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how to attract bees to your garden

How to Attract Bees to Your Garden

There is something unmistakably alive about a garden once bees begin to claim it. Before the blooms catch your eye, you hear that gentle hum, a quiet signal that the space is working as it should. Bees are not just visitors in the garden, they are vital partners. Without them, the plants that feed us and the blooms that brighten our days would struggle to thrive. 1 in every 3 bites of food we eat relies on pollinators like bees, including everyday favorites like apples, berries, melons, squash, and tomatoes. When bees do well, the garden and everything in it benefits too. Today, as wild bee populations remain 25 to 45 percent lower than they were a decade ago, home gardens have become some of the most important refuges they have left. The choices we make in our own backyards matter more than ever, and even small shifts can have an outsized impact. The encouraging part is that supporting bees is simple. A bloom sequence that lasts 12 or more weeks, a shallow water source with safe landing spots, small areas of undisturbed soil, and pest control that does not harm pollinators can transform an ordinary yard within a single season. Minimum-risk products like Lost Coast Plant Therapy give gardeners a way to manage soft-bodied pests without leaving residues or harming bees, which keeps the garden safe for the very creatures that help it thrive. Supporting bees is not complicated. It is intentional. And it is one of the most rewarding transformations any gardener can make, because once bees settle in, the garden finds a rhythm it cannot create on its own. To attract bees to your garden, start by thinking about what they actually need. Bees, like people, rely on basic essentials, and when your garden provides them, you create a space that welcomes not just bees but other pollinators too. First, bees depend on nectar and pollen. Nectar fuels their energy, and pollen gives them protein. Both are crucial for feeding themselves. If the garden lacks flowers that offer these essentials, bees will simply move on. That’s why planting a variety of blooms, including different shaped flowers like trumpet-shaped flowers, star-shaped flowers, and single-petaled blossoms, especially native types of flowers that bees naturally recognize as food, is key to keeping them around. These flowers provide food from spring through fall, supporting bees across the whole season. Clean water is also important. Bees do drink from birdbaths, but they prefer shallow dishes where they can safely land. Deep basins without landing spots pose a risk of drowning. What helps most is making that birdbath or dish bee-friendly by adding small stones, marbles, or corks for footing. Bees don’t just drink the water, they use it to regulate the temperature inside their nests, especially in summer, making it an essential part of a healthy habitat. Shelter matters too. Not all bees live in hives. In fact, most bees are solitary, nesting in places like hollow stems, cracks in wood, or tunnels in bare soil. You can support these bees by leaving a few areas of your garden undisturbed. Let part of the soil go bare, leave some dried flower stalks standing over winter, or keep a log or two in a quiet corner. These simple steps help native and solitary bees find a secure place to nest and return to. Lastly, there’s safety. Bees are incredibly sensitive to chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. This doesn’t mean you can’t care for your garden, it just means choosing pest control methods like our minimum-risk pesticide that are safe for pollinators when used as directed. See tips for healthy plants with our natural and organic pesticide here, and our ingredients here.  Plant Bee-Friendly Plants If you want to attract bees to your garden, the plants you choose make all the difference. Every flower can be a food source, a landing pad, and a reason for a bee to return. The more thoughtfully you plan your garden, the more it becomes a haven for honey bees, wild bees, bumblebees, and other helpful pollinators. Choosing plants to attract bees is one of the easiest ways to ensure your flowers provide food and support the fact that bees play a crucial role in every thriving landscape. Native Wildflowers Native wildflowers are some of the best plants you can grow for pollinators. These plants evolved alongside local bee species, which means they’re often rich in nectar and pollen and easy for bees to recognize and use. Whether you live in the mountains, near the coast, or in a desert climate, there’s a selection of native plants suited to your area. Some reliable choices include daisies, poppies, zinnias, alyssum, cosmos, sunflowers, borage, and lavender. These flowers attract a wide variety of bees with their scent, color, and accessible structure. Many of these are easy to grow, thrive in low water conditions, and also attract butterflies and other pollinators. Wildflowers also tend to reseed naturally, making them a great low-maintenance option for gardeners who want lasting impact with less work year after year. Heirloom vs. Hybrid Blooms Heirloom plants are often superior when it comes to feeding pollinators. These traditional varieties usually offer more pollen and nectar compared to modern hybrids, which are often bred for looks over function. While some hybrids are beautiful, they may not provide the nutritional value bees depend on, and in some cases, the blooms are too tightly packed for bees to reach the nectar inside. Choosing heirloom marigolds, sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, and herbs can make a noticeable difference. These flowers tend to be easier for bees to access and more rewarding for their efforts. You don’t need to fill your entire garden with heirlooms, but mixing them in creates a richer food supply that encourages bees to stay longer and visit more often. Seasonal Bloom Planning Bees need a food source from early spring through fall. If you only plant summer flowers, you leave big gaps in the calendar when bees may go hungry. That’s why planning for a succession of blooms is so important when creating a bee-friendly garden. In early spring, crocuses, snowdrops, and hellebores are among the first flowers to offer nectar when bees are just waking up from winter. As summer arrives, fill your garden with workhorse flowers like black-eyed Susans, echinacea, bee balm, lavender, and white flowers such as yarrow. These plants are reliable nectar and pollen producers. When fall comes, asters, goldenrod, and sedum can carry your garden through the season, keeping bees fed until the first frost. These choices include different shaped flowers and flower shapes that appeal to many kinds of pollinators, from honey bees to bumblebees. Keep in mind that some hybrid double blooms, like certain petunias or roses, may look full but offer little to no benefit to bees because the inner parts are not accessible. When in doubt, choose single-petaled flowers that bees can easily land on and forage from. A good tip for encouraging more blooms is to regularly deadhead spent flowers, which encourages plants to produce fresh blossoms and keeps nectar available. See our complete guide to growing a cut flower garden here.  Tips for Building a Bee Habitat  To attract bees to your garden and keep them coming back, it’s not enough to just plant a few flowers. Bees need more than just food, they need a true habitat, a place that feels safe and familiar. Building a bee habitat is about creating those little comforts that support bees through every part of their life cycle, from nesting to drinking to resting in between foraging flights.  Avoid Over-Mulching Mulch has its place in the garden, but when it comes to attracting bees, too much of it can be a problem. Many native bees nest directly in the soil, and when thick mulch covers every inch of the ground, it creates a barrier they can’t get through. If you want to support ground-nesting bees, leave some areas of your garden mulch-free. Bare patches of soil tucked between flower beds or under shrubs can give bees access to the ground they need to create their nests. Even a space as small as a shoebox can become a nesting site for a solitary bee if it’s left undisturbed. Bee-Safe Zones Bees need quiet, low-traffic places where they won’t be disturbed. If you can, create pockets in your garden where people and pets don’t walk or dig. These safe zones give bees a place to forage, rest, and build without interruption. It also helps to group plants in clusters. Bees forage more efficiently when similar flowers are planted close together rather than scattered randomly. A patch of lavender, a grouping of cosmos, or a border of clover is easier for bees to spot and navigate than isolated blooms. When your garden layout supports their natural behavior, you’ll start to see more visits from both honey bees and native bees like bumblebees and solitary species. A Note on Ground Nests Many gardeners unknowingly destroy bee nests during routine weeding, digging, or tilling. If you notice a small hole in the soil or a patch that bees seem to return to again and again, try not to disturb it. That could be an active nest. Observing where bees land and where they disappear into the ground helps you identify these spaces. Leave them undisturbed whenever possible.  Common Gardening Mistakes That Hurt Bees Even the most well-meaning gardeners can accidentally make choices that drive bees away or even put them in danger. If you’ve been wondering what actually harms bees or why some gardens don’t seem to attract pollinators, it often comes down to a handful of avoidable habits.  Using Products That Contain Neonicotinoids One of the biggest threats to bees is the use of synthetic pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides, especially systemic chemicals and those containing neonicotinoids. These substances don’t just disappear after application. Systemic treatments get absorbed into the plant itself, including the nectar and pollen. That means bees ingest toxins even when they’re just feeding on flowers.  Avoiding neonicotinoids entirely is one of the most impactful steps a gardener can take. The term is becoming more familiar, and for good reason. These chemicals persist in the environment and are particularly dangerous to honeybees, bumble bees, and solitary bees alike. Another common mistake is spraying any kind of treatment while flowers are open and bees are actively foraging. This increases the chance that a bee will be exposed to wet residues, which can cling to their bodies and be carried back to their nest or hive. When that happens, the exposure does not stay with a single bee. It travels with them, affecting the young they are feeding and the other adults they interact with. See more on the types of pesticides and their impact here.  Too Much Tidying Can Remove Shelter Clean gardens can sometimes be too clean. When we remove all leaf litter, hollow stems, and spent stalks, we also remove valuable shelter for solitary bees and other pollinators. Instead of cutting everything back at once, consider leaving a few areas undisturbed through the winter and into early spring. This creates nesting habitat and ensures that beneficial insects have a place to rest and reproduce. Not All Flowers Are Equal Ornamental flowers are lovely, but many highly bred hybrids often produce little or no nectar or pollen. Relying only on these types of blooms won’t provide bees with the nutrition they depend on. Incorporating heirloom varieties and native plants ensures your garden stays full of flowers that attract and feed pollinators. Landscaping Choices Can Disrupt Habitat Over-landscaping with artificial turf, decorative gravel, or hardscape features replaces living habitat with barren ground. Bees need soil they can nest in and real plants they can forage from. Similarly, cutting flowers too early in their bloom can reduce the available food for bees. Adding trees and shrubs to your landscape also makes a difference. Many people forget that blooming shrubs and early-flowering trees are some of the first and most important food sources in spring, an essential support when natural resources are scarce. Mowing Too Often Can Starve Bees And don’t forget your lawn. Mowing too often can wipe out food sources like dandelions and clover. These early and mid-season blooms are especially valuable for hungry bees when other plants haven’t yet opened. Letting them flower before you mow can turn a plain patch of grass into a surprise buffet for native bees and honeybees alike. Bee-Safe Pest Control: Opt for Garden Pesticides Safe for Bees Bees are incredibly sensitive to most conventional garden treatments. A bee-safe product is not simply one that avoids outright poisoning. It is one that does not linger in the environment, does not absorb into plant tissues, and does not harm bees through residues left on leaves or flowers. It should not be systemic, toxic to non-target insects, or capable of leaving chemical traces once it has dried. A truly safe pest control solution protects your plants without putting pollinators at risk. Lost Coast Plant Therapy is a minimum-risk pesticide designed for gardeners who want effective results without harming bees. It relies on natural and organic ingredients and works through direct contact, meaning it only affects soft-bodied pests like mites and aphids and only when it touches them. The formula leaves no toxic residues behind, doesn’t absorb into the plant, and is completely safe for bees, ladybugs, praying mantises, and even frogs. In fact, gardeners have reported seeing frogs and native pollinators continue visiting plants while Lost Coast Plant Therapy was being used.  Choosing a natural garden pest control that's safe for bees is not only about switching products. It is about creating balance. You get healthier, more resilient plants, and you support the pollinators that keep your garden productive. It is a simple, practical way to protect your space without harming the bees that help it bloom. Bee-Friendly Garden Layouts When it comes to learning how to attract bees to your garden, sometimes it helps to see how it all comes together. These layout ideas are designed for real-life spaces, whether you’ve got a balcony, a backyard, or just a little time to give. Each one supports bees, butterflies, and other pollinators by providing consistent nectar, pollen, water, and shelter, no matter the size. Small Patio Bee Garden Even the tiniest space can become a haven for pollinators. Focus on container-friendly plants like zinnias, marigolds, calendula, and herbs such as thyme, mint, and sage. Lavender is another star performer, bees love it, and it thrives in pots with good drainage. Add a small dish of clean water with pebbles so bees can safely land and drink. Cluster pots together to create a dense, flower-rich foraging area, and place it in a sunny spot. This setup is ideal for balconies and  patios. Beginner Backyard Pollinator Strip If you’ve got a bit more room, a pollinator strip is one of the easiest ways to transform a garden edge into a powerful food corridor for bees. Choose a spot that gets at least six hours of sun a day. Fill it with a mix of native wildflowers and flowering herbs, arranged by height from back to front, think echinacea, rudbeckia, bee balm, and yarrow in the back, with lower-growing options like alyssum, coreopsis, and clover near the front. Layering bloom times is key here. Plan for early spring, mid-summer, and fall flowers so there’s always something in bloom. This is a perfect place to sow your wildflower seed packs and let nature do some of the work. Low-Maintenance Reseeding Garden For families, first-time gardeners, or anyone short on time, this design focuses on perennial flowers and self-seeding annuals. Think borage, cosmos, calendula, and poppies paired with hardy herbs like oregano, chives, and lemon balm. Choose a sunny, well-draining location and prep the soil once, after that, the plants will often return on their own year after year. Skip the fussy pruning and heavy watering. Just deadhead some blooms, leave others to seed, and enjoy watching how the garden evolves over time.  Kid-Friendly Garden Ideas If you are gardening with children or encouraging a young gardener, the experience becomes even more magical. Kids are naturally drawn to bright, fast growing flowers like sunflowers, snapdragons, and nasturtiums. These plants respond quickly to care, which makes the process feel rewarding and accessible.  Give kids simple roles, such as checking the water dish each morning, counting how many flowers opened that week, or choosing a new plant to add each season. These small responsibilities help them understand how living things depend on one another. Even a few pots on a porch or balcony can spark curiosity and create early memories of planting, observing, and caring for the natural world. Surprising Facts About Bees 🐝 20,000+ speciesMost bees don’t make honey. Native bee powerMason and leafcutter bees are often even more efficient pollinators than honeybees. Five eyes & UV visionBees see ultraviolet patterns on flower petals. Busy foragersA single bee may visit 50–100 flowers on one trip. Sleepy beesBees take many tiny naps and can sleep up to 8 hours a day. Super strengthOne bee can carry up to 35% of her body weight in pollen. Waggle danceBees share directions to the best flowers with a special dance. Buzz in the key of CTheir wingbeats create nature’s background music. Buzz pollinationSome bees vibrate their bodies to shake pollen from flowers like tomatoes and blueberries. Conclusion Bees are responsible for pollinating more than 150 food crops in the United States alone, including many of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts that we rely on every day. Without them, 1 in every 3 bites of food we eat would simply not exist. Their quiet work supports global agriculture, wild ecosystems, and backyard gardens alike. But despite their importance, bee populations continue to face serious threats, from habitat loss and climate change to widespread pesticide use. This is where individual gardeners can make a meaningful difference. A single garden, intentionally planted and thoughtfully cared for, becomes a safe haven for dozens of bee species. Native wildflowers, clean water, and shelter in simple soil or stems offer what pollinators need most. Natural choices, such as avoiding synthetic pesticides and using a minimum-risk, bee-safe pest control like Lost Coast Plant Therapy, help protect them while keeping your plants healthy. When you plant with bees in mind, you’re not just growing a garden. You’re supporting the future of food, biodiversity, and the health of the planet itself.  See more about why Lost Coast Plant Therapy does not harm bees and how we support them on our Bees page here. Additional Resources Pollinator diversity benefits natural and agricultural systems - National Library of Medicine How can residents protect and promote pollinators? The role of urban land-use practices - ScienceDirect 155 Amazing Bee Facts: History, Anatomy, Legends, And More - Best Bees Mitigating the effects of habitat loss on solitary bees in agriculture - MDPI Agriculture Solitary bees: the intricacies of our most prolific pollinators - Current Biology Flower richness is key to pollinator abundance: The role of urban green spaces - ScienceDirect Aspects of Landscape and Pollinators - What is important for pollinator conservation? – MDPI Biodiversity

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