Favorite bee/bird/butterfly and fruit plants?
inbetweendays
8 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (10)
popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
8 years agoRelated Discussions
The Birds And The Bee's And The Roses
Comments (13)Devon, Beautiful sentiments, truly. There is something immensely cathartic with having your hands in the soil and to have the privilege of both contributing too and observing nature in all of its splendour. These are all the reasons I became enchanted with gardening in general. Niels, Regarding bees, there are problems even in Europe with the Bumblebee and declining numbers. There was an article featured in the most recent RNRS semi-annual publication regarding the declining numbers of Bumblebees and potential agriculture and ecosystem impact. I too noticed a decline in the number of bees in general last year. They were there, but just not in the overwhelming numbers of years previous. Both my neighbours and I have a number of Rose of Sharon shrubs and a few Hydrangeas. Both of these are favorite feasts of the Bees and their presence in great numbers is omnipresent while those shrubs are blooming. Last year saw a dramatic decrease in the overall numbers to be sure. Here are a couple of pics from last August. No matter how I might tryÂand admittedly, I really donÂt try very hard cause I am a guy after allÂI just canÂt help myself from thinking how this really looks like this bee is seriously copulating the heck out of this Dainty Bess bloom. LOL This bee certainly got his fill of pollen in these blooms of Mary Rose and appeared to be totally pollen drunk. I watched it for about 5 minutes as it literally rolled around and just frolicked inside 3 or 4 open blooms that were in close proximity to each other....See MoreFavorite flowers for bees and other pollinators?
Comments (31)Great topic! I've enjoyed reading all the input. The three plants in my garden which I find to be most popular with bees are lavender (which is covered with many kinds of insects along with the bees) and a couple of woody plants, an old-fashioned Roseum Elegans Rhododendron and Malus (apples and crabapples.) The Rhodie is between the house and the drive, about 5 feet from the front door and when blooming in May has so many bumble bees from when it is warm enough for them to fly in the morning until dusk that you can hear the humming from more than 15 feet away. The crab and apples seem most popular with honey bees (and the crabs are a great late winter/early spring food source for birds.) A few other perennials that the bees like but in my gardens aren't quite so constantly covered include some of the small-belled clematis like C. viorna, Nepeta, thyme, foxgloves, and Salvias. Woodies include blueberries (Vaccinium), roses that haven't been sprayed, button bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), some of the deciduous rhododendrons, heaths (Erica) and heathers (Calluna.) There are also a bunch of plants that grow wild in the area that the bees love, though in my experience many would be most appropriate for a wild garden, not a more manicured suburban garden as they tend to spread vigorously by seed and/or by root spread: ironweed (Veronicastrium spp.) goldenrod (Solidego spp.) boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium or Eutrochium purpureum) genus has changed milkweed (Asclepias spp.) native asters, in particular blue wood or heart-leafed aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) Many members of the mint family, like ajuga, self-heal (Prunela), beebalm, Monarda spp, and culinary mints are pretty voracious spreaders via roots and shoots and so need to be sited accordingly, but the bees do enjoy them....See MoreWill our bees/b'flies/birds be gone a LONG time?
Comments (34)I'm not sure why people are saying she learned from her mistake. She was deceived into the spraying which she had no part of doing. She isn't guilty of anything other than trusting her neighbor. I spray every week with Bayer. I have lots of bees, tons of birds and lots of lizards that eat the insects. Other than bugs I deliberately spray I haven't seen any laying around or dead in blossoms. If I don't spray here I don't have decent roses. I admire your compassion but I grow roses for their beauty and honey they sure ain't beautiful here in bs country without spray. When we are all dead and gone the insects will take back the world. They are very resiliant and adaptable. I'm sure your insect and bird population will have no long term effects of the one spraying in your garden. I know I'm heartless and don't care about the environment but what's the point if the roses look horrible. I may as well save my money and just watch TV. I'm hiding behind my shield now. Nancy...See MoreButterfly, Hummingbird and Bee Garden
Comments (12)Great List of plants Debra. Our hummers, butterflies & bees here love my Mexican Sunflower Plants(Tithonia Fiesta Del Sol). I found one that only grows 28-30 inches high) as my husband does not like the Tall Variety that is topping about 6-7 Feet now. I just cut in back about 2 feet on the top. You have to dehead them(so they will keep blooming and watch out for the seed pods as they can really stick your fingers. Leave seed pods along with Coneflower seed pods & chickadee's will devour them in the fall. But they are full sun. We already had this Sage bushes that a lot of people grow here(Denton, Texas). I wish it bloomed all the time(only blooms when it is about to rain). Next year planting Turk's Cap, Gabor Trumpet Vine(Campis radicans "Gabor'), Honeysuckle Vine you already have and planting a Chaste Tree. They seem to really enjoy my Phlox Phlopaniculata "Bright Eyes". We moved here from N.C. about 1 and half years ago. I am finding out that my Full sun plants are not really fun sun here in the Texas heat. Going to also try a Hardy Fuchsia just to see what it does here(it likes part shade to shade.) We are having a time with either mites or white flies taking the plants down in the drought and heat. Can't spray them as I will kill what I am trying to attract. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) did not make it first year here so we planted the "Low and Behold' Variety in a Large Planter. Had to put it on roller & keep moving it in & out of the sun. Going to try and over-winter it in Garage. Just found out today that I am not suppose to plant any plants in a plastic container as that keeps the roots hot so I am repotting it in a Ceramic Container- suppose to keep roots cool or I can try some type of Double-potting method. Our Hosta's did not do that well here like N.C. even after adding peat moss to the garden. We also ran out of areas to plant sun loving plants. In N.C. (S. coccinea) was a big hit along with Foxglove(likes shade) and Spider Flowers(Cleome hassleriana) but it too is sun loving plant .Your Cypress Vine should be a big hit. The hummers are really fueling up for their trip and they will get fat. I did not know that my Pineapple Sage plant would not bloom until October. It was blooming when I bought it & I pinched the top out so it would bush out but the mites attack it. They are looking good now but still no blooms yet. The young hummers are checking us out when we are outside which is always fun. Hummingbirds fly a certain route around houses etc. So be careful when changing parking spots in your driveway/road. I just found out that many kill themselves while running into parked vehicles and storms throw them down or into trees so big canopy of trees are great shelter & shade. We are having to put up window bird decals up. Woodpeckers and baby chickadees pecked our feeders apart this spring when they fledged. It bother me a little but it was kind of funny. I am having to change the feeders twice a day as the solution is getting cloudy when temps. hit 100 degrees or more and I boil it 2 minutes. Thanks again for your great list. Bonnie...See Moreinbetweendays
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
8 years agoZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
8 years agoinbetweendays
8 years agoSkybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
8 years agotreebarb Z5 Denver
8 years agoinbetweendays
8 years agomathewgg
8 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Grow Blueberries for Their Fruit and More
Eastern gardeners should consider growing blueberry plants for their delicious fruits, bee-friendly spring blooms and brilliant fall foliage
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Sambucus Nigra Caerulea for the Birds
Blue elderberry is a favorite of birds and other wildlife in its native California
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Canadian Milkvetch Draws Bees and Birds
Its seedpods have visual appeal, but winged creatures are lured to Astralagus canadensis for more than its looks
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESInvite Mining Bees to Your Garden by Planting Their Favorite Plants
Look for mining bees (Andrena) pollinating woodland wildflowers in U.S. gardens this spring
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES6 Plants That Beat Butterfly Bush for the Wildlife Draw
It's invasive, a nonnative and a poor insect magnet. Check out these better alternatives to butterfly bush in the garden
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPING9 Flowers That Draw Butterflies
Charm winged beauties and human visitors alike with these enticing, fragrant and colorful blooms for the garden
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESPlant Black Cherry Trees for the Birds and Bees
Plant Prunus serotina in the Central and Eastern U.S. for spring flowers, interesting bark and beautiful fall color
Full StoryCALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTSGreat Design Plant: Asclepias Is Attractive to Monarch Butterflies
Increase monarch butterfly populations in California by planting stunning native milkweeds
Full StoryEDIBLE GARDENSHow to Grow 10 Favorite Fruit Trees at Home
Plant a mini orchard in fall, winter or early spring to enjoy fresh-off-the-tree fruit the following year
Full StoryGARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIESGardening for the Bees, and Why It’s a Good Thing
When you discover how hard bees work for our food supply, you may never garden without them in mind again
Full Story
ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado