Eight Plants To Help Bees Through Winter Into Spring

TAG: Wildlife Gardening by Christina

Once I started to engage in my garden, I soon found out that bees can still be out and about during winter and spring, especially when days reach 10c in temperature.  Providing sources of pollen and nectar for any bees that are active during the winter months goes a long way in keeping them fed until all the juicy nectar rich flowers start to bloom again.

There are very few winter flowering plants in the wild in Britain, so our gardens are the best place to create an environment where bees can hide and feast throughout winter and spring.  With your help active winter bees can avoid starvation.

Bees need open flowers with easy access to pollen and nectar.  Unfortunately bedding plants such as winter pansies have no pollen or nectar or bees can't access it.

Eight plants to help bees through winter into spring

Here are eight flowering plants you could include in your garden to help bees survive the winter and spring.  They also add colour to your garden during the coldest months which will improve your mood.

  1. Aconite
  2. Evergreen clematis
  3. Oregon Grape
  4. Primrose
  5. Strawberry Tree
  6. Willow
  7. Winter Flowering Heather
  8. Winter Flowering Honeysuckle

Read on to find out more about each plant and when they flower:

aconite

1.  Aconite

Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) carpets the ground at the start of the year with bright, buttercup-like flowers and dark green leaves.  They like damp darker spots and are ideal for naturalising under trees and shrubs.

Flowers: January - February

2.  Evergreen clematis

There are several winter-flowering varieties of Clematis cirrhosa, including 'Freckles' and 'Wisley Cream'.  They both have glossy, dark green leaves and produce small, pale flowers from late autumn.

Flowers: December - February

3.  Oregon Grape

Hahonia's clusters of often scented winter flowers are a magnet for bees.  The leaves are leathery and evergreen, and flowers are usually followed by dark purple berries.  Varieties 'Apollo' and 'Buckland' would make great additions to any winter garden.

Flowers: November - March

primula vulgaris

4.  Primrose

The native primrose to Britain is Primula vulgaris which blooms from early March to May.  It's a woodland flower, so perfect for naturalising under a tree or on a shady bank.

Flowers: March - May

strawberry tree

5.  Strawberry Tree

I finally included a Strawberry tree in the garden last summer.  It didn't appreciate the hot summer of 2022, but I did manage to save it after it started to go brown and cripsy.

The Stawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) is an evergreen tree or shrub with small, bell-shaped, creamy-white or pink flowers which show up in autumn.  At the same time the red, strawberry-like fruits from the previous year's flowers ripen.

Flowers: September - November

willow

6.  Willow

Catkins appear before the leaves do in spring and are a magnet for bees.  The catkins of Salix caprea 'Kilmarnock', are a magnet for the bumblebee queens.

Flowers: April - May

7.  Winter Flowering Heather

Popular varieties of Erica carnea include 'Adrienne Duncan', which is a spreading, dwarf, evergreen shrub with red flowers and 'Challenger', which has magenta flowers.

A new study published in the journal Current Biology from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Royal Holloway has discovered that a natural nectar chemical in Calluna heather called callunene can act as a medicine to protect bumblebees from a harmful parasite.

Flowers: January - April

8.  Winter Flowering Honeysuckle

Lonicera fragrantissima is a bushy, deciduous shrub with highly fragrant, cream flowers in winter and early spring.

Flowers: January - March

More articles about wildlife gardening:

How To Grow Catmint
What is the difference between a cultivated wildlife friendly and a wild garden
Simple gardening tips to help you have a beautiful garden that also helps wildlife find a home they can thrive in
What is yellow rattle
Oxeye daisy leucanthemum vulgare
10 of the best climbers for wildlife
Wildlife Gardening Tips
The secret to getting birds into your garden
The best flowers for bumblebees
Plants to add to your garden for caterpillars
The best flowers for honeybees
The best shrubs for butterflies
What you need to know before starting a wildlife-garden
How to attract bees to your garden
How to attract birds to your garden

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