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Apr 23, 2014 6:43 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Terri
Hudson Valley, NY (Zone 5b)
Hello

Did any of you add additional plants to your flower gardens specifically for your bees? We have our hive built and are anxiously waiting our first package of bees in early May and hopefully adding a 2nd hive next year.
allons-y!
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Apr 23, 2014 8:44 PM CST
Name: Arlene
Grantville, GA (Zone 8a)
Greenhouse Region: Georgia Garden Sages Organic Gardener Beekeeper Vegetable Grower
Seed Starter Cut Flowers Composter Keeper of Poultry Keeps Goats Avid Green Pages Reviewer
When my son first got his bees he had me plant all kinds of flowers that were supposed to be beneficial to the bees. If I remember correctly they were things like borage, allysum, cotton, triflorum (basically, a clover), horehound and lemon balm. I'm sure there were more but I already was growing a large variety of flowers so those were just what I remember him specifically asking me to grow.
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Apr 24, 2014 6:46 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Margaret
Delta KY
I'm A Charley's Girl For Sure
Forum moderator I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Beekeeper
Seed Starter Permaculture Region: Kentucky Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
In the Ideas section of the site there's several articles that list bee plants. You can also find them by going to my profile and scrolling down until you reach the list.

Here their favorites in my yard are crocus, hyacinths, sunflowers, blackberries and clover to name a few.

Congratulations on getting started with honey bees.
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Apr 24, 2014 7:44 AM CST
Garden.org Admin
Name: Dave Whitinger
Southlake, Texas (Zone 8a)
Region: Texas Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Tomato Heads Vermiculture Garden Research Contributor
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Region: Ukraine Garden Sages
I agree

We grow numerous plants specifically for our bees. It's really a list way too big to list but @Mindy03's articles that she mentioned above are an excellent start place!
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Apr 24, 2014 7:56 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Terri
Hudson Valley, NY (Zone 5b)
I'll look Mindy03's article when I'm on my home machine and can save it.

Thank you all!
allons-y!
Avatar for AmargiaExp
Mar 6, 2015 5:59 PM CST
(Zone 8b)
Beekeeper Composter Daylilies Herbs Hummingbirder Native Plants and Wildflowers
Plays in the sandbox Vegetable Grower Xeriscape
I llike milkweeds because you support your honeybees in high summer and do your bit for Monarchs at the same time.
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Mar 6, 2015 7:16 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Margaret
Delta KY
I'm A Charley's Girl For Sure
Forum moderator I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Beekeeper
Seed Starter Permaculture Region: Kentucky Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
If you take time to check the plants that honey bees like you will find other creatures benefit from them as well.
Birds eat the fruit produced by plants honey bees pollinated
Butterflies like some of the same plants honey bees do.
Other insects like some of the same plants honey bees do.
Humans benefit from plants honey bees visit as well.
We are all connected ny Nature
Avatar for cbcjwlr
Mar 14, 2015 3:08 PM CST

My honeybees are spoiled! I plant for them and the other pollinators.
Crocus, Hellebores, Primrose, Foxglove, Liatris, peas, cherries, Turtlehead, Queen of the Prairie, Astrantia, Nicotiana, Milkweed, Bee Balm, Aster, Yarrow, Lavender, Tree Hydrangea, a wonderful native Lace Cap Hydrangea, Black Locust, Sunflowers, Calendula, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Borage, Columbine, Orange Glory Flower, Hosta, Queen Ann's Lace, Hollyhocks, Gladiolus, Black Eyed Susan's galore, Echinacea, Lambs Ears, Pinks, Evening Primrose, Jacobs Ladder, Poppies, Dogwoods, Azaleas, Mountain Laurel, Shasta Daisy, Autumn Joy and other sedums, Greater Burnett, Phlox, Shrub Roses, Crocosmia, Feverfew, Canterbury Bells, Cleome, Lunaria, Lupine, and more that I can't picture in my mind's eye at the moment.
I get great joy from watching all of the creatures feed. Well, maybe not the squirrels. And definitely NOT the woodchuck and deer.
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Mar 15, 2015 5:51 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Margaret
Delta KY
I'm A Charley's Girl For Sure
Forum moderator I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Beekeeper
Seed Starter Permaculture Region: Kentucky Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
Beautiful flowers and great pictures.
Thank you for sharing with us.

Our honey bees have been going full blast this past week with the warmer temperatures we have had.
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Mar 22, 2015 12:21 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Terri
Hudson Valley, NY (Zone 5b)
Our bees are still hanging out in their hive since the weather here in NY isn't super great. We have another hive set up and the package for that one should get here Thursday! So excited for more bees.

@cbcjwlr, do you collect honey from your bees? I've read online that honey made from/with Mountain Laurel can be toxic to people.
allons-y!
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Mar 22, 2015 2:03 PM CST
Name: Arlene
Grantville, GA (Zone 8a)
Greenhouse Region: Georgia Garden Sages Organic Gardener Beekeeper Vegetable Grower
Seed Starter Cut Flowers Composter Keeper of Poultry Keeps Goats Avid Green Pages Reviewer
My son lost another hive this winter and the hive we had at our house is also lost. There are a lot of bees hanging around my flowers and he suspects they are from when the hive swarmed last year. He got new queens yesterday to try and build his hives back up. The clover should be blossoming soon so they will have a lot of nectar to choose from.
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Apr 3, 2015 4:01 PM CST
Name: Toni Melvin
Sherwood Oregon (Zone 8a)
Beekeeper Region: Pacific Northwest Permaculture Organic Gardener Region: Oregon Native Plants and Wildflowers
Canning and food preservation Herbs Composter Bee Lover Vermiculture Garden Ideas: Level 1
Honeybees and bumblebees helping me out with the honeyberrys and 20th Century pear Hurray!

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I wish this photo was crisp enough that you could see the huge full pollen sacks
Toni
I aspire to be the person my dog thinks I am
Last edited by Toni Apr 3, 2015 11:41 PM Icon for preview
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Apr 3, 2015 6:44 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Margaret
Delta KY
I'm A Charley's Girl For Sure
Forum moderator I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Beekeeper
Seed Starter Permaculture Region: Kentucky Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
Great photos Toni thanks for sharing.
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May 15, 2015 10:22 AM CST
Name: tarev
San Joaquin County, CA (Zone 9b)
Give PEACE a chance!
Adeniums Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: California Houseplants Plays in the sandbox
Orchids Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Composter Cactus and Succulents Dragonflies Hummingbirder
Honeybees, bumblebees enjoy very much the blooms of my big Aeonium. At least this swan song bloom has given the bees a good area to enjoy Smiling These photos were taken in April. It has been cold lately so not much insect activity. When the Gaillardias resumed blooming they also love those blooms very much.

On the Gaillardias
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On the Big Aeonium

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May 15, 2015 1:31 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Margaret
Delta KY
I'm A Charley's Girl For Sure
Forum moderator I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Beekeeper
Seed Starter Permaculture Region: Kentucky Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
Thank you for sharing your pictures tareq.
Beautiful as always.
I'm glad you are posting your pictures again.
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May 15, 2015 1:49 PM CST
Name: tarev
San Joaquin County, CA (Zone 9b)
Give PEACE a chance!
Adeniums Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: California Houseplants Plays in the sandbox
Orchids Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Composter Cactus and Succulents Dragonflies Hummingbirder
Thanks Margaret! Oh I have been posting..just on different threads at times. Big Grin
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May 30, 2015 7:34 PM CST
Name: tarev
San Joaquin County, CA (Zone 9b)
Give PEACE a chance!
Adeniums Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: California Houseplants Plays in the sandbox
Orchids Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Composter Cactus and Succulents Dragonflies Hummingbirder
Took some photos earlier today of this busy bumble bee..really loves the blooms of this big aeonium.

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Dec 6, 2015 3:53 PM CST
Name: Jerry
Smithwick, Texas (Zone 8b)
Beekeeper Bee Lover Plays in the sandbox Region: Texas Region: United States of America
Who can look at these wonderful photos and not marvel at the beauty Smiling and wonder upon the intricate way in which it all interacts?
Up to my elbows in the dirt while being on top of the dirt is a great day!
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Oct 9, 2016 8:11 PM CST
Name: Greg
Lake Forest Park, Washington (Zone 8b)
Garden Ideas: Level 1
I'm very much interested in developing some area around our house for the benefit of bees. We have a shady side (wooded area), a part sun/shade side, and a full sun side. So far, the bees I see really like the dandelions, maybe I should just let those grow! Rolling my eyes. I learned from a beekeeper who came to remove and relocate a bumble-bee nest that our hedge in front has sugar packets on the underside of the leaves that bees like. I do not want to get into beekeeping at this time, too much on my plate as it is.
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Oct 10, 2016 11:16 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Margaret
Delta KY
I'm A Charley's Girl For Sure
Forum moderator I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Beekeeper
Seed Starter Permaculture Region: Kentucky Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
Hi Greg welcomed to the beekeeping not forum
If you go to my profile page and scroll down until you see the list of articles I've written you will find several lists of plants for honey bees.
But if you are short on time and want ideas here's what they visit every year without fail here
Crocus
Hyacinth blue ones are their favorites
Sunflowers
Herbs

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