vipers Bugloss (pictured above), Runner/Broad beans, Sweet Rocket, Catmint, Catnep, Anise Hyssop, Marsh and Musk Mallow, Borage, Calamint, Calendula, Foxglove, Goats Rue, Valerian, Lemon Balm, Mint, Toad Flax, All Thymes, Fennel, Dill, Myrtle, Phacelia, Motherwort, Feverfew, Echinacea, Mullein, African Blue Basil
Autumn
Sedum, Perennial wallflower, Yarrow, Achillea, Ornamental Salvias, Jacobs Ladder (pictured above), Hyssop, Winter and Creeping Savory, Mint, Marjoram and Oregano