These Bee-friendly Planting Combinations Bloom From Spring To Fall

This summer, I learned about BBM.

But what does the BBM mean? I'm glad you asked. It's an abbreviation for a bumblebee mile. Did you know that a buff-tail bumble bee burns 14 calories per mile? I did not either. Multiplying it with the 14 to 40 miles a bumble travels daily, it's a lot of calories!

Think, if we all had just one pot or a small area in your backyard planted with pollen- and nectar-rich flowers to support the bumblebees' daily flight, how much safer and more effective would their work be?

A Bee-friendly Container For Your Sunny Patio Area

I learned from RHS Science team that even one pot with English lavender, phacelia, and oregano or marjoram on your patio could fuel 30-40 bumblebee miles daily. How awesome is that?

To help these busy little travelers, you could plant a potful of these plants and even some more in your garden.

The bonus is that you'll get a container or flower garden that blooms through the summer.

Plant a Long-blooming Flower Garden For Bumblebees And Butterflies (And Yourself!)

If you have a sunny, sheltered spot in your garden, it would be ideal also for some other bee-friendly plants.

Here's one recipe to make your sunny, free-draining flower garden bloom continuously through the summer.

Spring:

• Elephant ears (Bergenia species)

Early summer to mid-July:

• Cranebills (Geranium species)
• Thymes (a mix of Thymus species from the end of May to August)

Summer from June to August:

• English lavender (Lavandula angustigolia)

• Scabiosa (Knautia macedonica)

Summer to Autumn:

• Sage (Salvia species) with Thyme in the foreground

You can use these plants as a combination in a sunny area in your garden or weave them into your existing planting.

And You've Got Time To Enjoy Your Flower Garden 

And the best part, in addition to feeding bumblebees and having a beautiful flower garden? These plants are also low-maintenance, so you have time to relax, listen to the buzzing in your backyard, and enjoy watching colorful butterflies.

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