The 10 best plants for Bees and Butterflies

This is one of the Geranium family, common name Cranesbill, G. ibericum is just loved by the bees, not least because bees love blue, (whichis based on good science.) Watch this short relaxing video, close your eyes and slip back to a warm sunny day, birdsong and bees. Geraniums are (mostly) herbaceous perennials which die back over winter and return with fresh new growth each spring. Geraniums are easy to grow and require no maintenance, and will form a good-sized clump in a short space of time.

There are a number of Geraniums in the group, all easy to grow, the blue and purple varieties are best for the bees. 

We all know that Lavender and Nepeta attract bees, but so too does Perovskia atriplicifolia, common name Russian Sage, although there is nothing Russian about it. It is an easy to grow herbaceous perennial which has silver, aromatic leaves and lovely spikes of blue flowers which the bees flock to. Russian Sage, in common with all Sages, likes dry growing conditions and a sunny spot, and will reward with a cloud of blue and bees. Although not clear from this image, there were masses of bees on the blue flowers of the Perovskia. It looks very good when planted alongside a blue-painted exterior/fence.

When considering the best plants for bees, Lavender has to come into the mix. The lovely aromatic flowers and leaves are attractive to the bees. Lavender is particular about its growing conditions. It is a Mediterranean type plant, and it likes a sunny spot with dry, well-drained soil. Even when the flowers are looking tatty and fading, still the bees come. One October I intended to trim off the flower heads ready for next year, but a bee was stubbornly perched on the flower so I left it a while long. Lavenders feed bees for ages.

If your garden is colder, or with heavy clay soil prone to water logging in the winter, Lavender will not tolerate these conditions. The better option is to grow lavender in containers or substitute Nepeta which will attract its fair share of pollinators, (and, unfortunately, cats!)  Both would be suitable for growing on a balcony.

Many of our favourite bee friendly plants need full sun, so here is a welcome exception. Persicaria amplexicaulis will grow in semishade and in moisture retentive, damp or even boggy soil.

It is loved by honeybees and pollinators as the video below shows. It is a fairly vigorous perennial, which may drop its leaves in winter in cold areas, although it is very hardy classified as H7. It makes a dense clump of ground cover and flowers for a long time through midsummer to early autumn. 

Hedera Helix, the native English Ivy, looks nothing special but when mature, produces flowers and berries which support a wide range of wildlife, particularly late in the year before hibernation. The nectar and pollen are food for insects including bees, hoverflies, butterflies and wasps. The berries have high fat content and are loved by birds, and the plant itself provides shelter for insects and small mammals.

Very good value for money in terms of providing for wildlife. On a warm autumn day it is covered with wildlife an excellent plant to grow along wall as part of your wildlife garden.

Sulpher Clover, Trifolium ochroleucon, is another good plant for pollinators. But don't worry, this is a well-behaved clump forming Clover in a lovely golden yellow which, like all clovers, is ideal for bees and butterflies.  It is easy to grow reaching around .45m and is suitable for sun or dappled shade. As a native plant, it is fully hardy. It is a herbaceous perennial, so it will return each year and die back over winter.
It looks lovely planted here with blue campanulas and purple geraniums.