The Best Plants to Grow Near a Bee House for Attracting Pollinators
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Building a DIY bee house is a fantastic way to support wild, solitary bees like mason bees and leafcutter bees in your garden. However, providing a safe nesting shelter is only half the battle. To truly help these pollinators thrive, they need a continuous, reliable source of nectar and pollen located close to their home.
Because solitary bees have a limited foraging range—usually only flying a few hundred metres from their nest—planting the right flowers directly around your bee house ensures they spend less energy searching for food and more time raising the next generation.
Why Plant Selection Matters for Solitary Bees
Unlike honeybees, which can travel miles to find food, solitary bees are independent and forage relatively close to their nesting sites. Planting a diverse mix of nectar-rich flowers that bloom sequentially from early spring through late summer guarantees that bees emerging from your bee house will always have access to vital energy.
Top Plants to Grow Near Your Bee House
1. Early Spring Bloomers (Essential for Mason Bees)
When mason bees emerge in early spring, food is often scarce. Providing early nectar sources is crucial for their survival:
- Lungwort (Pulmonaria): One of the earliest perennials to bloom, offering rich nectar when spring food sources are low.
- Crocus and Early Bulbs: Simple, open-faced spring bulbs provide easy access to early pollen for waking queens.
- Fruit Trees (Apple, Pear, Plum): Not only do solitary bees provide exceptional pollination for fruit trees, but the blossom acts as a major food source.
- Wallflowers (Erysimum): Incredibly easy to grow, long-blooming, and loved by early-season pollinators.
2. Summer Powerhouses (Essential for Leafcutter Bees)
As summer arrives, leafcutter bees become active and require nectar-heavy, open flowers:
- Lavender: A classic garden favourite that produces abundant nectar and thrives in sunny, well-draining spots.
- Borage (Starflower): A magnet for all types of bees, boasting continuous blue star-shaped flowers that bloom all summer long.
- Catmint (Nepeta): Tough, drought-tolerant, and produces long spikes of purple-blue flowers that bees adore.
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea): Offers a wide landing pad for larger solitary bees and blooms deep into the summer months.
3. Late-Season Lifesavers
Help late-flying bees stock up before the colder weather sets in:
- Sedum (Stonecrop): Provides a massive late-season feast of nectar right when summer flowers begin to fade.
- Asters: Hardy perennials that deliver vital autumn colour and a valuable late food source.
Key Tips for a Successful Bee-Friendly Garden
To get the most out of your bee house and surrounding plants, keep these practical gardening tips in mind:
- Choose Single Flowers: Avoid heavily doubled petalled flowers (like some decorative roses), as their breeding makes it nearly impossible for bees to access the pollen and nectar inside.
- Avoid the use of Chemicals: Never use systemic insecticides, weed killers, or chemical pesticides anywhere near your pollinator garden or bee house.
- Provide a Water and Mud Source: Alongside your plants, keep a shallow dish of fresh water with pebbles for landing, and ensure a patch of damp soil or clay is nearby so mason bees can gather mud to seal their nests.
Bee-Friendly Plants: Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to plant flowers close to a bee house?
Why should I avoid double-petalled flowers for pollinators?
What else do solitary bees need besides flowers?
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