Bee aware and improve the livelihood of your garden

“If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.” ‒ Albert Einstein.

Bees play a fundamental role in food production and are the most important pollinators of many of the fruits and vegetables we eat. With honeybee colonies lessening at an alarming rate, now is a good time to consider planting trees, shrubs and other plants that are attractive to bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

“You can beautify your garden, diversify the landscape and feed and protect pollinators, all at the same time. It is ideal to grow waterwise and endemic flowering plants from your region. A good mix of exotic and indigenous plants can give all year seasonal interest to your garden as well as attracting a variety of birdlife, butterflies, insects and other wildlife species. Provide bees with clean water sources and place in large shallow containers or make natural depressions close to flowering plants. Use pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals in your garden sparingly,” says Deborah Hele of GardenShop. “From annuals, groundcovers, herbs and shrubs, we are scratching the surface of the plant kingdom and the vast amount of vegetation that will bring honey bees into the garden,” she further adds. The good news is that each of our individual actions, even small, can lead to positive, perhaps even large-scale, change. GardenShop provides the following guide to attract pollinators: Annuals

•      Allyssum
•      Cosmos
•      Lobelia
•      Poppies
•      Verbena

Groundcovers

•      Arctotis
•      Creeping foxglove
•      Erigeron daisies
•      Felicia varieties
•      Gazanias

Shrubs

•      Buddlejas
•      Daisy bushes
•      Freylinias
•      Lavenders
•      Salvias

Herbs

•      Borage
•      Fennel
•      Rosemary
•      Sage
•      Thyme

Grab a chair and a sun hat and watch the bees pollinate your garden, rewarding you and the world with healthy food and beautiful flowers. Not sure where to start? Contact recommended landscaper Robyn Baxter at GardenShop Broadacres, to help you grow a bee-friendly garden.

Contact:  www.gardenshop.co.za