Planting Bee Friendly Gardens
Every September in New Zealand we celebrate Bee Aware Month. Bee Aware Month is an industry initiative founded by Apiculture New Zealand to raise awareness and celebrate the honeybees.
There are so many amazing beekeepers in New Zealand caring for our bee population and generally a lot of interest in how the general public can support them too. But they still need our help!
Since the invasion of the parasitic varroa mite to NZ in the early 2000’s the wild population of bees in NZ has all but died out. Honeybees didn’t evolve to battle with these mites! This means that the population of kept bees must be protected and supported as best we can. Beekeepers do this with regular monitoring and treatment for these pests but with your help the bees can thrive!
The best thing you can do is think about what you can include in your garden that provide pollen and nectar for the bees. This is especially important from late Autumn through to early Spring when there is much less bee food around but if you are able to provide sources all summer long that is even better!
Using our own experience and information from the Trees for bees resources and Apiculture NZ we have put together a small list of Bee Friendly Plants as a guide for you. These are what we recommend planting here in the lower South Island, so if you are from elsewhere in NZ do check out the resources for more options.
You can find more information on these websites: Apiculture New Zealand // Trees For Bees or you can purchase our handpicked blend of Bee Friendly Wildflower Seeds here , these are a great place to start and don’t require too much care once planted either!
Branch Creek Planting Bee Friendly Gardens Recommendations:
Native species
Trees - cabbage tree, manuka, kanuka
Shrubs - koromiko, flax (harakeke)
Exotic species
Trees - willow trees (pussy willow, crack willow), fruit trees (peach, pear, nectarine, cherry, apple) , wattles, gum trees, wineberry
Shrubs - rosemary, thyme (be careful when planting thyme as it is highly invasive if it spreads), tree lucerne, lavender, hawthorn
Flowers - poppies, cornflower, marigolds, sunflowers, dandelion (leave that lawn unmoved), white clover, vipers bugloss/ borage
Our top 3 tips:
We’re no experts and do recommend getting information and advice from other sources too, but here are our top tips for successfully planting your bee friendly garden.
Start small! Planting can be a huge cost and it’s not only just the plant. You need to be able to care for it once planted to ensure it survives. So start small in your garden and see what works.
Look around you! See what is planted in your area already, that is what is tried and tested, that is what’s most likely to survive. There’s no point planting something that is not suited for your climate.
Plant diversity! Even if you’re starting small, if you can plant a range of plants that produce bee food at different times of years then that gives you a much better chance at a successful bee friendly garden.
Don’t plant these species, they are either toxic to the bees or toxic to humans!
Karaka
Camellia
Kowhai - be careful with planting kowhai as its nectar can have a narcotic effect on bees, especially during dry seasons when it is more concentrated
Tutu - the bees collect honeydew that is toxic to humans
Rhododendrons - toxic to honeybees but not bumblebees
Deadly nightshade - the honey is toxic to humans