Bee Guide August

01 Aug, 2023

Bee-friendly Plants In Flower

As the last month of winter slips by, the days are already getting warmer and longer. This is a fantastic time for bees as new bee-friendly flowers are starting to emerge, bringing more food for the bees!

Fruit Trees

Deciduous fruit trees will start to flower in late August and are usually completely covered with hungry bees. Feed both and bees and yourselves by planting a deciduous fruit tree now. Plums, peaches, nectarines, pears and apples will be available in-store this month. Don’t have a lot of room? Try planting a dwarf fruit tree instead!

Crocus - Instore only in Autumn

These early sprouting spring bulbs should be coming up in mid-august and are one of the first spring flowers to help feed bees. Bulbs are available for sale in Autumn.

Lavender

Some early flowering lavender species, such as Lavender Purple Pixie, will be in bloom and be sought after by bees. An all-time favourite for bumble and honey bees.

Flowering Cherry Trees

Currently instore and perfect for planting, flowering cherry trees are utterly gorgeous, and the bees think so too! Some of the first early flowering plants will start opening their blooms in mid-august.

Bee-friendly Plants Ready For Planting

Re-creating your garden and getting it ready for spring? Make sure to replant your garden out with bee-friendly plants as New Zealand bees are most affected by habitat loss.

Manuka

Spring flowering, manuka provides food for a huge range of bees and insects, including honey, bumble and native New Zealand bees.

Clover Lawns - Instore only

Though not perfect for those with small children, clover lawn seed is perfect for small patches that need quick coverage and are hardy to hot spots. Bees will thank you for it too!

Magnolia trees

Deciduous magnolia trees are great to plant now, and will start to also flower this month. Bees go crazy over their flowers and sometimes up to five different bees can be found on a single flower! Wow!

Lungwort - Instore only

Found in our herb selection, lungwort is happy growing in moist, shady spots and produces beautiful, dainty flowers that bees feed off of during the colder months of the year. Get it established now for next autumn.

Monthly Bee Tip

Dandelions, though considered a weed, are a fantastic food for a huge range of insects. Consider planting a small pot of dandelion, being careful to pinch off spent flowers before they have a chance to disperse seed. Plus, you can also use the dandelion leaves to use in seasonal or fancy salads!

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