The 10 best plants for Bees and Butterflies

Sedum is a top plant for bees and butterflies. When in flower, a mature Sedum will attract several butterflies at anyone time. It is no exaggeration to say that on a warm, sunny day, Sedums may attract half a dozen butterflies, countless bees and pollinators.

Sedum is an easy-to-grow, late summer-flowering perennial. Sedums grow best in sun, and return reliably each year.
The Sedum flowers are attractive to butterflies even before they are in full flower. In the image, the Sedum flowers are still in bud, but it has already attracted the attention of a Gatekeeper butterfly. If you have room in your garden for only one plant to attract bees, butterflies and pollinators, I recommend Sedum. The short video below shows butterflies irresistibly drawn to Sedum, especially the white variety Sedum Hylotelephium spectabile 'Stardust' (available from Crocus via this link)

All Geraniums are bee-friendly, but this is especially true of the blue varieties and illustrated is G. ibericum. It is just loved by the bees, not least because bees love blue (which is based on good science).

Here is a lovely 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 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.  Suitable for containers.

All bees and butterflies love this Verbena, with the added benefit that it flowers for weeks and weeks, providing a sustained source of nectar.

During the not particularly good summer of 2023, I've had Verbena in flower from July until October and in a shady garden. Throughout the entire time, there was a constant stream of garden visitors. It's a plant loved by wildlife and gardeners. We love long flowering plants; they are such good value in a garden.

Verbena bonariensis is a tall perennial variety which tends to self-seed around the garden. It grows best in a dry sunny spot and dislikes winter wet. Can be grown in a container

Buddleia is also known as the" Butterfly Bush". This name is not an exaggeration. It is a summer-flowering shrub, which, when planted in a warm, sunny spot, butterflies flock to it feeding on its aromatic flowers.
Buddleia is easy to grow, although take note that some varieties can get large. To overcome this, growers have been breeding patio-sized varieties. It's best to check the label carefully.
A popular variety widely sold, B. davedii, which can grow up to 5 meters, taking up a good amount of space in the border.
Buddleia (especially davedii,) can be an invasive self-seeder; prune the flower heads as soon as they have bloomed to prevent the shrub from seeding. Only the compact varieties of Buddleia are suitable for growing in containers.

Lots of blue and mauve plants attract bees, such as lavender and nepeta, so too does Perovskia atriplicifolia, common name Russian Sage, although there is nothing Russian about it.

An easy-to-grow perennial with silver, aromatic leaves and lovely spikes of blue flowers. It is wildlife-friendly, attracting a wide range of pollinatorsrs. 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. Drought tolerant Russian Sage could be grown in a container although it tends to get quite large.Buddleia is also known as the" Butterfly Bush". This name is not an exaggeration. It is a summer-flowering shrub, which, when planted in a warm, sunny spot, butterflies flock to it feeding on its aromatic flowers.

Lots of blue and mauve plants attract bees, such as lavender and nepeta, so too does Perovskia atriplicifolia, common name Russian Sage, although there is nothing Russian about it.

An easy-to-grow perennial with silver, aromatic leaves and lovely spikes of blue flowers. It is wildlife-friendly, attracting a wide range of pollinatorsrs. 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. Drought tolerant Russian Sage could be grown in a container although it tends to get quite large.Buddleia is also known as the" Butterfly Bush". This name is not an exaggeration. It is a summer-flowering shrub, which, when planted in a warm, sunny spot, butterflies flock to it feeding on its aromatic flowers.

When planting for Bees and Butterflies, it is easy to concentrate on plants and overlook shrubs. Cotoneaster is an easy-to-maintain, simple shrub with a lot going for it. It has small white flowers in the spring, which are loved by bees. The bush hums with activity. These are followed in autumn by bright red berries, which the blackbirds love. 

There are over 200 species of Cotoneaster in the genus, evergreen and deciduous, ranging in size from ground cover to a medium-sized tree. Illustrated is Cotoneaster franchetii, evergreen or semi-evergreen it grows to around 2.-2.5m with an upright habit. 

There is a warning with Cotoneasters. Some varieties are listed in Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as invasive, and it is a criminal offence to allow that species to escape into the wild. 

Another top plant for pollinators,  Oregano is an aromatic herb plant, which is very attractive to butterflies and pollinators. It is perennial and keeps its woody stems all winter. Cut back in the spring, allowing the fresh growth to come through.

Oregano is a tough, grow-anywhere plant. It is tolerant of most conditions and fully hardy. It tends to sprawl in the border, and can be checked by the Chelsea Chop.   This variety is Origanum vulgare, and its only drawback is the extent to which is self-seeds. Oregano is suitable for growing on a balcony, and you can grow it in a container.

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 a Mediterranean-type plant, which means it likes a sunny spot with dry, well-drained soil. Even when the flowers are looking tatty and fading, still the bees come. Standard gardening advice is to trim back after flowering. I don't recommend this for wildlife wildlife-friendly garden. I took the image in late September 2025. A dry summer followed by a wet early autumn produced a strong second flush of flowers, much enjoyed by the bees, right through into October.

If your garden tends to have heavy clay soil prone to waterlogging 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.Another top plant for pollinators,  

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 and classified as H7. It makes a dense clump of ground cover and flowers for a long time through midsummer to early autumn. 

This is an English native plant which everyone ( see RHS and Surry Wildlife trust) is talking about because it is so good at supporting wildlife. Hedera Helix, looks nothing special, but when mature, it 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, hover-flies, butterflies and wasps. The berries have high fat content, which is loved by birds, and the plant itself provides shelter for insects and small mammals.

Sulpher Clover, Trifolium ochroleucon, is another excellent plant for pollinators and also an English native plant. Don't worry about the title "Clover", 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. It is a fully hardy, herbaceous perennial, so it will return each year and die back over winter.
It looks lovely as illustrated here, planted with blue campanulas and purple geraniums.

I recently bought several Agastache at a local show, which came with their own bees on them. Agastache have spikes of blooms and aromatic foliage. Agastache flowers best when planted in a sunny spot, and although generally hardy it is a good idea to mulch over winter.

Illustrated is a bee-friendly planting combination of Agastache and Echinacea taken at RHS Bridgewater, a great garden to visit.

An easy-to-grow, herbaceous perennial which will die back over winter and return in the spring. To ensure it returns, do not plant Agastache in winter wet conditions.