Creating a garden that caters to bees is a good for getting everything in your garden well polinated, as well as conserving biodiversity. Bees are an essential part of many ecosystems, and providing them with a food source is an important way to support their populations. Did you know there are over 1500 species of native bees in Australia? And just like European honey bees, some of those species are in decline, due to factors likehabitat loss, pesticide use and climate change.
But, when it comes to creating a bee friendly garden in Australia, there are a range of native plants to choose from (though I have snuck some introduced plants into my list, like lavendar and rosemary).
I love plants that provide sustenance for bees. And I love having beautiful flowering plants in my backyard, like bottlebrush with bright red flowers in time for the Christmas season, and lavender which doubles as an insect repellent – though I love the fragrance, I don’t know why the mosquitos don’t! Lol.
When I decided to create a bee friendly garden, I wanted to make sure I included some of my favourite plants, and lots of herbs. Plus, I add plants that are also good for the chook run, wherever possible.
We do have some space out the front where we need to add some trees or shrubs though, so I’ve been looking at those too. Here’s a list of 20 of the best plants I’ve found for a bee friendly Australian garden.
Trees
1. Cootamundra Wattle (Acacia baileyana) – This fast-growing tree is native to Australia and is a great source of nectar for bees. It has a beautiful yellow flower that will attract bees and other pollinators to your garden.
2. Grey Box (Eucalyptus moluccana) – This tree is native to Australia and is a great source of food for bees. The nectar of the flowers is highly sought-after by bees, which makes it a great addition to any bee friendly garden. It does grow 20-30 metres tall though, so make sure you have space for it, before you plant it. Other Eucalyptus trees also make good bee-friendly options.
3. Crimson Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus) – This is one of my favourites. The bright red flowers of the Crimson Bottlebrush will attract a variety of bees to your garden. It’s a great choice for any bee-friendly garden.
Small Shrubs
4. Grevillea (Grevillea robusta) – This is another popular choice for bee friendly gardens. Grevillea has lovely pink and red flowers that will attract a variety of bees.
5. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) – Rosemary is a great choice for a bee friendly garden. The small flowers of the plant will attract bees, and the leaves are full of nectar that bees love.
6. Brachyscome (Brachyscome iberidifolia) – This small shrub is native to Australia and is a great source of food for bees. It has bright purple flowers that will attract bees to your garden.
Ground Covers
7. Native Violet (Viola hederacea) – This is a great choice for a bee friendly garden. The small purple flowers of the Native Violet will attract bees and other pollinators to your garden. They have smaller leaves and flowers than introduced violets, which I found will generally out compete them, so plant them separately.
8. Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos spp.) – This is another great choice for a bee friendly garden, and so striking! The bright red and yellow flowers of the Kangaroo Paw will attract bees to your garden.
9. Flannel Flower (Actinotus helianthi) – I don’t have these, but they are native to the bushland around Sydney, and I have read that they are great for a bee friendly garden. They have white and yellow flowers daisy-like flowers.
Herbs
10. Lavender (Lavandula spp.) – Lavender is a great choice for a bee friendly garden. The fragrant purple flowers of the Lavender will attract bees to your garden. There a loads of different kinds of lavender around, with flowers in pretty much all the shades of pink and purple, but they don’t all have the same strength of fragrance, so try to check that out before you buy a seedling, if you want that traditional lavendar scent.
(Bonus tip for lavender – cut off the whole flower stem when they are finished and let them dry out in bunches, and then shove them flower first into odd socks who’s pairs have gone missing in the wash, or worn out – instand landender bag for your t-shirt or woollens draw! Maybe not pretty, but it works just as well!)
11. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) – This is another great choice for a bee friendly garden. The small flowers of the Thyme will attract bees to your garden. You can get upright forms or ground cover/spreading forms.
12. Oregano (Origanum vulgare) – Oregano is a great choice for a bee friendly garden. The tiny white flowers of the Oregano will attract bees to your garden. And again, this will spread if you let it!
Vines
13. Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus) – I love love love sweet peas, and they ares are a great choice for a bee friendly garden. The fragrant pink and purple flowers of the Sweet Peas will attract bees to your garden.
14. Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis) – This is another great choice, and they give you fruit! The purple flowers of the Passion Fruit will attract bees to your garden.
15. Morning Glory (Ipomoea spp.) – The blue and purple flowers of the Morning Glories will attract bees to your garden. These are so pretty! I don’t have them in my garden, but I want them!
Annuals
16. Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) – Marigolds are a great choice for a bee friendly garden, and super easy to grow. They have bright orange and yellow flowers, and come in straight colours or variegated forms.
17. Zinnias (Zinnia spp.) – Zinnias are a great choice for a bee friendly garden. The bright pink and purple flowers of the Zinnias will attract bees to your garden.
18. Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) – Sunflowers are a great choice for a bee friendly garden. The bright yellow flowers of the Sunflowers will attract bees to your garden. Plus, throw the heads to the chooks when they are finished flowering. Chooks LOVE sunflower seeds!
Perennials
19. Salvia (Salvia spp.) – Salvia is a great choice for a bee friendly garden. The flowers of the salvia can be blue, red, purple, orange, pink, yellow, white, green or even brown. There are lots of different kinds of salvia, including the sage we cook with as well as poisonous versions, so make sure you know what you’re getting.
20. Cosmos (Cosmos spp.) – Cosmos is a great choice for a bee friendly garden, and easy to grow. The pink and white flowers of the Cosmos will attract bees to your garden.
Creating a bee friendly garden is a great way to give back to the environment and help support bees. There are so many plants that are native to Australia that are great sources of food for bees. I’ve listed 20 of the best plants for a bee friendly garden, but there are many more out there. So get creative and have fun creating your own bee friendly garden!
