The decline of bee populations is a serious environmental concern, as bees are the primary pollinators for a vast majority of flowering plants, including many fruits, vegetables, and nuts. The loss of these foragers threatens biodiversity and agricultural production, making their conservation a global priority. Transforming a garden into a sanctuary for bees is a direct, actionable step every individual can take. This guide details the specific requirements for creating a garden that provides bees with continuous sustenance, safe shelter, and protection from harm.
The Foundation: Planting for Pollinators
Successful bee attraction begins with strategic planting that provides continuous, high-quality food sources throughout the growing season. Bees need a steady supply of nectar for energy and pollen for protein to feed their young and ensure colony health. Focusing on a diverse selection of plants is paramount, as different bee species have varying body sizes and tongue lengths, meaning they access resources from specific flower shapes.
A variety of flower structures, such as spikes, composites, and tubular blooms, ensures that both long-tongued bumblebees and smaller native bees can forage effectively. Prioritizing continuous bloom from early spring to late fall is necessary to avoid food gaps. Early spring blooms like willow and late-season flowers such as asters or goldenrod are important when other sources are scarce.
Native plants are often the best choice because they have co-evolved with local bee species, offering the most suitable nutritional content. When choosing specific flowers, it is helpful to distinguish between those that offer both nectar and pollen. Avoid flowers that have been heavily hybridized or bred to be “double,” as their densely packed petals often block access to pollen and nectar. Grouping three or more of the same plant type together creates large patches of color that are easier for bees to spot and more efficient for them to forage.
Creating Safe Habitat and Water Sources
Bees require safe places to nest and essential hydration to thrive. The majority of native bee species (60 to 70 percent) are solitary and nest by digging burrows in the ground. To accommodate these ground-nesting bees, leave small, sunny patches of soil undisturbed and bare, minimizing the use of thick mulch which prevents them from accessing the ground.
The remaining solitary bees are cavity-nesting species, which use hollow plant stems, holes in dead wood, or tunnels created by beetles for their nests. Gardeners can support them by leaving hollow stems of plants like sunflowers or raspberries standing over winter, or by installing bee hotels made of untreated wood blocks with drilled tunnels. Some cavity-nesting bees, like mason bees, also require moist, clay-rich mud to construct cell walls within their nests, linking their need for shelter directly to a water source.
Bees require water for drinking, dissolving crystallized honey, and cooling their hives during summer heat. A safe watering station is a shallow dish filled with pebbles, corks, or small sticks that provide safe landing spots and prevent drowning. Placing this water source near nesting sites and food flowers reduces the distance bees must travel, contributing to the health of the local population.
Protecting Bees from Harm
A truly bee-friendly garden must prioritize the complete avoidance of harmful chemicals, as pesticides are a major contributing factor to bee decline. Gardeners should refrain from using systemic insecticides, such as neonicotinoids, which are absorbed by the plant and translocate into the pollen and nectar. These chemicals poison bees that forage on treated flowers and can remain toxic for extended periods.
Broad-spectrum insecticides should also be avoided, especially on flowering plants, as they kill beneficial insects indiscriminately. If intervention is required, less toxic products should be chosen and applied only in the late evening after sunset, when bees have finished foraging. This timing allows chemicals to partially decompose overnight, minimizing the risk of consumption by active bees the following morning.
Adopting relaxed maintenance practices further protects bees by preserving their nesting and overwintering sites. Leaving leaf litter and old, uncut stems in place until the following spring ensures that ground-nesting bees and those overwintering in hollow stalks are not disturbed. A slightly “messy” garden is a safer garden for bees, providing continuity in their habitat requirements throughout the year.