A bee-friendly garden provides nectar and pollen from early spring through late fall. Here's how to create year-round forage for honey bees and native pollinators.
What Bees Need
- Nectar: Sugar-rich liquid for energy (becomes honey)
- Pollen: Protein for brood rearing
- Continuous bloom: Food available all season
- Variety: Different plants for nutritional diversity
- Mass plantings: Groups easier to find than singles
Spring Blooms (March-May)
Critical after winter when stores are low:
Early Spring
- Crocus: First pollen source, plant in masses
- Willow: Major pollen and nectar source
- Maple: Early tree bloom
- Dandelion: Don't spray! First reliable forage
Mid-Spring
- Fruit trees: Apple, cherry, plum—major nectar flow
- Berries: Blueberry, raspberry flowers
- Tulip poplar: Major honey plant
- Redbud: Native tree with early blooms
🌳 Trees Are Best
A single flowering tree can provide more forage than an entire flower bed. Plant fruit trees, lindens, black locust, and native flowering trees for maximum impact.
Summer Blooms (June-August)
Peak colony population needs abundant food:
Perennials
- Lavender: Long bloom, excellent nectar
- Bee balm: Native, hummingbird favorite too
- Echinacea: Long-lasting purple cones
- Black-eyed Susan: Native, easy to grow
- Catmint: Blooms for months if cut back
- Salvia: Many varieties, long bloom
Annuals
- Sunflowers: Pollen-rich, easy to grow
- Borage: Self-seeding, constant blooms
- Cosmos: Light, airy flowers bees love
- Zinnias: Especially single-flowered types
Herbs
- Basil: Let some bolt and flower
- Oregano: Amazing bee magnet
- Thyme: Creeping varieties for ground cover
- Mint: Contain it, but bees love it
Fall Blooms (September-October)
Critical for building winter stores:
- Goldenrod: THE fall honey plant—not allergenic!
- Asters: Native, many species
- Sedum: Succulent flowers bees adore
- Japanese anemone: Shade tolerant
- Late sunflowers: Mexican sunflower especially
Major Honey Plants
These produce significant nectar flows:
- Clover: White and crimson
- Black locust: Brief but intense
- Tulip poplar: Major source in eastern US
- Basswood/Linden: Premium light honey
- Buckwheat: Fast cover crop, dark honey
- Sourwood: Premium southeastern honey
What NOT to Plant
- Double flowers: Breeding removed nectar/pollen
- Heavily hybridized: Often sterile
- Pesticide-treated: Read labels carefully
Planting Tips
- Plant in drifts of 3+ of same species
- Choose single-flowered varieties
- Include native plants
- Avoid pesticides
- Provide water source
- Leave some areas unmowed
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