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They're pretty to look at, but flowering plants do more than just brighten our lives with splashes of colour and pleasant scents. They're an essential part of the Earth's ecosystem because they attract pollinators like honey bees. And bees help keep us fed. Read on to find out how and what you can plant to help honey bees thrive...
Outdoors
10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your Garden
July 5, 2018
They're pretty to look at, but flowering plants do more than just brighten our lives with splashes of colour and pleasant scents. They're an essential part of the Earth's ecosystem because they attract pollinators like honey bees. And bees help keep us fed. Read on to find out how and what you can plant to help honey bees thrive...
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The Importance of Pollination
1/13The Importance of Pollination
1/13Photo Credit: Getty Images
According to Gregory Sekulic, Agronomy Specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, about two-thirds of the crop species that we grow globally are dependent on insect pollination, primarily honey bees. And that translates to the dinner table. "One in every three bites of food that we eat is produced from insect pollination," he says. But while honey bee populations in Canada are healthy, they're still threatened by bad weather, disease and parasites. How can we help? Food. Providing bees with access to nectar and pollen to keep their hives healthy and helps us in the long run.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenThe Importance of Pollination
PHOTO 1 of 13READ LESS -According to Gregory Sekulic, Agronomy Specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, about two-thirds of the crop species that we grow globally are dependent on insect pollination, primarily honey bees. And that translates to the dinner table. "One in every three bites of food that we eat is produced from insect pollination," he says. But while honey bee populations in Canada are healthy, they're still threatened by bad weather, disease and parasites. How can we help? Food. Providing bees with access to nectar and pollen to keep their hives healthy and helps us in the long run.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Everyone Can Help
2/13Everyone Can Help
2/13Photo Credit: Getty Images
"It could be as simple as planting some flowers in your backyard," Sekulic explained. Even something as simple as not eliminating early season food sources like dandelions, which is a great excuse not to mow the lawn. Even if you're in an apartment or condo, you can still help. Sekulic suggests patio beds and hanging plants with pollinator-friendly plants and encouraging local governments to plant flowering plants in parks. So what should you grow? Here are 10 pollinator-friendly plants that attract honey bees and provide them with the nutrition they need. Most of them can be grown across Canada.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenEveryone Can Help
PHOTO 2 of 13READ LESS -"It could be as simple as planting some flowers in your backyard," Sekulic explained. Even something as simple as not eliminating early season food sources like dandelions, which is a great excuse not to mow the lawn. Even if you're in an apartment or condo, you can still help. Sekulic suggests patio beds and hanging plants with pollinator-friendly plants and encouraging local governments to plant flowering plants in parks. So what should you grow? Here are 10 pollinator-friendly plants that attract honey bees and provide them with the nutrition they need. Most of them can be grown across Canada.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Lance-leaved Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
3/13Lance-leaved Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
3/13Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
Lance-leaved Coreopsis is a low-growing perennial that does very well in Canada, especially in the heat of late summer. It has dazzling golden flowers and attracts both honey bees and caterpillars. The attractive plant is named for the shape of the flowers.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenLance-leaved Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
PHOTO 3 of 13READ LESS -Lance-leaved Coreopsis is a low-growing perennial that does very well in Canada, especially in the heat of late summer. It has dazzling golden flowers and attracts both honey bees and caterpillars. The attractive plant is named for the shape of the flowers.Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
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New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
4/13New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
4/13Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
Honey bees love the New England asters for their bright flowers and abundance of pollen. The species is quite diverse with more than 50 varieties in various sizes, shapes and colours. New England asters do well in sunny locales and can grow to well over a metre in height.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenNew England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
PHOTO 4 of 13READ LESS -Honey bees love the New England asters for their bright flowers and abundance of pollen. The species is quite diverse with more than 50 varieties in various sizes, shapes and colours. New England asters do well in sunny locales and can grow to well over a metre in height.Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
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Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
5/13Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
5/13Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
The dense blazing star will be familiar to Canadians in the eastern part of the country where it grows in the wild. The dense blazing star is tall, with clusters of purple flowers growing in long spikes. The perennial does well in most parts of the country and can survive Canadian winters. The dense blazing star is an excellent plant for attracting pollinators.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenDense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
PHOTO 5 of 13READ LESS -The dense blazing star will be familiar to Canadians in the eastern part of the country where it grows in the wild. The dense blazing star is tall, with clusters of purple flowers growing in long spikes. The perennial does well in most parts of the country and can survive Canadian winters. The dense blazing star is an excellent plant for attracting pollinators.Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
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Golden Tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria)
6/13Golden Tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria)
6/13Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
Golden tickseed or calliopsis does best in either sunny areas or spots with partial shade. The plant is related to the lance-leaf coreopsis and can be recognized by its distinctive yellow and red blossom. Indigenous communities once created dyes from the flower.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenGolden Tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria)
PHOTO 6 of 13READ LESS -Golden tickseed or calliopsis does best in either sunny areas or spots with partial shade. The plant is related to the lance-leaf coreopsis and can be recognized by its distinctive yellow and red blossom. Indigenous communities once created dyes from the flower.Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
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Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)
7/13Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)
7/13Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
Another flower with a highly recognizable blossom is sneezeweed. As you would expect, the perennial gets its name from a time when doctors used the plant's dried flowers to make people sneeze. Sneezeweed loves the sun and can withstand dry weather and even drought. When sneezeweed blooms, it attracts butterflies and honey bees.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenSneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)
PHOTO 7 of 13READ LESS -Another flower with a highly recognizable blossom is sneezeweed. As you would expect, the perennial gets its name from a time when doctors used the plant's dried flowers to make people sneeze. Sneezeweed loves the sun and can withstand dry weather and even drought. When sneezeweed blooms, it attracts butterflies and honey bees.Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
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Wild Chives (allium schoenoprasum)
8/13Wild Chives (allium schoenoprasum)
8/13Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
Easily grown and a great addition to any salad or dip, chives grow pretty much anywhere in Canada. They're related to garlic and have long, thin stems that shoot out from large ground-level clusters. Each stem sports a purple bloom that attracts honey bees. Chives also repel numerous unwanted bugs.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenWild Chives (allium schoenoprasum)
PHOTO 8 of 13READ LESS -Easily grown and a great addition to any salad or dip, chives grow pretty much anywhere in Canada. They're related to garlic and have long, thin stems that shoot out from large ground-level clusters. Each stem sports a purple bloom that attracts honey bees. Chives also repel numerous unwanted bugs.Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
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Red Raspberry (rubus idaeus)
9/13Red Raspberry (rubus idaeus)
9/13Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
It's not only humans that love raspberries. Pollinators love the little white blossoms that pop out in the spring. The plant grows wild across Canada and is very hardy. The rewards for people come after pollination, when the delicious fruit appears in the late summer.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenRed Raspberry (rubus idaeus)
PHOTO 9 of 13READ LESS -It's not only humans that love raspberries. Pollinators love the little white blossoms that pop out in the spring. The plant grows wild across Canada and is very hardy. The rewards for people come after pollination, when the delicious fruit appears in the late summer.Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
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Lavender Hyssop (agastache foeniculum)
10/13Lavender Hyssop (agastache foeniculum)
10/13Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
Lavender hyssop's sweet scent doesn't come from its little purple flowers but rather from its leaves. No matter, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds are still attracted to this fragrant herb. It's a perennial that blooms over the entire summer. If you like the taste of liquorice, you can pick the leaves, dry them and add to sweets or tea. The plant doesn't grow in Northern Canada or the Maritimes.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenLavender Hyssop (agastache foeniculum)
PHOTO 10 of 13READ LESS -Lavender hyssop's sweet scent doesn't come from its little purple flowers but rather from its leaves. No matter, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds are still attracted to this fragrant herb. It's a perennial that blooms over the entire summer. If you like the taste of liquorice, you can pick the leaves, dry them and add to sweets or tea. The plant doesn't grow in Northern Canada or the Maritimes.Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
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Prairie Crocus (pulsatilla patens)
11/13Prairie Crocus (pulsatilla patens)
11/13Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
The Prairie crocus doesn't grow in the Maritimes or Quebec, but it does well in the rest of the country. It's also Manitoba's provincial flower. Growing low to the ground, it has blossoms that are purple or bright blue. The perennial blooms in the late spring and early summer and with time will spread into multiple flowers.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenPrairie Crocus (pulsatilla patens)
PHOTO 11 of 13READ LESS -The Prairie crocus doesn't grow in the Maritimes or Quebec, but it does well in the rest of the country. It's also Manitoba's provincial flower. Growing low to the ground, it has blossoms that are purple or bright blue. The perennial blooms in the late spring and early summer and with time will spread into multiple flowers.Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
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Lowbush Blueberry (vaccinium angustifolium)
12/13Lowbush Blueberry (vaccinium angustifolium)
12/13Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
Another tasty pollinator-friendly plant is the lowbush blueberry. It grows in most parts of Canada except for the western and northern regions. While it is farmed commercially, the blueberry grows wild in pine forests where it does well in the acidic soil created by the pine needles. It takes a few years for the bush to flourish but when it does, bees will love the flowers and you'll love the blueberries!Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenLowbush Blueberry (vaccinium angustifolium)
PHOTO 12 of 13READ LESS -Another tasty pollinator-friendly plant is the lowbush blueberry. It grows in most parts of Canada except for the western and northern regions. While it is farmed commercially, the blueberry grows wild in pine forests where it does well in the acidic soil created by the pine needles. It takes a few years for the bush to flourish but when it does, bees will love the flowers and you'll love the blueberries!Photo Credit: Bees MatterSource: www.beesmatter.ca
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Bees Matter
13/13Bees Matter
13/13Photo Credit: Getty Images
If you'd like to learn more about bees and pollinator-friendly gardens, contact the Buzzing Gardens program of <a href="http://www.beesmatter.ca/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Bees Matter</a>. They'll even send you some seeds to get started.Outdoors10 Gorgeous Pollinator-Friendly Flowers for Your GardenBees Matter
PHOTO 13 of 13READ LESS -If you'd like to learn more about bees and pollinator-friendly gardens, contact the Buzzing Gardens program of <a href="http://www.beesmatter.ca/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Bees Matter</a>. They'll even send you some seeds to get started.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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