In recent years, the call to support wild bee populations has grown louder as these pollinators face increasing threats from habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. For landscape designers, creating spaces that attract and sustain wild bees is a powerful way to support ecological balance and enhance biodiversity. By designing gardens that welcome and nourish wild bees, you can offer clients landscapes that are not only beautiful but ecologically beneficial. Below, we’ll explore key strategies and plant choices to help you create bee-friendly landscapes that your clients (and the bees) will love.
- Choose the Right Plants for Diverse Bee Species
Wild bees, unlike honeybees, encompass a wide range of species, each with distinct preferences. From bumblebees to mason bees and leafcutter bees, wild bees are drawn to different flower shapes, colours, and bloom times. A mix of native wildflowers, herbs, shrubs, and flowering trees will provide food and attract a wider diversity of bee species.
Essential Plant Choices for Bee-Friendly Gardens:
- Perennials: Native perennials such as Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower), Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan), and Monarda (Bee Balm) provide a steady nectar supply and attract a variety of bee species. Echinacea, for example, is ideal for large landscapes and mass plantings, with long-blooming flowers that support bees well into late summer.
- Flowering Shrubs: Shrubs such as Ceanothus (California Lilac) and Symphoricarpos (Snowberry) offer dense blooms that attract smaller bees and provide shelter, creating a layered and structured planting design.
- Herbs: Culinary herbs like Lavandula (Lavender), Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary), and Thymus (Thyme) pull double duty, providing nectar for bees and low-maintenance, fragrant greenery for clients.
Design Tip: Select plants with overlapping bloom times to ensure a consistent source of nectar and pollen from early spring to late autumn. This will help wild bees, who rely on a steady food source, to remain active and healthy throughout the growing season.
- Create Shelter with Strategic Plantings and Bee Habitat
Unlike honeybees that live in hives, wild bees are often solitary and use natural shelter for nesting. Landscape designs that incorporate areas for nesting offer bees safe spaces to reproduce and thrive. Solitary bees, such as mason bees and carpenter bees, nest in hollow stems, soil, or even decomposing wood.
Design Techniques to Encourage Nesting:
- Deadwood and Hollow Stems: Use materials like hollow-stemmed plants (Bamboo or Hollow Reed Grass), or position fallen logs in discreet corners to offer bees nesting spots. Hollow-stemmed perennials can also be left untrimmed through winter to provide additional shelter.
- Soil Exposure for Ground-Nesting Bees: Roughly 70% of wild bees nest in the ground. Leaving small patches of bare, undisturbed soil in a sunny location within the design can encourage ground-nesting species. Avoid heavily compacted soil, as loose, sandy soil types are ideal for these species.
- Bee Hotels for Added Appeal: Bee hotels can be installed in gardens with minimal shelter options, adding visual interest and supporting bee diversity. Aim for untreated wood bee hotels with varied hole sizes to accommodate different bee species. Educate clients on positioning these hotels in protected, sunny spots to ensure bee survival.
Design Tip: Incorporate bee-friendly habitat into naturalistic or native-inspired garden styles. Fallen logs or small, bare soil areas can blend seamlessly into the landscape, creating an ecologically sensitive and aesthetically pleasing environment.
- Reduce or Eliminate Pesticides
Landscape designers are increasingly aware of the harmful effects that pesticides and herbicides can have on pollinator populations. Wild bees are particularly vulnerable to chemical treatments, which can impact their ability to forage, reproduce, and maintain healthy populations.
Best Practices for Bee-Friendly Pest Management:
- Embrace Companion Planting: Pair certain plants together to naturally repel pests. For instance, Allium can deter aphids, while Lavandula can help reduce moths. This strategy maintains pest balance without chemicals.
- Encourage Clients to Go Organic: Recommend organic fertilisers and natural pest control methods to clients. This helps to ensure their gardens are a welcoming place for bees and other beneficial insects. Biological pest control options, like introducing ladybirds or using neem oil, can manage pests with minimal impact on bees.
Design Tip: When pest control is necessary, advocate for spot treatments with eco-friendly products or alternatives like insecticidal soaps. Emphasising organic care will appeal to clients who value sustainability and the health of their garden’s ecosystem.
- Ensure a Water Source for Bees
Bees require water for hydration and regulating the temperature of their hives or nesting areas. Including a small water source within your garden designs helps attract and sustain bee populations, providing an essential resource that’s often overlooked.
Water Sources in Design:
- Shallow Water Features: Design a small, shallow birdbath or water feature where bees can safely land without drowning. Add stones or marbles to the basin to create landing pads for easy access to the water.
- Drip Irrigation Benefits: Drip irrigation systems not only provide consistent moisture for plants but also create micro-watering points for bees. This system can be especially beneficial for ground-nesting bees, as they prefer a balance between dry and slightly damp areas.
Design Tip: For gardens with space constraints, consider adding small water dishes or stone basins in flower beds or near bee hotels. Just make sure to replace the water frequently to prevent mosquito breeding and keep it fresh.
- Educate Clients on Wild Bee Conservation
A successful bee-friendly landscape is one that the end user will appreciate and maintain. Landscape designers have the opportunity to educate clients on the benefits of welcoming wild bees and simple practices they can adopt to support bee populations.
Key Client Tips to Promote Bee Health:
- Limit Over-Trimming: Encourage clients to leave plants like lavender and rosemary untrimmed in the fall, so the bees can continue feeding on any remaining blooms.
- Embrace Seasonal Blooming: Wild bees require a mix of seasonal flowers to sustain them, so remind clients that some areas of the garden may peak at different times throughout the year.
- Enjoy a Little Wildness: Some clients may initially find the idea of leaving fallen logs or bare patches unconventional. Explain how these features add natural character and play a crucial role in fostering a balanced, biodiverse landscape.
Design Tip: Consider preparing a short handout on bee-friendly gardening or a simple maintenance schedule that clients can refer to for seasonal upkeep. This will allow them to better understand the intentionality behind the landscape design and play an active role in preserving its ecological balance.
Plant Recommendations for Wild Bee Gardens
For convenience, here’s a short list of bee-attracting plants, carefully chosen for their compatibility in various landscape styles, from modern to naturalistic. Each of these plants offers nectar, pollen, or habitat resources that wild bees need throughout the seasons:
- Spring: Salvia nemorosa (Woodland Sage), Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove)
- Summer: Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender), Echinacea purpurea (Coneflower)
- Autumn: Sedum spectabile (Stonecrop), Solidago (Goldenrod)
- Winter Foliage: Ilex verticillata (Winterberry), Cornus sericea (Red Twig Dogwood)
Designing landscapes that welcome wild bees is both a meaningful and aesthetically rewarding approach. Through diverse plant selections, mindful garden structures, and gentle pest control, we can create stunning, self-sustaining landscapes that celebrate nature’s pollinators. At Practical Plants, we can source and provide an extensive range of bee-friendly plants, ensuring you have the right tools to design gardens that support these essential insects while captivating your clients.
With bee-friendly designs, we can help you create spaces that are not just gardens but thriving ecosystems. Contact our team to find out more.