Summer bee plants
By: Garden Gate staff
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Bring in the bees!
The gentle buzz of busy bees is one of the signature sounds of summer. These pollinators aren’t just hard at work in your garden, visiting flowers and collecting pollen to make each plant more productive. About 75% of all the fruits, nuts and veggies we eat in this country depend on bees for pollination.
But in recent years, a mysterious disease called Colony Collapse Disorder (or CCD) has caused a decline in the honeybee and native bee population, both in Europe and the United States. This makes it more important than ever for us to help them — and it all starts in your garden! Click ahead to find four of their favorite summer blooms.
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Allium Allium spp. and hybrids
After allium finishes blooming and the bees have come and gone, you can leave its dried flower heads standing throughout fall or cut them for winter arrangements!
Type Bulb
Blooms Many flower colors
Light Full sun
Size 6 to 60 in. tall, 6 to 15 in. wide
Cold-hardy USDA zones 3 to 9
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 9 to 1
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Ligularia Ligularia spp. and hybrids
Not all ligularia have flower spikes — some have daisylike blooms. Planting various flower shapes will attract different types of bees to your garden.
Type Perennial
Blooms Yellow
Light Full sun
Size 1 to 3 ft. tall, 1 to 2 ft. wide
Cold-hardy USDA zones 3 to 9
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 9 to 1
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Weigela Weigela florida
Even without deadheading weigela, you’ll often get another smaller burst of flowers for bees to enjoy a little later in the season.
Type Shrub
Blooms Pink or white flowers
Light Full sun
Size 4 to 6 ft. tall and wide
Cold-hardy USDA zones 4 to 9
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 9 to 1
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Yarrow Achillea spp. and hybrids
After the first flush of blooms, cut yarrow’s stems back to a couple of inches tall. The plant will put out some compact new growth and continue producing flowers.
Type Perennial
Blooms Many flower colors
Light Full sun
Size 18 to 48 in. tall, 12 to 24 in. wide
Cold-hardy USDA zones 3 to 10
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 10 to 1
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