How to Plant a Honeybee Friendly Garden

We are super passionate about creating outdoor green spaces and making them a haven for the humble honeybee! Right now your gorgeous garden might be covered with frost, but come spring and summer it could be a delicious floral playground for our black and yellow friends.

Now, why would you want to invite some honeybees over for lunch?

Experts say one of every three bites we eat depends on pollinators. That’s a lot of healthy food on our plates thanks to beloved bees.
As our fragile eco-system struggles with change, the bee population is also at risk. At honibe® we agree the best way to tackle a problem is to educate and then activate! So, let’s get planning and planting!



The David Suzuki Foundation created this excellent guide for what to plant and when. Keep in mind that cluster planting an assortment of bright blooms that are native (versus exotic) offers an optimum amount of nectar and pollen to your backyard buzzers.

Early Mid-season Late
Blueberry Blackberry Aster (perennial)
Cotoneaster Cat mint Beggar's tricks
Crab-apple Catnip Borage
Cranberry Chives Coneflower
Crocus Dahlia Cornflower
Foxglove Hyssop Cosmos
Heliotrope Lavender Goldenrod
Hazelnut Raspberry Pumpkin
Heather Sunflower Sedum
Primrose Yarrow Squash
Willow

Amidst your rows of flowers, consider placing a specialized bee bath. Bees get parched just like humans, but due to the shape of their bodies, they require a certain type of watering hole in order to drink freely.

Follow these steps for the best bee bath:
• Line a shallow bowl or plate with rocks
• Add water
• Be sure to leave the rocks dry so they can be a safe landing spot for the bees
• Place the bee bath on the ground in your garden
• If possible, place the bath near any plants that are bothered by aphids, as the bees’ presence will dissuade them from coming back
• Remember to refresh the water daily; ideally you want to add just enough to evaporate by the end of the day

Now that your yard will be the perfect place for neighbourhood honeybees, here is a hidden advantage: creating a bee-friendly space means they will be less likely to hum into your home.

Are you excited to get started planning your honeybee retreat? Not only will you have a bloom-filled garden your neighbourhood will admire, but you will be providing our precious pollinators with the variety of food they need to breed!

Does your backyard already have some bee-friendly blooms? Tell us all about it in the comments or find us on Facebook to share pictures of your bee-autiful bee sanctuaries.

For more tips on bee-friendly spaces, or how to create your very own bee house, click here and to find out more about the honeybee’s struggle and how your family can help, click here.