It makes sense that the flowers of anything bearing edible fruit or producing edible vegetables will be attractive to bees. Nature rewards the pollinator with a food source (nectar & pollen) and so plants are attractive for insects such as bees to visit, some are more tempting than others.
Remember that although a fruit tree will often need a pollinator tree of the same species in order for fruit to set, don't worry if there isn't another tree in your garden, or even that of your neighbours. Bees will travel up to 2 miles away from their hive gathering nectar and pollinating as they go, it's unlikely your tree will get missed.
Plants listed include Bulbs, Trees, Shrubs and Herbaceous Perennials - Perennials being plants which die down in the winter but come back year after year. The Latin name is listed first and in brackets where applicable the common name is listed too. They are all available from the nursery, with best availability being in the spring.
What to plant for the Winter - November to February
If the season is cold, bees will be dormant, but during mild spells they will be active if they are hungry, and winter is a critical time for them.
- Crocus species - Bulbs
- Eranthis hyemalis (winter aconite) - Bulbs
- Galanthus nivalis (snowdrop) - Bulbs
- Helleborus species (Hellebore) - Herbaceous perennial
- Mahonia species - Shrub
- Sarcococca confusa (sweet box) - Shrub
- Viburnum tinus- Shrub
What to plant for the Spring - March to May
- Aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut) - Tree
- Ajuga reptans (bugal) - Herbaceous perennial
- Aubretia species - Herbaceous perennial
- Bergenia species (elephant ear) - Herbaceous perennial
- Caltha palustris (marsh marigold) - Herbaceous perennial
- Chaenomeles species (Japanese quince) - Shrub
- Crataegus monogyna (common hawthorn) - Shrub / Tree
- Crocus species - Bulbs
- Doronicum x excelsum (leopard's bane) - Herbaceous perennial
- Enkianthus campanulatus - Shrub
- Erysimum species (wallflower) - Biennial
- Geranium species (cranesbill) - perennial
- Hebe species - Shrub
- Ilex aquifolium (holly) - Shrub
- Lamium maculatum (spotted dead nettle) - Herbaceous perennial
- Malus domestica (edible apple) - Tree
- Mauls floribunda (Japanese crab) - Tree
- Muscari armeniacum (Armenian grape hyacinth) - Bulb
- Pieris formosa (lily of the valley bush) - Shrub
- Primula veris (common cowslip) - Herbaceous perennial
- Prunus domestica (wild & edible plums)- Tree
- Prunus laurocerasus (cherry laurel) - Shrub
- Prunus x yedoensis (flowering cherry) - Tree
- Pyrus communis (pear) - Tree
- Ribes nigrum (blackcurrant) - Shrub
- Ribes sanguineum (flowering currant) - Shrub
- Skimmia japonica - Shrub
- Vaccinium corymbosum (blueberry) - Shrub
What to plant for the Summer - June to August
- Alcea rosea (hollyhock) - Herbaceous perennial
- Allium species (ornamental and edible onions) - Bulb
- Antirrhinum majus (snapdragon) - Annual or Herbaceous perennial
- Aquilegia species - (Granny's bonnet) - Herbaceous perennial
- Astrantia major (masterwort) - Herbaceous perennial
- Buddleja davidii (butterfly bush) - Shrub
- Calendula officinalis (common marigold) - Annual
- Campanula latifolia (giant bellflower) - Herbaceous perennial
- Catalpa bignonioides (Indian bean tree) - Tree
- Centranthus ruber (red valerian) - Herbaceous perennial
- Coreopsis species (tickseed) - Herbaceous perennial or Annual
- Cornus Alba (red barked dogwood) - Shrub
- Cosmos bipinnatus - Annual
- Cucurbita pepo (marrow, courgette) - Annual
- Cynara cardunculus (globe artichoke) - Herbaceous perennial
- Dahlia species - Herbaceous perennial
- Delphinium elatum - Herbaceous perennial
- Dianthus barbatus (sweet william) - Biennial
- Digitalis species (foxglove) - Biennial
- Echinacea purpurea (coneflower) - Herbaceous perennial
- Echinops species (globe thistle) - Herbaceous perennial
- Elaeagnus angustifolia (oleaster) - Shrub
- Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’ wallflower - Shrub
- Escallonia species escallonia - Shrub
- Foeniculum vulgare (common fennel) - Herbaceous perennial
- Fragaria × ananassa (garden strawberry) - Herbaceous perennial
- Fuchsia species (hardy types) - Shrub
- Geranium species (cranesbill) - Herbaceous perennial
- Geum species avens - Herbaceous perennial
- Helianthus annuus (common sunflower) - Annual
- Heliotropium arborescens (common heliotrope) - Annual
- Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris (climbing hydrangea) - Climber
- Hydrangea paniculata paniculate (hydrangea) - Shrub
- Jasminum officinale (common jasmine) - Climber
- Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender) - Shrub
- Lavandula stoechas (French lavender) - Shrub
- Liatris spicata (button snakewort) - Herbaceous perennial
- Lobularia maritima (sweet alyssum) - Annual
- Lonicera periclymenum (common honeysuckle) - Climber
- Lysimachia vulgaris (yellow loosestrife) - Herbaceous perennial
- Mentha spicata (spearmint) - Herbaceous perennial
- Monarda didyma (bergamot) - Herbaceous perennial
- Myosotis species (forget-me-not) - Annual
- Nicotiana alata (flowering tobacco) - Annual
- Oenothera species (evening primrose) - Herbaceous perennial
- Papaver rhoeas (common poppy) - Annual
- Penstemon species - Herbaceous perennial
- Rosa canina (dog rose) - Shrub
- Rosa rugosa (Japanese rose) - Shrub
- Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) - Shrub
- Rudbeckia species coneflower - Annual or Herbaceous perennial
- Salvia species (sage) - Annual or Herbaceous perennial
- Sedum spectabile & hybrids (ice plant) - Herbaceous perennial
- Tagetes patula (French marigold) - Annual
- Thymus species (thyme) - Shrub
- Verbena bonariensis - Herbaceous perennial
- Weigela florida - Shrub
- Zinnia elegans (youth and old age) - Annual
What to plant for the Autumn - September to October
- Aconitum carmichaelii (Carmichael’s monk’s hood) - Herbaceous perennial
- Anemone × hybrida (Japanese anemone) - Herbaceous perennial
- Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree) - Tree or Shrub
- Fatsia japonica - Shrub
- Hedera helix (common ivy) - Climber
- Salvia species (sage) (autumn-flowering types) - Herbaceous perennial
